The initiative was designed to benefit vulnerable groups in the target communities, including women and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), to help improve their economic well-being and nutrition.

The dams, which formed part of the Resilience Against Climate Change (REACH) project, were expected to provide water for farming and livestock to impact thousands of direct and indirect beneficiaries along the green economy value chain.

Speaking during a working visit to an irrigation dam construction site at Buka in the Wa West District, Mr John Nkaw, the Country Director of ActionAid Ghana, expressed hope about the project’s long-term impact on the beneficiaries.
He commended the contractor for progress of work and expressed hope that the company would deliver a high-quality facility that would stand the test of time.

“We depend on you to build the resilience of the people in the Wa West District through this dam,” Mr Nkaw said.

He also urged the contractor to prioritise environmental protection and ensure strict adherence to technical standards.

Mr Nkaw noted that the project aims to benefit at least 70 per cent women and PWDs among the total number of beneficiaries.

Madam Abiba Nibaradun, the Upper West Regional Manager of ActionAid Ghana, indicated that the facility would help increase household income and improve nutrition, especially for women and vulnerable households.

Mr Ahmed Hamidu, the Site Manager for Bricks and Mint Construction Company Limited, the contractor for the Buka dam, explained that the structure would be approximately 3.7 meters deep, 400 meters long and 20 meters wide at the embankment to ensure its durability.
He added that labour was sourced from the Buka community to provide short-term economic opportunities for the people during the construction phase, and commended the community for its support and hard work.

The AAG team also visited the Duori dam in the Jirapa Municipality, where an irrigation system and a fenced farming field were being constructed to benefit about 700 people, 70 per cent of whom would be women.

Other projects visited included, hand-pump boreholes, mechanized water systems, conservation agriculture demonstration sites, and agroforestry projects in Lawra, Wa West, Wa, and Jirapa municipalities.

The CAPs intervention was funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) through the REACH project under the European Union Ghana Agricultural Programme (EUGAP), co-funded by the European Union and the German Government.

It sought to address priority needs identified by the communities in their respective CAPs under the REACH project.

The initiative aligns with AAG’s Country Strategic Paper VII, particularly Strategic Priorities One, which focuses on promoting Green Economy and Resilient Livelihoods, and Strategic Priorities Two on Women’s Rights and Decent Work.

It also contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Goal 1 on No Poverty; Goal 2, Zero Hunger; Goal 5, Gender equality; and Goal 13 on Climate Action.