In the arid landscapes of Northern Ghana, water is more than a resource; it is the lifeline for health, farming, and survival. Today, a wave of resilience is sweeping through over 200 communities as the Resilience Against Climate Change (REACH) project, a core pillar of the European Union-Ghana Agriculture Programme (EUGAP), marks a turning point in the fight against climate change.
At the heart of this transformation is Community Action Planning (CAP). Unlike traditional top-down development, CAP empowers residents to identify their own most urgent needs. In communities like Gbare and Domowa, the verdict was clear: reliable access to water and better soil health were the only ways to survive erratic rainfall and rising temperatures.
Through the CAP initiative, the REACH project has delivered a massive boost to local infrastructure:
- Water Access: Construction of handpumps, mechanized boreholes, and dams.
- Irrigation: New systems allowing for year-round vegetable cultivation.
- Climate Tools: Training in Climate Information Services (CIS), giving farmers digital weather data to plan their planting and harvesting precisely.
For Augustina Dare from the Gbare community, the project has been life-changing. “Access to water was a constant struggle,” she shares. By prioritizing water in their Community Action Plan, her village now has a steady supply, reducing the domestic burden on women and opening doors for dry-season farming.
Similarly, in Kokoligu, a farmer named Esther is now using digital climate tools to outsmart the weather. “I use the climate information to better plan my farming and harvesting,” Esther explains. By combining her traditional knowledge with modern weather alerts, she has significantly reduced crop losses.
The impact isn’t limited to water. Across 201 communities, the landscape is turning green again. Through beekeeping, tree planting, and composting, farmers are restoring soil health and recording record-breaking harvests.
“Today, communities are seeing the results. With boreholes closer to their homes, they can grow vegetables all year-round, sell their produce, and provide for their families.”
The REACH Project is a testament to international and local cooperation. Funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the project is implemented by GIZ Ghana and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).
The successful rollout of the CAP initiative was made possible through a strong coalition of partners, including SNV Ghana, ActionAid Ghana, World Vision Ghana, Community Aid for Rural Development, The Local Government Service and NDPC
By putting the power of planning back into the hands of the people, EUGAP is not just building infrastructure, it is building a climate-resilient future for Northern Ghana.
