Stakeholder collaboration and irrigation practices in Ghana: issues, challenges, and the way forward

Abstract In the era of climate change, irrigation is playing a pivotal role in stabilising food production, enabling dry season farming, and improving farmers’ livelihoods, particularly in Asia and African countries. Recently, Ghana has taken steps to respond to the concept of stakeholder collaboration to improve the irrigated agricultural sub-sector as well as enhance farmers’ resilience to changing climate. However, there is limited attention to recent diverging experiences on collaborative practices from irrigation stakeholders. Using the Weija Irrigation Scheme as a case study, this study explores stakeholders’ perceptions of collaborative practices in irrigation management by identifying gaps and providing suggestions to enhance stakeholder collaboration. We conducted focus group discussions with farmers and in-depth interviews with key informants, such as heads of farmer groups, government departments, agencies, and agricultural extension agents. Secondary data from conventional literature, organisational websites, and quarterly reports were also used. Following the integrated collaboration governance theory, effective collaboration was measured based on the tripartite prism of “principled engagement, shared motivation, and capacity for joint action”. Analysis of the data reveals that despite the central government’s resolve for collaborative irrigation planning and management, effective collaboration remains limited. Based on principle engagement, this study points out  that weak communication and sharing of information remain in the planning and management of the Weija Irrigation Scheme. In terms of shared motivation, there were minimal commitment to joint project planning, exclusion of some key stakeholders from meetings, and negative attitudes towards collaboration. Finally, the capacity for joint action (e.g. lack of fund, time, staff, and equipment) is limited. The policy implications and suggestions for further research are presented in the study.