Volta
Demand for water to supply agriculture and power generation in West Africa’s Volta basin is putting these two essential sectors into competition. But at the very time more water is needed, successive years of low rainfall, coupled with land degradation, have caused grave water deficits. These conflicting trends increase human vulnerability to change—a dangerous prospect given the basins’ six riparian countries are already among the world’s poorest.
International cooperation on water issues—among the Volta basin countries themselves and with donor agencies—has increased in recent years. Both political and donor commitment have created favorable conditions for successful research and development under the CPWF.
The Challenge Program for Water and Food identified some priority topics of research to address Volta basin needs at various levels and with various stakeholders.
Research priorities include:
More food with less water:
developing superior crop varieties for specific growing environments;
designing farm water harvesting methods to cope with dry periods and erratic rainfall;
developing integrated crop-tree-animal systems that conserve water and maximize yields.
Integrated use of upper catchments:
Preventing natural resource degradation and promoting integrated use of inland valleys, forests, and water resources.
Integrated basin water management:
assessing water quantity and quality and the impact of land use;
establishing a scientific basis for protocol agreements for sharing transboundary waters.
Policies for food and water systems
developing policies on water rights and water pricing;
designing an integrated approach to allocating water among multiple users;
promoting land use practices that protect water resources;
helping to establish a commission for integrated basin management
Publications from Volta
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