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An Exploratory Study of the Impact of the One-Village-One-Dam Initiative in Northern Ghana

Author

Listed:
  • Samuel Adams

    (Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Accra P.O. Box AH 50, Ghana)

  • Michael Martey

    (Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Accra P.O. Box AH 50, Ghana)

  • Charles Amoatey

    (Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Accra P.O. Box AH 50, Ghana)

  • Joseph Taabazuing

    (Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Accra P.O. Box AH 50, Ghana)

  • Richard Otoo

    (Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Accra P.O. Box AH 50, Ghana)

  • Emmanuel Abokyi

    (Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Accra P.O. Box AH 50, Ghana)

Abstract

This study is an exploratory examination of the effect of the Ghana government’s flagship program known as the One-Village-One-Dam (1V1D) initiative on the livelihoods of rural farmers in the five regions of Northern Ghana. A total of 15 constituencies proportionate to the number of constituencies in each of the five beneficiary regions were selected from the region. Data were collected from a total of 1585 respondents, comprising 785 from the control group and 800 from the treatment group. The survey focused on access to water, crop and livestock productivity, income generation, and overall well-being. Four main findings are reported. First, the results show differential effects of the 1V1D initiative. There was an increase in reliance on 1V1D dams for water, particularly in the Northern region, where challenges such as insufficient water storage and poor dam maintenance hindered their effectiveness for irrigation and livestock rearing. Second, the use of water from boreholes was more popular in the other parts of Northern Ghana. Third, the shallowness of most of the dams meant that they dried up during the dry season and, therefore, did not have a significant effect on crops and livestock productivity. Finally, the dams had a marginal effect on food security, income levels of the farmers, and consequently on their overall livelihoods. The findings of this exploratory study will provide insights to enrich further studies based on the second and third rounds of data collection.

Suggested Citation

  • Samuel Adams & Michael Martey & Charles Amoatey & Joseph Taabazuing & Richard Otoo & Emmanuel Abokyi, 2024. "An Exploratory Study of the Impact of the One-Village-One-Dam Initiative in Northern Ghana," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-17, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:19:p:8570-:d:1491340
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Boansi, David & Owusu, Victor & Tambo, Justice Akpene & Donkor, Emmanuel & Asante, Bright Owusu, 2021. "Rainfall shocks and household welfare: Evidence from northern Ghana," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
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    3. Elodie Blanc & Eric Strobl, 2014. "Is Small Better? A Comparison of the Effect of Large and Small Dams on Cropland Productivity in South Africa," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 28(3), pages 545-576.
    4. Kemeze, Francis H., 2020. "Demand for Supplemental Irrigation via Small-Scale Water Harvesting," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304569, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
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