This paper has examined how the resources of the White Volta River are enhancing food availability for riparian communities in northern Ghana despite climate change and its associated effects on food security. Using p...This paper has examined how the resources of the White Volta River are enhancing food availability for riparian communities in northern Ghana despite climate change and its associated effects on food security. Using participatory methods such as focus group discussions and interviews, data was collected from households and institutions in three riparian communities. The result of the study indicates that, all things been equal, cultivation of food crops along the river bank in the rainy season gives significantly high yields as compared to yields from farms farthest from the river under rain fed agriculture. Higher organic content and moisture retention capacity of river bank soils explains the yield differential and adaptability to climate change. In addition, farmers now irrigate cereal crops which were hitherto, reserved for only rainy season production. However, inappropriate irrigation practices are accelerating erosion and sedimentation of the river and thus, threaten the sustainability of agriculture and food security in the White Volta Basin. The paper therefore, recommends the adoption of IWRM （integrated water resources management） and the participation of local communities, Government and Civil Society organisations for sustaining the productive capacity of the White Volta Basin for enabling adaptation of agriculture to climate change in the riparian communities of the basin.展开更多
The over-exploitation of water resources in the Haihe River Basin （HRB） has now become a serious problem. This is clearly evidenced by the fact that many local rivers and lakes are drying up and the total amount of ...The over-exploitation of water resources in the Haihe River Basin （HRB） has now become a serious problem. This is clearly evidenced by the fact that many local rivers and lakes are drying up and the total amount of over-exploited groundwater has reached over 1000×10^8m^3. It is important to note that the exploitation of water resources in HRB was reasonable before 1979. After 1980, however, over-exploitation happened with an annual average amount of 40×10^8m^3. Both the dry season and rapid economic growth in HRB took place at the same time. Therefore, the over-exploitation of water in HRB was actually the negative result of the conjunction of a continuous dry season and rapid economic growth. So the over-exploitation would not be as serious as it is today if either of the above two stopped. After the first stage of south-to-north water transfer project, the water shortage problem in HRB could be eased for the following reasons： firstly, water transfer project will bring to the Basin 60x108m3 water resources; secondly, a wet season will come back eventually according to natural law of climate variability; finally, its agricultural and industrial use and total water consumption all have decreased from the peak value, so that the groundwater table will raise certainly and ecological water in rivers and lakes that were dried-up will be partly restored. In the future, the main problem of water resources security in HRB will include water pollution, operation risk of the south-to-north water transfer project, groundwater pollution and engineering geological hazards that may be brought by groundwater rise. The proposed countermeasures are as follows： keeping strengthening water demand management, raising water price as well as subsidies for the low- income family and improving other water related policies, preventing and dealing with water pollution seriously and getting fully prepared for the operation of south-to-north water transfer project.展开更多
文摘This paper has examined how the resources of the White Volta River are enhancing food availability for riparian communities in northern Ghana despite climate change and its associated effects on food security. Using participatory methods such as focus group discussions and interviews, data was collected from households and institutions in three riparian communities. The result of the study indicates that, all things been equal, cultivation of food crops along the river bank in the rainy season gives significantly high yields as compared to yields from farms farthest from the river under rain fed agriculture. Higher organic content and moisture retention capacity of river bank soils explains the yield differential and adaptability to climate change. In addition, farmers now irrigate cereal crops which were hitherto, reserved for only rainy season production. However, inappropriate irrigation practices are accelerating erosion and sedimentation of the river and thus, threaten the sustainability of agriculture and food security in the White Volta Basin. The paper therefore, recommends the adoption of IWRM （integrated water resources management） and the participation of local communities, Government and Civil Society organisations for sustaining the productive capacity of the White Volta Basin for enabling adaptation of agriculture to climate change in the riparian communities of the basin.
基金supported by the National Natural Sciences Fund of China (40971298)
文摘The over-exploitation of water resources in the Haihe River Basin （HRB） has now become a serious problem. This is clearly evidenced by the fact that many local rivers and lakes are drying up and the total amount of over-exploited groundwater has reached over 1000×10^8m^3. It is important to note that the exploitation of water resources in HRB was reasonable before 1979. After 1980, however, over-exploitation happened with an annual average amount of 40×10^8m^3. Both the dry season and rapid economic growth in HRB took place at the same time. Therefore, the over-exploitation of water in HRB was actually the negative result of the conjunction of a continuous dry season and rapid economic growth. So the over-exploitation would not be as serious as it is today if either of the above two stopped. After the first stage of south-to-north water transfer project, the water shortage problem in HRB could be eased for the following reasons： firstly, water transfer project will bring to the Basin 60x108m3 water resources; secondly, a wet season will come back eventually according to natural law of climate variability; finally, its agricultural and industrial use and total water consumption all have decreased from the peak value, so that the groundwater table will raise certainly and ecological water in rivers and lakes that were dried-up will be partly restored. In the future, the main problem of water resources security in HRB will include water pollution, operation risk of the south-to-north water transfer project, groundwater pollution and engineering geological hazards that may be brought by groundwater rise. The proposed countermeasures are as follows： keeping strengthening water demand management, raising water price as well as subsidies for the low- income family and improving other water related policies, preventing and dealing with water pollution seriously and getting fully prepared for the operation of south-to-north water transfer project.
