Analysis of Farmers' Perceptions on Privatisation of Irrigation Supply in the Nandom District of Upper West Region, Ghana

Abstract

Water is an important and non-substitutable input in agricultural production. Its adequacy and quality supply is a necessity for sustainable production. However, it is increasingly getting scarce due to poor rainfall and inefficiency in use of available water. To improve the reliability of agricultural water supply, there are arguments to the effect that water needs to be privatised and treated as an economic good with an efficient price scheme. But what farmers, in reality, think about this idea of privatising irrigation is vital as they are the ultimate beneficiaries. This study therefore assessed the perception of farmers towards privatising irrigation supply using cross-sectional data collected from 240 randomly sampled famers from different households in four communities in the Nandom District. With descriptive statistics involving simple frequencies and measure of association, perceptions of farmers were analysed. The study revealed that farmers generally perceived privatisation will ensure wider provision of irrigation schemes in remote locations, make operators respond better to farmers’ needs as well as ensure service sustainability. Farmers, however, were concerned about affordability of irrigated water to the resource poor farmers when it is privatised. They were of the view that, priority might be put on profit maximisation at the expense of social welfare in a market oriented irrigation system. The study therefore recommends that the Government of Ghana, under the ‘One-village One-dam’ flagship initiative should encourage and regulate private investment in the supply of irrigation to ensure affordable and sustainable supply of the services to interested farmers.