MiDA CEO raises concern over abandoned irrigation systems in Middle Belt

The Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Development Authority, Alexander Kofi-Mensah Mould, has raised concerns over what he describes as “wasted agricultural assets” following a week-long field assessment tour across key farming zones in the Middle Belt.

The seven-day tour covered parts of the Ashanti, Bono, Ahafo and Bono East Regions, where the MiDA team assessed water resources, irrigation infrastructure, agricultural value chains and institutional coordination systems to identify opportunities for strategic investment in the sector.

During the tour, the team engaged traditional authorities, regional and district officials, and private agribusiness operators, while also conducting technical inspections of irrigation schemes, dams, inland valleys, markets and agro-processing facilities.

Speaking at various stops, Alex Mould expressed concern about the deteriorating state of several irrigation facilities, attributing the situation to years of poor maintenance and weak operational systems.

“Going around the farming areas in this country has revealed that we have a lot of wasted assets. Investments have been made over the years, but there has been a lot of neglect in terms of operations and maintenance,” he said.

At the Subinja irrigation site, the MiDA team observed significant damage and vandalism to key infrastructure. According to Mould, essential equipment including pumps and an electricity transformer had been removed from the facility.

He noted that restoring the site would require a coordinated intervention involving the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture Ghana to undertake a full feasibility assessment and rehabilitation works.

“To rehabilitate the dam, we will need GIDA to conduct a feasibility assessment on how to restore the equipment, dam and fields, rehabilitate the pump house, pumping and piping systems, and restore irrigation canals and reconnect electricity to the facility,” he explained.

The MiDA CEO also highlighted the significant untapped potential in rice-growing areas, particularly within the Tano North and South districts.

He revealed that one irrigation site capable of cultivating up to 1,000 acres is currently operating at only about 300 acres.

He attributed the underperformance to incomplete infrastructure, pointing out that a 2008 dam never reached its full potential, thereby limiting water supply and irrigation efficiency.

According to Mould, completing the dam and constructing a proper canal distribution system could allow farmers to utilise the full capacity of the land and cultivate crops throughout the year.

“If we can supply water throughout the year, and provide improved agronomy practices, production could increase from about 1,000 tonnes of paddy rice annually to between 6,000 and 7,000 tonnes,” he stated.

He described such projects as “brownfield opportunities,” where existing but underutilised infrastructure can be rehabilitated to rapidly scale up agricultural production.

Mould added that increased production in these areas could support the establishment of agro-processing facilities such as rice mills, boosting agribusiness development and reducing Ghana’s reliance on imported food commodities.

The findings from the assessment are expected to inform future investment strategies aimed at revitalising the agricultural sector.