Government rainwater harvesting initiative in northern Ghana and its impacts on local livelihoods and work-life balance
Evidence from Savelugu Municipality
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21690703 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ama Fremah Koranteng (University of Ghana), Peter Bilson Obour (0000-0001-9227-2772, University of Ghana, corresponding author), Kwesi Owusu (0000-0003-1322-0566, University of Ghana), Kwadwo Owusu (University of Ghana) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue | 10 |
| Pages | 1307-1322 |
| Publication date | 2024-10-02 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Local Environment (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1354-9839 • E-ISSN: 1469-6711 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/13549839.2024.2368526 |
| OpenAlex | W4399998054 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 33 |
The “One Village One Dam (1V1D)” is a rainwater harvesting technology initiated by the Government of Ghana in 2017 to make water available all year round for animal watering, irrigation and domestic use in dryland areas in northern Ghana. However, scepticism about the potential of the 1V1D to stave off water stress and its associated impact on local livelihood activities is still prevalent in the country. This case study of Savelugu Municipality investigated the impact of the 1V1D on local livelihood activities and the work-life balance of women. Using qualitative data collection methods, 12 focus group discussions and seven key informant interviews were conducted in six communities in the municipality. The results showed that after >5 years of implementation, not much has been achieved for the intended purposes of the project, namely water for animal watering, irrigation and household consumption. Non-performance of the dams was attributed to engineering flaws like poor design and small size which often resulted in early dry out of the dams in the dry season. However, emerging activities like water commercialisation have provided a source of sustenance to water vendors. The services of the vendors save women time to fulfil the demands of work, family and personal life. Overall, the persistence of water stress in the study communities and activities of Fulani herdsmen, who allowed their cattle to pollute the dams’ water, necessitates the government to address the design flaws through retrofitting the existing dams and mainstreaming future 1V1D projects to effectively tackle water stress in Ghana’s dryland areas
Agriculture · Business · Environmental planning · Environmental resource management · Focus group · Geography · Irrigation · Livelihood · Local government · Rainwater harvesting · Socioeconomics · Water resource management · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Engineering · Environmental Science · Urban and Rural Development Challenges
| Highly cited | No |
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