Water Crisis Hits Gambibgo Farmers as Drought Threatens Crops and Livelihoods

By – Gladys Apuweni

Farmers in Gambibgo in the Bolgatanga East District of the Upper East Region are appealing to the government and development partners for urgent intervention following inadequate rainfall that has left their dam with insufficient water for dry season farming, threatening their livelihoods and food security

A visit to the farming community revealed pepper, okro, and tomato crops drying up due to the water shortage, with only a few farmers managing to cultivate their fields compared with the previous year, when the area supported extensive dry season farming

The situation has left farmers worried about losing their investments, as the dam, which serves as their primary source of irrigation water, has not accumulated enough water because of poor rainfall. The drying up of nearby water sources has further worsened the situation, leaving farmers struggling to keep their crops alive

Amadu Bukari, Assembly Member for the Gambibgo Electoral Area, who is serving his second term, described the situation as unprecedented in his experience growing up in the community. He said the inadequate rainfall had significantly affected farming activities, with several farmers unable to cultivate their lands this season

Mr Bukari appealed to the Bolgatanga East District Assembly, the Upper East Regional Minister and other relevant authorities to support the affected farmers through the provision of boreholes and the rehabilitation of the dam to improve its water storage capacity

He also appealed to WaterAid Ghana and other development partners to assist farmers in salvaging their remaining crops and preventing further losses

Mr Bukari warned that the situation could discourage young people from farming and force them to migrate to southern Ghana in search of employment, potentially worsening rural unemployment

One of the affected farmers, Asibiga Nelson, a graduate who turned to farming because of the difficulty in securing employment, said the water shortage had left him and other farmers helpless as their investments continued to go to waste

Mr Nelson, who inherited farming from his father, said the drying pepper and tomato crops threatened his ability to support his parents and family. He appealed to the government to reconstruct the dam and improve its capacity to retain water during the rainy season

Another farmer, Rita Ayindenaba, also appealed to the government to support farmers, lamenting that they spent substantial amounts of money on farming only to face the prospect of harvesting little or nothing

She said the water crisis had also placed an additional burden on women and children, who must travel considerable distances to fetch water for their households

According to her, women sometimes spend several hours waiting in long queues before getting water, making life particularly difficult for mothers and wives who must return from their farms exhausted and still prepare meals for their families

Ms Ayindenaba said the situation had compounded the difficulties faced by women, who must balance their farming activities with household responsibilities, and called for urgent measures to improve access to water in the community

The farmers stressed that agriculture remained a major source of livelihood in Gambibgo and called for immediate investment in water infrastructure to protect their investments, improve food production and encourage more young people to venture into farming

They warned that without timely intervention, the crisis could deepen the economic difficulties facing farming households and undermine efforts to promote agriculture as a sustainable source of employment for the youth

Source – gbcuraonline.com