Robert Taliercio O’Brien, the World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, has praised the resilience of farmers impacted by this year’s drought in northern Ghana. He encouraged them to remain steadfast and not lose hope.
During a tour of the Upper Region to review FSRP (West Africa Food System Resilience Programme) project sites, where World Bank-funded initiatives are advancing, Mr. O’Brien highlighted the project’s role in strengthening food system resilience against climate-driven agricultural challenges.
He stated, “Despite the demoralizing effects of this drought, I am deeply inspired by the determination and resolve of the farmers I have met.
I want to convey that the World Bank stands with you during these tough times, and we are committed to supporting Ghana and the region in building robust value chains to emerge stronger from these natural adversities.”
Mr. O’Brien noted that communities with World Bank-funded irrigation systems were shielded from the worst effects of the drought, thanks to the ability to engage in dry-season farming.
He inspected the Tono Irrigation Scheme, which was rehabilitated with funding from the World Bank and the Government of Ghana under the previous Ghana Commercial Agriculture Project (GCAP).
This project included the rehabilitation and expansion of four major irrigation schemes: Kpong, Kpong Left Bank, Tono, and Vea.
He emphasized that the World Bank plans to build on GCAP’s successes through the FSRP, focusing on completing work on the Vea Irrigation Scheme and enhancing the Tono Irrigation Scheme.
The FSRP will also support farmers with input credit and new technologies, including solar-powered pumps for tomato cultivation and climate-smart agricultural practices.
Ms. Ashwini Sebastian, Senior Agricultural Economist at the World Bank Ghana and Task Team Leader of FSRP, stressed that irrigation alone is not sufficient for improving food production quality and yields. Integration of innovative methods and climate-smart seeds is essential.
Project Coordinator for FSRP, Osei Owusu-Agyeman, announced that FSRP will also support the development of a new national irrigation policy to address current climate variability challenges.
