Cofie, O., E. Awuah

In: UA Magazine no. 20 Water for Urban Agriculture

Accra has an annual rainfall of 730 mm and the population in its administrative boundaries is 1.6 million (GHS, 2002). About 80 percent of the population in Accra has access to water and 88 percent has access to some form of toilet facilities. However, waste and wastewater disposal and treatment are still ineffective. SWITCH works in Accra on the use of urban water for agriculture and other livelihood opportunities.

Recycling realities in African cities; towards safe wastewater use in agriculture

Video produced by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) (2006).

Bernard Keraita, Pay Drechsel, William Agyekum and Lesley Hope

In: UA Magazine no. 19 - Stimulating Innovation in Urban Agriculture

Irrigated vegetable farming is a common practice in and around many cities in low-income countries. It is also an important means for attaining urban food security and balanced diets, and it provides a livelihood to many urban dwellers. However, increasing contamination of irrigation water sources makes this practice a major risk factor for public health, especially as most vegetables grown are consumed raw. Urban vegetable farmers in Ghana use different water sources for irrigation, depending on the location of their farming sites. Surface water is most commonly used as it is easily accessible and thus most economical. Farmers collect it from streams, stormwater drains
and gutters with greywater. However, these water sources are usually heavily contaminated with untreated wastewater. 

Irene S. Egyir

In: UA Magazine 17 - Strengthening Urban Producers' Organisations

Many small urban agricultural enterprises in Accra are members of informal organisations that invest little capital and yield low income, even though more formal alliances would ensure more effective bargaining and negotiations with urban authorities and other groups. This article describes the results of a study initiated by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in the city of Accra, Ghana. Each individual enterprise in a producers’ organisation is a stakeholder but not necessarily a shareholder in the operation. Trust is a key feature in informal alliances.

Nelson Obirih-Opareh and Theophilus Otchere-Larbi

In: UA Magazine 16 - Formulating Effective Policies on Urban Agrilculture

More than 40 percent of Ghana’s 20 million people lived in urban areas in 2000, and the country’s urban population was growing at an estimated 4 percent per annum (GSS, 2000, Cofie et al. 2003), with some cities growing at an annual rate of up to 4.4 percent. This increase is taking place at a time when the rural population is aging and agricultural productivity in the rural areas is declining. As a result, an increasing number of city dwellers have resorted to urban agriculture, using urban runoff/wastewater and vacant open spaces for food production. These activities contribute to the food supply, employment creation and livelihood support in Accra.

IWMI Ghana (International Water Management Institute - Ghana)
PMB CT 112, Accra, Ghana
Tel: +233 302784753
Fax: +233 302784752
Email: o.cofie@cgiar.org
Website: http://ruaf.iwmi.org