THE WHITE VOLTA SUB-BASIN - Sustainable Irrigation Development in the White Volta Sub-Basin - page 25

The Land Conservation and Smallholder Rehabilitation Project
(LACOSREP) financed by the International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD) promoted a wide portfolio of agricultural support
activities in the Upper East Region, including training, agricultural
extension, gender mainstreaming, agricultural credit, water resources
development and rural infrastructure development.
The District Capacity Building Project (DISCAP) is funded by CIDA. This
US$7 million project trained and strengthened district governments and their
water-related technical units, together with community-based civil-society
organizations that manage rural and peri-urban water systems (WATSAN
and Water Boards).
DANIDA is the core funding agency of the Water Resources Commission of
Ghana. In addition to supporting the National Water Resource Commission
in Accra, DANIDA supported the pilot testing of basin boards to allow for a
more decentralized approach to Integrated Water Resource Management.
Government Policy on Irrigation
The draft Ghana Irrigation Policy (Final Draft, 2006) is designed to open up
the investment space for intensified and diversified irrigated crop production
in Ghana where there is clear comparative advantage. The policy is designed
to accomplish this by addressing four key 'problem' areas concerning the
formal, informal and commercial irrigated sub-sectors that have been
identified during an extensive consultative review.
 Performance and Growth. Realize the productive capacity of existing
assets and respond to new demands for irrigated production through
a mix of well coordinated public and private initiatives;
 Socio-economic inclusion. Remove constraints to a balanced socio-
economic engagement with land and water resources;
 Responsible production: Raise the environmental performance of all
types of irrigation and related agricultural practice;
 Enhanced Services. Extend cost-effective, demand driven irrigation
services to public and private irrigators.
Water Rights in Ghana
Section 12 of the Water Resources Commission Act of Ghana (1996)
stipulates that ‚the property in and control of all water resources is vested in
the President on behalf of, and in trust for the people of Ghana.‛ The
vesting of the water resources in the President is to make water resources
management consistent with general natural resources management in Ghana