Solar-Powered Irrigation Garden commissioned to boost dry-season farming
A new solar-powered irrigation garden has been commissioned at Moglaa in the Savelugu Municipality to enable women smallholder farmers to cultivate vegetables year-round, as part of the government’s drive to strengthen climate-resilient agriculture and rural livelihoods in Northern Ghana.
The facility was officially opened on Tuesday in the Northern Region.
Chief Director of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, Sumaila Ewuntomah Abudu, described the project as a strategic intervention aligned with the government’s agenda to improve food security, accelerate rural transformation, and promote inclusive economic growth.
He commended the Government and people of Canada, through the Canadian High Commission, for funding the initiative, noting that the High Commissioner’s presence reflects the strong diplomatic ties and shared commitment to sustainable development.
He noted that Agriculture remains the backbone of the Northern Region’s economy, employing many women and youth; however, reliance on erratic rainfall has long limited productivity and left farmers vulnerable to climate shocks.
He indicated that the solar-powered system will address this by allowing continuous vegetable production during the dry season, raising household incomes, improving food and nutrition security, creating jobs, and reducing poverty in Moglaa and beyond.
He said the project supports Ghana’s broader agricultural transformation agenda, including the adoption of climate-smart technology, all-year-round farming, and the empowerment of smallholder farmers.
The system uses clean solar energy to power boreholes, storage tanks, and efficient irrigation networks.
Beneficiaries were urged to take ownership of the facility and ensure proper maintenance, and the Savelugu Municipal Department of Agriculture has been tasked with providing ongoing technical and extension support.
The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, said the intervention is timely for tackling seasonal unemployment caused by irregular rainfall.
He noted that similar solar-powered boreholes have been installed across the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, North East, and Savannah Regions. Together, the facilities will cover about 50 acres of irrigable land and benefit more than 3,000 women farmers organised into Savings and Loans Groups in 11 districts.
The Canadian High Commissioner, Myriam Montrat, described the facilities as “engines of transformation” for rural communities and reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to supporting agricultural development in Northern Ghana beyond the GROW 2 project, which ends in September 2026.