As the country moves to develop its oil and gas resources, the government is keen not to push agriculture to the backstage but to continue to improve inputs for sustainable agriculture growth, food availability and food security for the people of Ghana.
The government is therefore taking advantage of the reservoir to be created by the Bui Hydroelectric Project to promote the irrigation of over 30,000 hectares of lands. The proposed area is located about 32km North East of the Dam site.
Royal Haskoning B.V. – a consulting firm from Netherlands – has been engaged to conduct feasibility studies of the proposed area and also provide detailed designs for the development of 5000 hectares as the first phase of development.
Crops under consideration include but not limited to maize, sorghum, yam, cassava, soya bean, pepper, cashew, sugar cane, cabbage and tomatoes.
The Bui area has large tracts of fertile and irrigable lands second only to the Afram Plains and it is the intention of government to utilize the land to augment efforts at opening Northern Ghana for economic growth and development.
The entire area is to be declared an Economic Free Zone to enjoy the same benefits granted to companies under the Ghana