‘I feed my family but I own no land’: Understanding the complexities of women’s irrigable land access and wellbeing in northern Ghana

Abstract

Community irrigation schemes play a key role in the sustenance of rural women farmers. However, the literature on how women’s irrigable land access is intertwined with wellbeing under community irrigation schemes is still evolving. There is a need to deepen knowledge of the contemporary dynamics of irrigable land access, given its priority in promoting women’s empowerment. This study draws evidence from the Wa West District, Ghana, to unravel the nuance of women’s irrigable land accessibility under community irrigation schemes using a qualitative research approach involving 59 participants. Thematic analysis of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions revealed that women have access to irrigable land, albeit under implicit and explicit conditions like shouldering household feeding responsibilities and household irrigable land size. Women’s access to irrigable land for irrigation farming helped improve their welfare through supplementary income, a step towards the first Sustainable Development Goal. However, the underdevelopment of irrigation infrastructure limited production efforts. Constructing canals and fences and providing water-pumping machines will help boost production.