Sisili-Kulpawn irrigation ProjectMaking Northern Ghana flood resilient and increase agricultural production by catalysing efficient water use, conservation and encouraging Smallholder and Nucleus Farmers to engage in high technology and profitable farming.

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ContactWienco Ghana Ltd.

Integrated Water & Agricultural Management Department (IWAD)

T + 233 – 302 – 772251

F + 233 – 302 – 772239

www.wienco.com

Accra office:

Tom Durang (project manager)

tom.durang@wienco.com

M +233 – (0) 544 348510

Busia N. Dawuni (senior irrigation)

busia.nd@wienco.com

M +233 – (0) 544 313146

ColophonWienco Ghana Ltd. - IWAD, has commissioned this brochure. The brochure brings

insight in the Wienco – IWAD approach to employ PPPs and market –based

solutions to enable Smallholders to emerge in a commercially– oriented irrigation

sub sector.

Design brochure, with the support of Alterra, Wageningen UR

Photographs: Vuurwerk Communicatie en Vormgeving, Arnhem, Netherlands,

AGRICANE Ltd., Wienco Ghana Ltd. – IWAD

July 2013

Yagaba office:

Obed K. Tuabu (small holder irrigation)

obed.k.tuabu@wienco.com

M +233 – (0) 544 316228

Eric van Zandwijk (soil and water)

eric.van_zandwijk@wienco.com

M +233 – (0) 544 316354

“Our vision is to expand commercial viable irrigation practices in the Sisili–Kulpawn basin through the delivery of high quality irrigation support, new technology development and knowledge transfer, promoting water use efficiency and sustainability and secure farmer revenues for both Smallholders and the Nucleus Estates”

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Table of content

Contact and Colophon 2

Introduction 6

Northern Ghana, a bright future ahead! 8

Public Private Partnership (PPP) 10

The Project will be rolled out in two phases 12

Project location 15

Hydrology 16

Climate and water availability 18

Environmental risks 20

Agriculture 22

Irrigation project design 24

Land use 26

A Spatial Dimension 28

Agronomic Potential & Processing 30

Dams and Reservoirs 32

About Wienco 34

IntroductionThe Sisili-Kulpawn basin in the Savannah Agro-Ecological Zone (SAEZ) in Northern

Ghana is characterized by difficult agro-ecological conditions, such as annual flooding,

drought periods, poor soils, erratic rainfall, exacerbated by the adverse effects of

climate change.

Recent investigations into the scenarios for development of water management and

irrigation and drainage practices have demonstrated that there is a great potential

for large scale irrigation in the North.

In 2012, Wienco Ghana Limited (Wienco) and The Government of Ghana through the

Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) have signed a Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) for the development of the Sisili-Kulpawn irrigation Project (the

Project).

Despite the limitations of the SAEZ the availability of land and extensive water

resources do offer promising business expansion opportunities for the private sector.

For the expansion of modernized agricultural practices Wienco Ghana Ltd is proposing

to co - invest in key bulk water infrastructure in the Sisili–Kulpawn Basin to control

the excessive flooding and unleash irrigated agriculture as the core driver to enhance

rural income and alleviate poverty.

Irrigation investments that help to direct water to dry areas and reduce flooding will

bring relief to the farmers in the Sisili-Kulpawn Basin. To apprehend this transition

Wienco Ghana Ltd. established the Integrated Water & Agricultural Management

Department (IWAD) in 2012.

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A readiness of the private sector to contribute to the Northern case !

A shifting landscape for development; targeting large scale investments and link them with private sector initiatives

Reconnaissance study (Royal HasKoning) commissioned and funded by Wienco

MoU with SADA signed

Strategic Partnership agreement signed with Wageningen University and Rebel group

Hydraulic assessment (HKV consultants), environmental scoping and project feasibility (AGRICANE Ltd), initiated for Sisili-Kulpawn Basin and funded by Wienco

March 2013 - Additional funding secured from the Dutch Sustainable Water Fund (FDW) for the Sisili – Kulpawn flagship project.

April 2013 - Start up Integrated Water Management and Knowledge Transfer flagship project

Expansion of modernized agricultural practices (sugar and rice estate, out - grower and rain fed farming support)

Promoting and attracting new

investments in the agri- business contributing to

food security and security

issues

Start- up expansion out - growers support (rainfed) and conservation farming in the overseas area

Design and build irrigation scheme

EIA, feasibility and design dam (XXL project)

Start up 250 ha Nucleo Farm and 150 ha smallholder irrigation support

Feasibility and EIA for dam project

Creation of 15.000 news jobs and contribute

directy to food security and income for 100.000

families

Targeted investment 600 M Euro

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Construction dam

8 9

Northern Ghana, a bright future ahead!With the widening poverty gap between Northern and Southern Ghana, the urgency in Northern Ghana, to engage in rural

development, is now more crucial than ever. The implementation of sustainable irrigation practices with strong links to

markets is the best climate resilient way out of poverty for the Ghanaian people in the North. Under the recently endorsed

Northern Savannah Development Initiative (2010) by the Government of Ghana (GoG) agricultural modernization and

private sector engagement are expected to boost the economy in the North.

Over the next 5 years, Wienco Ghana Ltd. plans to focus on the development of commercial agricultural practices in the

– Kulpawn area in the Northern region through the promotion and implementation of innovative water and agricultural

land management practices. In partnerships with GoG and other stakeholders (including development partners, private

sector, universities and knowledge centers) Wienco Ghana Ltd. will target a total of 45,000 ha of presently under used or

abandoned land for developing commercial agricultural practices (including rain - fed, conservation farming and irrigation

support).

The combination with the multi- purpose Pwalugu dam and reservoir (Volta River Authorities (VRA), with the support from

Worldbank and AfD) for which the full feasibility studies and EIA have recently been initiated (2013) will also be favourable

in terms of flood mitigation and the expansion of irrigated agriculture in the region (up to potentially 100.000 ha) in the

Sisili–Kulpawn Basin.

The agricultural sector in Northern Ghana is poised for growth and Wienco Ghana Ltd. is ready to contribute to this process

through the promotion and implementation of innovative water and land management practices in the Sisili–Kulpawn Basin.

What is the Sisili-Kulpawn project?

• A commercial agricultural – irrigation venture

• The sustainable link between i) the commercial potential of increase in farm activity (including Out-growers, Smallholder

irrigation and Nucleus Farms) in the basin and ii) required water management infrastructure and assets

• Building the foundation for a long – term Public Private Partnership (PPP) underpinning the planned up-scaling envisaged

water management infrastructure and commercial agricultural – irrigation activities in the region

What does the Sisili-Kulpawn project comprehend?

• Knowledge transfer (irrigation and integrated water management is a new concept) in collaboration with the Wageningen

University (www.wageningenur.nl) and the local knowledge institutes (UDS and SARI)

• Irrigation agriculture development from pilot (400 ha) into long-term arrangement (> 20.000 Ha) in a combination of

Smallholders and Nucleus Farms

Every stakeholder has a critical role

• The government (SADA) must lead, setting the direction for the transformation of the Northern Savannah Agro -

Ecological Zone and creating the right environment for the private sector to operate

• Everyone, the sectors, the private sector, development partners, local stakeholders, financiers, organized management,

Smallholders, Commercial Farmers and Local Communities must step up their effort

• An inclusive and participatory process to clarify rights over land and other natural resources and making decisions on

land allocation, both for the Nucleus Farm, Out - growers and the Smallholder irrigation plots will be a key part of the

project approach to ensure a successful partnerships

Why will it work?

• Increased utilization of agricultural potential of the basin area has direct and indirect economic impacts

• Structuring the economics into business cases that ‘make it work’

• Improving irrigation technologies and Farmers capabilities in combination with a market based approach will inspire

new breakthroughs

The bulk water infrastructure challenge

• A main element of the plan is the construction of one or more dam(s) for the purpose of flood mitigation, irrigation

and drainage

• The project will aim at a shared dependency on bulk water infrastructure (dam, weir and irrigation channel)

• Bulk water risks and challenges offer a rationale for Public-Private Partnership

• With the institutional support from the Rebel Group International (www.rebelgroup.com) the best trade-offs in PPPs

(e.g. integrate/separate, finance/grant) will be determined

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Public Private Partnership (PPP)

Large tracks of land in Northern Ghana irrigated, a shift towards professional farming

with the potential of bringing economic and social prosperity offers a case for a

good investment. The development of large scale irrigation agriculture will require

funds for substantial infrastructure investments, long term alignment of all involved

stakeholders and a combination of project implementation capacity from a broad

range of sources. The financing and realization of bulk water infrastructure supporting

the development of irrigation on thousands of hectares in the Sisili-Kulpawn Basin

will be a unique undertaking.

By nature, the development and operation of bulk water systems is also a collective

enterprise of great economic and social value. A value-oriented approach to project

development, implementation and operation is therefore important. The partners in

the project need to ensure Value-for-Money through (1) sufficient momentum and

resource availability, (2) timeliness and cost-effectiveness and (3) the implementation

of best practices, high quality techniques and innovative approaches where possible.

The Government of Ghana has identified Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as a way

to achieve these objectives, and the project partners consider PPP very closely.

Together with Rebel Group International, strategic advisors in PPP project

Development, the GoG (Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP) and

development partners, Wienco is studying various PPP models. These models choices

include typical PPP structuring questions concerning:

• the degree of integration or separation of design, construction and maintenance/

operations of the bulk water infrastructure,

• the best way to use private finance and minimize the need for public funds, and

• risk allocation between the partners in the PPP, for example with concern to

water demand risk.

These structuring questions need to be approached hand-in-hand with further

development of a robust business case to ensure sufficient market interest and

competition.

Pro

du

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cha

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Lifecycleelements

Flagship project400 Ha irrigation

Upscale potential> 20,000 Ha irrigation

Large-scale Bulk Water infrastructure

Design

Design

Build, FinanceUpscale PPP model in support of bulk water infrastructure development (EUR 180m)

Build, Finance

Maintain

Maintain

Operate

Operate

Irrigation infrastructure

- Small dams and reservoirs

- Primary distribution

- Secondary/ tertiary distribution

- Irrigation equipment

Farming inputs (seeds,

fertilizers, etc.)

Crop farming (land arrangements,

farmers commited, etc.)

Sales of produce to the market

Private sector led partnership

supported by the Ghananian and

Dutch governments (EUR 12m)

The project will be rolled out in two phases:

PHASE 1: Flagship project (April 2013 onwards (5y.)) a joined venture

together with SADA , Wienco Ghana Ltd. and the Wageningen University &

Rebel International will support:

• Irrigation and bulk water infrastructure (for initially 400 ha) (250 ha pivot

irrigation at Nucleo / model farm + 150 ha irrigated small Smallholder Farmers)

• Expansion of out-grower (rainfed) support (initially 500 ha up to potentially 6000

ha) into the overseas area, including soil and water conservation practices;

• Knowledge transfer promoted. Information on soil, water and irrigation practices

should be communicated in simple language to the farmers (in twinning

arrangements with international Universities (Wageningen), Wienco Chair, UDS,

and SARI institute), Government extensions services and the private sector;

• Set-up, training and the provision of farm mechanization services;

• Outset of a road map for the development of storage facilities, access roads,

solar and mini hydro – power facilities;

• Feasibility, design and social environmental impact assessment (SEIA) study for

the large scale commercial agricultural (20.000 ha) completed

For the implementation of flagship project phase (2013 – 2017) 11,6 M million euro

has been set aside of which 60% (or 6.9 M euro) is secured through the Sustainable

Water Fund (FDW) the Dutch PPP Water facility which aims to finance projects in the

area of water safety and water security. The remaining 40% will be covered by the

Strategic Partners namely Wienco Ghana Ltd. 3.2 million euro (27.6%), SADA, 0.8

million euro (6.9%), Alterra – Wageningen University 0.6 million euro (5.2%) and

Rebel international 0.04 million euro (0.3%)

PHASE 2: The up – scaling phase (also referred to as the Sisili–

Kulpawn XXL project) – (2015 onwards) will focus on the development of

a long-term public-private partnership underpinning the envisaged water

management infrastructure and assets including :

• The terms of design and construction of the main bulk water infrastructure

(including funding/financing and operation)

• Negotiate long-term government commitment / support that enhances the

viability of the project (through e.g. capital grants, certain guarantee instruments,

operating subsidies, tax exemptions etc.)

• Construction of the dam(s), reservoir development (totaling 500 Mm3) and

expansion of commercial irrigation practices and facilitate the introduction of

(new) cash crops such as sugar cane, cotton, soya (and others)

The financial feasibility, the socio - economic and environmental impact of the XXL

Sisili–Kulpawn project will be assessed on the basis of a number of investigations,

research and consultations for the agricultural and industrial components .

One of the key conditions is that financing for the Water Storage and Bulk Water

Conveyance will be acquired separately from public or concessionary financing

institutions outside the project.

At pre-feasibility level (AGRICANE, 2013), the Project Capital cost estimates were

split into Water Storage and Bulk Water Conveyance, Agricultural and Industrial cost.

It must be stated that these are still rough estimates and will depend on the outcome

of more detailed planned investigations.

The estimated cost for the Dam and Bulk Water Conveyance include the dam wall

and associated infrastructure, water conveyance, central roads and buildings,

equipment and project preparation costs (EIA etc). The cost estimates for Agricultural

1312

Project locationDistrict: Mamprugu Moaduri

Sisili-Kulpawn Basin:

- Latitudes - 10 o and 10½o N

- Longitudes - 1 o and 1½o W

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Development (Nucleus Estates & Out – growers) includes bush clearing, land

preparation and leveling, Secondary Bulk Water supply (from the main Bulk Water

canal to the Nucleus or Smallholder irrigation plots), overhead irrigation systems,

drainage works and ancillary infrastructure, project management costs. The cost

estimates for the Industrial Plants (approximated from current projects in East

Africa) include the sugar factory, together with Ethanol Distillery and Power plant (30

MW Turbo Alternator) a Rice, Maize and Soya processing Mill.

The estimated cost are:

• Agricultural Development (17.540 ha) combined Nucleus and Out - grower

farms): US$ 285 million

• Industrial Plants: US$ 160 million and

• Dam and Bulk Water conveyance US$215 million is estimated (also to be

further integrated under the PPP structure).

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HydrologyThe Sisili and Kulpawn Rivers are tributaries of the Volta River with catchments

cutting through Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin and Ghana. The Sisili

River springs in Burkina Faso and flows into the Kulpawn River after 300 km. The

Kulpawn River springs in Ghana near the border with Burkina Faso and has a length

of 290 km until it meets the Sisili River. From there the Kulpawn River continues for

37 km until it flows into the White Volta River. The total catchment of the Sisili is

12,633 km2. The Kulpawn catchment covers 11,737 km2 until its confluence with the

Sisili River. From there the Kulpawn catchment covers an additional 625 km2 until

the White Volta River.

The annual water discharge volumes in the Kulpawn River (total : 356 Mm3 water at

10th percentiles ) and the Sisili River (total : 173 Mm3 water at 10th percentiles )

does vary considerably over the year. Annually, during the peak flow months (Aug

– Oct), large tracks of potential farm land are still flooded as no protective flood

mitigation measures are yet in place in the Sisili–Kulpawn Basin.

The project will explore opportunities to expand farming during both the rainy and

dry season through a smart combination of flood protection measures water buffering

and drainage techniques in combination with efficient irrigation techniques .

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Climate and water availabilityThe climate in the region is characterized as ‘Tropical Savannah’ with a hot (30-40°C)

and dry season from November until April and rains between May and October with

August and September as the months with highest rainfall; average annual rainfall

amounts to 1,000-1,200 mm. In November and December desert Harmattan winds

coming from the North result in cooler nights and days with lower humidity.

The area has an abundant resource of arable land and sunshine to allow the cultivation

of a wide variety of crops, subject to water availability.

The impacts of global climate change on agriculture will vary over time and across

locations, depending on different agro ecologies, farming systems, production

conditions and crop varieties.

Farmers in the North are already witnessing the effects of climate change: increased

frequency of extreme weather events of floods and drought, loss in soil fertility and

consequently poor crop yields. This means that the farmers must adapt to changing

rainfall patterns and fluctuations in temperature. Failing to do so will affect their

yields drastically.

In adaptation strategies for climate change, harvest security is an important aspect

that can be enhanced by development of irrigation practices adjusted to the variable

circumstances of rural people in the Sisili-Kulpawn Basin.

In a hydraulic study (2012 - 2013) carried out by HKV consultants in cooperation with

the Water Resources Commission (WRC) the current water availability for irrigation

was assessed as well as the effect of climate change on the irrigation potential. The

study concluded that:

• The water availability in the Kulpawn Basin is larger compared to the Sisili Basin

• Damming of the Kulpawn and Sisili rivers is required to ensure adequate water

for irrigation.

• In the worst-case scenario of climate change (dry conditions) damming turns to

be a key requirement for supporting agriculture in the region.

• A thorough Environmental Impact Assessment is required to minimize

environmental and socio-economic impacts of the catchments.

Picture:

Hoe heet deze

vogel of iets over

ecology????

20 21

Environmental risksAgricultural growth, although desirable, does inevitably place pressure on the

environment. In various part of the world agriculture does even account up to 70%

of the water withdrawals and 30% of greenhouse gas emissions (including 16% from

deforestation).

The development of the Sisili–Kulpawn irrigation project will also be accompanied

by several environmental risks and is therefore classified (under the Environmental

Protection Agency Act 490 and the Environmental Regulations Assessment, 1999) as

an Environmentally Sensitive Project which will require a full Environmental Impact

Assessment (EIA) prior to project implementation. From a purely environmental

viewpoint, the proposed flagship project (400 ha) is likely to have a moderate impact

on the natural environment provided the drainage is managed properly.

The establishment of a the proposed Kulpawn dam with a potential scale -up to

20.000 ha under irrigation (Sisili–Kulpawn XXL project) is a much larger project and

there are certain risks associated with large water infrastructure projects (dams

breaking, exceptional releases of water, environmental flows etc.). This will also

require other organizations (such as the WRC, the Dam dialogue platform and the

Volta Basin Authority) in the ECOWAS area to get involved .

Although the implications are yet difficult to predict, and while the dam may open

new ecological niches, the complexity of such changes suggest that the issue of

upstream and downstream ecological flows will be critical and should be studied

in detail. Any design for the dam will need to take into consideration the specific

recommendations that emanate from the preceding studies and EIA.

Other key environmental aspects that will be considered are the protection of natural

resources and ecosystem services, the impacts on air quality related to vegetation

clearing and air borne dust emissions, the potential for surface and groundwater

contamination by fertilizers and pesticides. Each of the above elements will also be

addressed in detail in the Project Environmental Impact Assessment planned for

2013 (flagship project ) and 2014 (XXL project).

22 23

AgricultureSubsistence agriculture is the dominant economic activity in the study area. The people

are predominantly Smallholders growing a wide range of rain-fed crops including

maize, sorghum, rice, millet, beans and other vegetables. The agricultural strategies

adopted by local villages are largely in response to the short wet and extended dry

season. In fact, these sharp seasonal factors largely drive the subsistence livelihoods

adopted by local villages.

Rain-fed cropping is undertaken at elevated areas where flood risks are negligible,

but where water functions as a major constraint, particularly during the dry season.

Sowing and cropping is undertaken during the months of April to July, in anticipation

of the rains in July to September. In addition, local communities actively take

advantage of flood events via recession agriculture along river banks. Flood recession

agriculture is a critical livelihood adaptation to climate and topography.

Within the project, both commercial farming and productive Smallholders need and

will grow crops that are well absorbed in the market. Sugar, rice, maize, soybeans and

cotton are among such crops. The market for cowpeas, staple foods and vegetables

for local consumption is also expected to grow and provides opportunities.

Current practices among Smallholders include very marginal use of inputs, resulting

in low yields, obtained by production in the rainy season. The productivity per hectare

has great upwards potential by a combination of better use of inputs and extending

the production season by introducing irrigation and thereby extending the production

throughout the year.

In addition, the project will study crop livestock interactions (whereby animal manure

can also contribute to soil fertility) and other conservation farming techniques (zero

tillage, combat wildfires and crop rotations) to combat the depletion of soil fertility.

Substantial production volumes of crops like sugarcane and rice will also have to

be accompanied by processing facilities. This will create value addition to these

production chains and extra employment and livelihood opportunities. Investments

in postharvest facilities can than boost a green economic growth in the Sisili-Kulpawn

Basin.

2524

IrrigationThe Sisili-Kulpawn Basin offers good potential for the development of irrigation and

integrated water management for increasing the yield and profitability of crops due

to the abundance of land and water resources.

The factors influencing the choice of irrigation systems can be broadly categorized

as natural (type of soil, slope, climate, quantity of available water) and crop (types

of crops to be grown). Additional factors are human (farmer’s previous experience of

irrigation) and finance (capital & operational cost).

Main methods of irrigating crops are surface irrigation (Basin and furrow), overhead

irrigation (centre pivots, conventional sprinklers), micro irrigation (drip, micro

sprinklers) and sub-surface irrigation. Each irrigation method has its advantages and

disadvantages. The main advantage of overhead systems is its suitability for a wide

variety of crops and soils (and uneven ground).

In the Sisili-Kulpawn area, irrigation is new and knowledge of it is sparse as there

are no existing irrigation schemes nearby. Consequently, the importance of training

and skills development in the art of irrigation cannot be overemphasized. Under

the Flagship project, there is a strong capacity building component foreseen with

collaboration from both local (UDS, SARI, GIDA) and international (Wageningen

University) institutions to address the knowledge gap.

Based on preliminary studies carried out with regards to water and soils, a combination

of direct pumping and small weir storage coupled with overhead irrigation systems

has been proposed for the 400 ha (250 ha Nucleus Farm and 150 ha Smallholder)

irrigation project .

A conceptual irrigation design has been developed (AGRICANE, 2013) for the XXL

project bringing water from a potential dam site (with a reservoir capacity estimated

at 500MCM) located North of the Mole Reserve on the Kulpawn river. To reach the

irrigable areas, water will have to be channelled by concrete gravity canal of 30km

and distributed into the different irrigation blocks by using pumps. The conceptual

design include the following areas under irrigation (combined Nucleus and Out -

grower farms):

• 7.410 ha of centre pivot irrigation and 2.885 ha of sprinkler irrigation for sugar

cane production

• 5.500 ha of paddy rice fields

• 1.750 ha of supplementary irrigation systems (corn, soya, others)

2726

Land useThe main form of land use is subsistence agriculture which is the dominant economic

activity in the study area. It is safe to surmise that within the study area itself,

dependency on agriculture is higher due to it rural location.

The people in the area predominantly Smallholders growing a wide range of rain-

fed crops including maize, sorghum, rice, millet, beans and other vegetables. The

agricultural strategies adopted by local villages are largely in response to the short

wet and extended dry season. In fact, these sharp seasonal factors largely drive the

subsistence livelihoods adopted by local villages.

Land in the project area is all under customary management, with local chiefs acting

as custodians of the land and resolving any conflicts that arise. Although there is

almost no formal registration of land rights in the area, there is widespread recognition

amongst the traditional and state authorities that the founding families or lineages

in each village hold strong usufruct rights that are, in many ways, equivalent to a

customary right of freehold.

Perceptions of tenure security are generally high, even amongst those that are

tenants on other people’s land, although some groups of land users find it more

difficult to exert their claims; these include the women and some pastoralist groups. Rainfall dictates the time and pace, as well as Farmers attitude to crop production from land preparation to

harvest – at the permission of the ‘rain-gods’. Technology liberated Farmers from the mood swing of the gods in

smallholder irrigation schemes in the Northern Region of Ghana.

It is thus expected that establishment of the Sisili-Kulpawn irrigation project would further liberate over 30,000

Smallholder Farmers with timely access to improved seeds, agrochemicals and irrigation water to improve yields

and income.

“….I heard they are making sacrifices in Kubugu to the gods to bring rain…I don’t know whether they

use fowls or pito (local drink). If the sacrifices are accepted, it would rain. If it does not rain, it means they are

not accepted and they would appeal to the gods again”…

“…Kubugu is not so far from Yagaba and therefore when it rains, it would stretch forth to my farm

as well. The only difference may be in magnitude because appeals were made there”…

Source: Based on discussions (June 2013) with Maize farmer Mr Zuroo from Yagaba

Interview

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A Spatial DimensionAlso in the rural areas in developing countries, it is of most importance to make the

best use of its local resources (water, soils, biodiversity and energy), to identify new

opportunities and to search for the integration of value chains and new markets

(e.g. supplying Metropolitan Food Clusters). The project aims at the identification,

development and implementation of green growth innovations, their sustainability

benefits to society and the environment, and to enable the balancing of possible

competing claims due to the spatial spread of more innovations in this area. This

results in providing an added value to the water, energy and food nexus perspective.

Outgrowers

Rice mill

Sugar mill Potential irrigation(furrow, pivot or drip)

Dam

Weir

Rural communities

Pivot irrigation system

Trees (Shea nuts trees)

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Agronomic potential & ProcessingDuring the dry season, agriculture is almost impossible due to lack of water. But

during the wet season, only the more elevated areas are suitable for agriculture.

Most of the lower areas get flooded. The lower lands along the main rivers offer

fertile conditions and draw many farmers, however these flood recession farming

practices are very risk full (and farmers often loose a large proportion of their crop

yield to either drought or flooding).

If the effects of the floods can be mitigated and if the dry period can be overcome by

irrigation, the agricultural perspective is huge. Irrigation also creates opportunities

for new crops. Crop choices under irrigation are determined primarily the prevailing

physical conditions (soil, climate and geographical location), the market and financial

viability. Since irrigation is an expensive initiative, the production of cash crops

(sugar cane, cotton and soy beans) are essential to sustain the project.

However, food security will also element of the project and the Smallholder Farmer

and therefore substantial parts of the project area will be designed for rice and

maize. Additionally, the potential of fresh vegetables will be investigated: onion,

carrot, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, etc.

Sugarcane

Sugarcane is not grown in the project area by the

communities – nor is it grown at a commercial scale

anywhere in Northern Ghana. From an agronomic

perspective, Sugarcane is a highly favoured crop for the

project area in that it is relatively simple to grow; the

processing is easy and the returns are good. Side benefit

is the potential for electricity production and cattle fodder.

Rice

Rice is already grown in, but the possibility of early flooding

and long droughts and so the high risk on failure, makes

the Farmers reluctant to invest in their farms. Consequently

the Farmers get very low yields. With the local experience

available, potential water security and guaranteed access

to farming inputs, this a potentially very interesting crop.

Soy Bean

The uses of soy bean are multiple. The Farmers in area

are familiar with the soy bean and its cousin the cow pea

is already produced on large scale. These factors make the

soy bean a crop easy to adopt.

Tree crops

The women in the area depend for their income

predominantly on the Shea tree, a tree that produces oil

rich nuts. But the potential for other tree crops is big and

not utilized. The option of a transportable oil presses and

more varieties (and thus more/longer harvesting seasons)

will supply the women in the area with more cash to run

their households.

Gbima is a small town in the Sisili-Kulpawn basin which faces flooding every year. The rains that fall in the hilly

parts of the catchment (West Gonya) all drain in the direction of Gbima. Additionally, the town is located within

the flooding sphere of the White Volta. The villagers claim that for two months of the year, their village is an

island as result of the flooding and they have no access to other villages. So with a discussion with the village

elders we hoped to clarify their needs:

“Are you facing problems when farming, if it concerns flooding?”

“No not really, when the waters only come from West Gonya, we haven’t got any real problems; we know how

far the floods reach, so our farms are safe. Also when the water comes from the White Volta, there is not really

a problem. Only when the flooding from West Gonya happen at the same time as high water in the White Volta

we face severe problems.”

“Is that happening often?”

“Almost every year…”

Source: Based on field discussion IWAD field staff with farmers around Yagaba.

Interview

3332

Dams and reservoirsAlthough the North of Ghana is well endowed with water resources, the first step in

planning the building of a dam and reservoir for flood mitigation and irrigation purpose

is to identify the best location. Because many factors in the Sisili-Kulpawn basin

affect the location choice, a hydrologic assessment was carried out (HKV consultants

2013) to analyse the effects related to hydrological and hydraulic processes, based

on which reservoir locations were weighted for both the Sisili and Kulpawn sub –

basins.

Taking into account the assessment above it was concluded that the Kulpawn river is

more favourable compared to the Sisili River for the construction of a reservoir. The

defined capacity of 500 Mm3 is available from reservoir locations North of the Mole

reserve border and upward. More downstream locations are not efficient and require

large impoundment constructions. On the other hand more upstream locations lead

to longer water transport lines to the potential irrigation areas.

A cascade construction seems to be a promising solution as its combined capacity

can be used, flood mitigation can be optimised and the transport length is limited

because the reservoir surface is stretched along the river. To transport the water to

the irrigation areas a transport canal can be constructed directly from the reservoir,

or the water can be transported through the river to a distribution weir downstream

of the cascade.

Mini hydropower potential ranging between 50 – 700 kW is present in both rivers, but

higher in the Kulpawn because of a higher average discharge. The more upstream a

reservoir is located, the higher the head difference and the higher the hydropower

potential.

In the end, the judgment of various stakeholders from Government to grass root level

need to balance the trade offs of such a major intervention in terms of the social,

economical, environmental and agricultural impacts. These issues will still need to

be analysed in the near future in more detail, partially based on the outcomes of this

dam - reservoir assessment.

Catalyzing Smallholder agriculture finance is key for farmers to gain access to

the needed inputs. This has led to the establishment of three major innovations

in Ghana’s agriculture in recent times, namely: Cocoa Abrabopa Association (for

cocoa Farmers), Masara N’arziki (for maize farmers) and Wienco Cotton (for

cotton Farmers).

Our Small Scale Farmers Initiatives in Ghana:

Maize / Masara N’Arziki

• Actually 13.000 Farmers / 19.425 ha under contract

• Objectives 2014:

• 18.000 Farmers / 25.495 ha

Cotton / Wienco Cotton

• Actually 22.000 Farmers / 13.000 ha under contract

• Objectives 2014:

26.000 Farmers / 16.000 ha

Cocoa / Cocoa Abrabopa

• Actually 12.000 Farmers / 34.965 ha under contract

• Objectives 2014:

16.000 Farmers / 46.620 ha

34 35

About WiencoWienco Ghana Ltd. was established in Ghana in 1979 and is currently part of RMG

Concept Ltd. Today, Smallholder Farmers support and Agricultural Commodity trading

(mainly Maize, Cotton and Cocoa) forms the core business of Wienco. By supporting

the Smallholder Farmer value chains Wienco aims to promote the development of

new crop protection areas, key partnerships and further enhance the productivity

and profitability of the Ghanaian Farmer and Smallholder Farmer.

Additionally, the company is strengthening its efforts to become a key player in the

seed industry, particularly, maize. Not via the GMO but by using hybrid seeds of which

the usage on Ghana’s agricultural land is still only 10%. Pursuing this pathway will

also require conservation farming practices to be promoted and irrigation systems

to be implemented. Wienco already practices irrigation in its various subsidiaries

such as Volta River Estate (banana and pineapple) and the Integrated Tamale Fruit

Company (mango) and currently studies the options for further expanding irrigation

practices through IWAD.

Wienco is also specialised in the import and distribution of high quality agro – inputs

that meet the international standards. Our vision is to grow into West and Central

Africa Agricultural business, from Senegal to DRC in collaboration / partnership with

triple AAA suppliers like Bayer, Syngenta, Nordox , Goizper, Yara and Panner (among

others).

Ghanaian Smallholder Farmers form a key segment in the agricultural value chain.

Nevertheless, the demand for Smallholder agricultural finance is large, and largely

unmet. As part of Wienco’s commitment to improve productivity of Smallholders

Farmers in Ghana, input packages are given to organized groups of farmers in the

form of credit facilities such as fertilizers and agro chemicals whereby repayment

from farmers groups is done after the harvest of their crops.

Customers Small Scale Farmers Big customers (Cotton companies, plantations, etc.)

Products Seeds – Fertilizers – Crop Protection – Post Harvest – Equipment

Offer High quality products State of the art Technical Support New Technology development and transfer

Logistic Vertical integration / Management / Value chain From the production of inputs to the sales of

commodities (agricultural outputs)

36

ContactWienco Ghana Ltd.

Integrated Water & Agricultural Management Department (IWAD)

T + 233 – 302 – 772251

F + 233 – 302 – 772239

www.wienco.com

Accra office:

Tom Durang (project manager)

tom.durang@wienco.com

M +233 – (0) 544 348510

Busia N. Dawuni (senior irrigation)

busia.nd@wienco.com

M +233 – (0) 544 313146

Yagaba office:

Obed K. Tuabu (small holder irrigation)

obed.k.tuabu@wienco.com

M +233 – (0) 544 316228

Eric van Zandwijk (soil and water)

eric.van_zandwijk@wienco.com

M +233 – (0) 544 316354