Climate-Proofing Ghana’s Northern Dams: The Urgent Need to Protect Tono and Vea Irrigation Systems

Introduction

The Tono and Vea irrigation dams in Ghana’s Upper East Region are critical lifelines for thousands of smallholder farmers, but they now face unprecedented challenges due to climate change. Once dependable sources of water for dry-season farming, these dams are experiencing declining water levels, erratic rainfall, and increasing pressure from both environmental and human factors. This article explores the growing risks to these vital water resources and what can be done to safeguard them for future generations.

Key Points

Background

The Tono Dam, located in Navrongo within the Kassena-Nankana Municipality, and the Vea Dam in the Bongo District have been cornerstones of agricultural development in the Upper East Region since their construction in the 1970s. Designed to support dry-season farming and stabilize food production in one of Ghana’s most climate-vulnerable zones, these dams enabled farmers to cultivate rice, vegetables, and other crops long after the rainy season ended.

For decades, these irrigation systems provided reliable water supplies that allowed farmers to maintain consistent crop calendars and achieve good yields. However, the changing climate is now threatening this vital infrastructure and the livelihoods that depend on it.

Analysis

The Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources

Climate change—defined as long-term shifts in temperature patterns, rainfall trends, and weather extremes largely driven by human activities such as fossil fuel use and deforestation—is placing unprecedented stress on the Tono and Vea irrigation dams. According to the Irrigation Company of Upper Region (ICOUR), which manages both facilities, rising temperatures and erratic rainfall have made it increasingly difficult to operate the irrigation schemes as originally planned.

Dominic Anarigide, Acting Managing Director of ICOUR, explains that the rainy seasons have shifted dramatically. “Unlike in the past when rains typically began in May, the wet seasons now start in July.” This delay means farmers cannot follow the traditional crop calendar, forcing ICOUR to provide supplementary irrigation even during rainy periods.

The consequences are severe. The additional water drawn from the dams during rainy seasons, combined with increased evaporation due to higher temperatures, is causing water levels to drop significantly. Anarigide notes that approximately 2.5 million cubic meters of water are lost to evaporation each month—translating to 30 million cubic meters annually from each dam.

Human Pressures and Environmental Degradation

Beyond climate factors, human activities are compounding the challenges facing these dams. As rainfall becomes more unreliable across the region, more people are migrating toward water resources, creating a growing concentration of farmers around the dam areas. This increased demand is putting additional strain on already stressed infrastructure.

The dams are also experiencing siltation due to encroachment. Anarigide reports that the Tono Dam is estimated to be about 10% silted, while the Vea Dam’s siltation level hasn’t been recently assessed. “Climate change has driven some farmers to now want to move closer and farm around the buffer zone of the dams, and that also pushes some debris into the dams,” he explains.

Disruption of Farming Cycles

The misalignment between traditional irrigation schedules and current climate realities is creating significant challenges for farmers. ICOUR maintains that following the irrigation calendar is essential for the long-term capacity of the system, but unstable weather patterns mean that every year, some farmers are left behind through no fault of their own.

Farmers report that they’re unable to start farming at the times they’re supposed to because the rains don’t come early enough. “Farmers were not able to start farming at the time they were supposed to. The rains did not come for us to start early,” one farmer explained. “And they have a calendar that tells us when to start farming and when to end. So, if the farmer is not able to fall in line with the calendar, then at the time his crop still needs water; that is the time ICOUR might tell us to stop work for them to carry out maintenance.”

This mismatch between institutional schedules and on-the-ground realities is leading to poor yields and post-harvest losses, threatening both food security and farmer livelihoods in the region.

Practical Advice

For Farmers

1. **Diversify crops**: Consider planting drought-resistant varieties that require less water
2. **Water conservation**: Implement water-saving techniques like mulching and drip irrigation where possible
3. **Soil management**: Practice soil conservation to improve water retention
4. **Alternative income**: Develop supplementary income sources to reduce dependency on single crop cycles
5. **Community cooperation**: Work with neighbors to share resources and information about weather patterns

For Policymakers

1. **Infrastructure investment**: Allocate funds for dam maintenance, desilting, and modernization
2. **Research support**: Fund studies on climate adaptation strategies specific to northern Ghana
3. **Farmer support**: Provide subsidies and insurance programs for farmers affected by climate disruptions
4. **Technology adoption**: Encourage public-private partnerships to introduce modern irrigation technologies
5. **Buffer zone enforcement**: Strengthen regulations protecting dam catchment areas from encroachment

For Communities

1. **Education programs**: Organize workshops on climate-smart agriculture practices
2. **Early warning systems**: Establish community-based weather monitoring and alert systems
3. **Collective action**: Form farmer cooperatives to improve bargaining power and resource sharing
4. **Reforestation**: Plant trees around dam areas to reduce siltation and provide shade
5. **Water management committees**: Create local governance structures for equitable water distribution

FAQ

Conclusion

The challenges facing the Tono and Vea irrigation dams represent a critical juncture for agricultural sustainability in northern Ghana. As climate change continues to reshape weather patterns and water availability, the infrastructure built for yesterday’s climate must adapt to today’s realities. The combination of environmental pressures—rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and increased evaporation—with human factors like population pressure and encroachment is creating a perfect storm that threatens both water security and food production.

Addressing these challenges requires a multi-faceted approach involving government investment, technological innovation, community engagement, and farmer support. Without urgent action to climate-proof these vital water resources, the progress made in agricultural development over the past decades could be reversed, with serious implications for food security, rural livelihoods, and economic stability in Ghana’s Upper East Region.

The experience of the Tono and Vea dams serves as a warning and a call to action—not just for Ghana but for other regions facing similar climate challenges. By investing in adaptation measures now, strengthening institutional capacity, and supporting affected communities, it’s possible to build resilience and ensure that these critical water resources continue to serve future generations of farmers.