Accra: Researchers have uncovered a method for Ghanaian rice farmers to reduce irrigation water usage by over 30% without compromising crop yields through the adoption of an improved irrigation technique called Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD). This approach presents a promising solution to address water scarcity while boosting domestic rice production.
According to Ghana News Agency, the findings, published by a collaborative team from the CSIR-Crops Research Institute, Lancaster University, and other partner institutions, are the result of extensive field trials and farmer demonstrations conducted at the Weta Irrigation Scheme in the Volta Region. The study demonstrated that rather than maintaining continuously flooded rice fields, allowing fields to dry intermittently before re-irrigating can lead to significant water savings. This method, when combined with appropriate rice varieties, can maintain or even increase yields.
The researchers highlighted that this technology challenges the traditional belief among many Ghanaian farmers that rice must remain submerged for its entire growing period. They explained that AWD can save water, improve efficiency, and maintain or even boost yields when paired with the right rice varieties and practices.
Initiated between 2018 and 2021 under the UK Government-funded Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) Recirculate Project, the research was led by the CSIR-Crops Research Institute in collaboration with Lancaster University. Follow-up studies under the GCRF AgriFood Africa Innovation Challenge and the Africa Agriculture Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (AAKTP) project further evaluated different rice varieties under AWD conditions and promoted its adoption among farmers.
The researchers tested 12 Ghanaian rice varieties under controlled AWD conditions and identified CRI Agra and Ex-Baika as top performers despite the alternating wet and dry cycles. The trials reported over a 30% reduction in water use alongside improved water-use efficiency, proving that water savings do not necessarily compromise production.
To facilitate adoption, researchers introduced the Automated Water Table Alert (AWATA), a locally developed monitoring system that enables farmers to track water levels in real time and determine the appropriate irrigation timing. Additionally, 10 lead farmers at Weta received training in water management and the use of this monitoring technology.
Fields managed under AWD showed increased tillering, larger panicles, heavier grain heads, stronger root systems, and healthier green leaves compared to traditional flooding methods. One farmer noted the benefits, saying, 'At first, I thought the rice would suffer without water all the time. But then I saw more tillers and panicles. My yield went up, and I didn't have to water as much.' Another farmer added, 'Before, we just watered on autopilot because that's what everyone taught us. Now we water only when the rice really needs it.'
The researchers reported that eight out of the 10 trained farmers had already adopted the technology on their own farms, showing how practical demonstrations, technical support, and accessible technologies can accelerate the uptake of climate-smart agricultural innovations. The success of these demonstrations has also caught the attention of Weta Irrigation Scheme managers, who have expanded demonstration plots to compare AWD with traditional irrigation methods.
The researchers noted that integrating AWD into routine operations at the Weta Irrigation Scheme is a significant step towards long-term institutional ownership and wider adoption. The study urged policymakers to support the nationwide scaling up of AWD, suggesting that broader adoption could improve water-use efficiency across irrigation schemes, enable double cropping, and strengthen Ghana's efforts towards rice self-sufficiency without straining scarce water resources.