This project will build an irrigation well for Nyitawuta. The well will irrigate a demonstration farm, allowing it to be used year-round. The farm is currently operating only during the rainy season on half of the 10 acres the community collectively donated to the project. It is teaching farmers how to cultivate new types of crops, but it needs an irrigation source to operate all year on all 10 acres. Pipes will extend the well to other land, ensuring consistent access to water for all farms.
Since 2016, HOCAP has been working with Nyitawuta, a deprived farming community in eastern Ghana. When HOCAP entered the 500-member community, we found they were engaged in subsistence farming, but didn't have extra crops to sell for income. A lack of water prevents them from farming in the dry season, so their crops are limited to those that grow in the rainy season, such as maize and cassava. The farmers would gladly farm throughout the year if they knew how and had consistent water access.
HOCAP started a demonstration farm in Nyitawuta to teach them new crops they can grow throughout the year, such as beet root, carrot, and cabbage. We are already training farmers on how to cultivate some of these crops. The "dug-out well" this project will build will irrigate the entire 10-acre farm, allowing it to operate at full capacity, even during the dry season. The well will be able to reach each of the 200 farmers' plots, which will allow them to farm these new crops on their own land.
The project will create the opportunity for Nyitawuta's farmers to farm additional crops throughout the year, which will diversify their revenue stream and increase their crop yields. It will also provide new opportunities to market their crops in the big cities, where these crops are in high demand. The members of the community will be able to sell their excess crops, which will increase their income and provide more stability for their families during years of unpredictable rainfall patterns.
