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AGRA to launch water management system
for small-scale farmers
Accra, Nov.24, Ghanadot/GNA- A Water Management Initiative
to enable small-scale farmers in Africa to produce the
maximum yield from the least availably water supply and
provide low cost and efficient water management systems
would be launched in 2008 by Alliance for a Green Revolution
in Africa (AGRA).
This would also help farmers move from a human powered
treadle pumps to solar powered irrigation.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra,
Dr. Namanga Ngongi, the President of Alliance for a Green
Revolution in Africa (AGRA), an Africa led partnership into
agriculture said the rainfall pattern had changed, becoming
erratic and irrigation was the least used in Africa for
farming.
“We need to find other alternative means to assist our
farmers get the best results they require even in the dry
season”, he said and dubbed the system:”crop for each drop”.
He said challenges confronting small-scale farmers in Africa
mostly of who are women start in the field stretching across
the entire agricultural value chain.
He noted that the simple water management systems that
allowed farmers to deal with erratic rains were largely out
of reach and needed such facility to solve the problem of
the small-scale farmers.
AGRA, chaired by Mr Kofi Annan, former United Nations
Secretary General has its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya and
had just opened an office in Accra
to serve the West African countries aimed at engaging
African organisation of farmers, agro-dealers, scientists,
private sector firms, national leaders and institutions to
address challenges faced in agriculture by small-scale
farmers.
Founded by Rockefeller Foundation and The Bill and Melinda
Grates Foundation in 2006, it endorses the framework set out
by NEPAD’s Comprehensive Africa Development Programme agreed
upon by African leaders aimed at a sustained a six per cent
annual growth in agricultural production by 2015.
The AGRA President called for the expansion of irrigation
facilities and adopts a long-term irrigation plan to help
solve agricultural problems facing African small-scale
farmers to improve the life of African small-scale farmers.
He noted that in Ghana, AGRA had been in contact with over
10 institutions who are into agriculture, including the
University of Ghana and Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research as well as other farmer-based
organisations whom they will be collaborating with in
achieving their goal of building a prosperous agricultural
system that will generate significant opportunities for
Africa’s small-scale farmers and spur rapid rural economic
growth.
Dr. Ngongi gave the assurance that AGRA will advocate for
policies that will support small-scale farmers, promote
rural development and help address
trade tariffs.
GNA
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