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RELIEFECHO'S INAUGURAL PROJECT
Sustainable Agriculture Value Chain Empowerment
In Namiyela, West Mamprusi District, we worked closely with smallholder farmers to turn a single rain-fed season into a resilient system supporting year-round production — and the stable income that comes with it.
96
Farmers & Community Members Reached
67%
Of Participants Were Women
28
Young People Aged 16-24
4
Acres Under Secured Irrigation
OVERVIEW
One season of rain, then a long wait
Farming families in Namiyela depended almost entirely on rainfall. When the rains stopped, production stopped — and with it, household income and the variety of food on the table. Land that could have been productive sat idle for months of every year.
The land, the labour and the willingness were already there. What was missing was reliable water in the dry months, the practical techniques to farm differently, and the local structures to keep both running.
Project Snapshot
Focus area: Livelihood · Climate Change
Location: Namiyela, West Mamprusi District, North-East Region, Ghana
Participants: Smallholder farming households, with priority for women-led and youth-led families
Delivered by: ReliefEcho, with our implementing partner and community leadership in Namiyela.
Status: Completed and handed over to the community
PROJECT GOAL
Empowering women and youth across the energy–water–food nexus
The project set out to empower women and young people in rural, marginalised communities of Ghana where energy, water and food security are inseparable — and where the failure of one undermines the other two.
Namiyela sits in the West Mamprusi District of the North-East Region, an area known for its vulnerability to drought and low agricultural productivity. Working there meant addressing all three at once: renewable energy to power irrigation, reliable water to extend the growing season, and the farming knowledge to convert both into food and income.
WHAT WE DELIVERED
Infrastructure, institutions and skills — built together
From the first borehole to the last harvest, our work is organized around six practical focus areas — each designed to meet urgent need while building resilience that outlasts our presence
Solar-Powered Irrigation
A complete and functional mechanised, solar-powered irrigation system, delivering reliable water without fuel costs or grid dependency.
10,000-Litre Water Storage
Storage capacity that holds water through peak demand and buffers the system against interruption, so irrigation continues predictably.
Spray & Drip Distribution
Storage linked to spray tubes and drip irrigation units, placing water precisely where crops need it and minimising waste.
Four Secured Acres
A fully fenced and secured four-acre farmland, protecting crops and infrastructure and giving the cooperative a defined site to manage as its own.
Post-Harvest Storage
Context-specific storage facilities developed to reduce post-harvest losses and preserve the value of what farmers grow.
Water User Committees
Committees established and equipped to manage and maintain the irrigation infrastructure, keeping the system running after handover.
INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
A women-led cooperative, formally registered
Recognising that infrastructure alone does not change who benefits, the project supported the formation of a women-led farmers' cooperative. The cooperative is now fully registered and nationally recognised for onion production.
That recognition matters in practical terms. It has improved access to markets, strengthened collective bargaining power, and made income more reliable for its members — turning individual harvests into a shared commercial position.
Fully registered and nationally recognised for onion production
Improved market access and stronger bargaining position
More reliable income for member households
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TRAINING & CAPACITY
Skills that stay with the farmers
ReliefEcho organised and facilitated a series of practical training sessions covering key farming processes and procedures, equipping farmers with climate-smart techniques and established best practice.
Climate-Smart Agriculture
Sustainable farming practice suited to shifting rainfall, delivered through demonstration plots and on-site practical learning.
Solar Irrigation Operation
Demonstration sessions on operating and maintaining the solar-powered irrigation system so the community can run it independently.
Soil Health & Agroforestry
Soil improvement practice, nursery establishment, and nitrogen-fixing and fruit tree seedlings distributed with accompanying training.
Post-Harvest & Market Access
Handling and storage practice that protects value between harvest and market, alongside support to reach buyers on fairer terms.
Community Sensitisation
Community meetings and stakeholder engagement sessions that built shared understanding and local ownership from the outset.
Financial Literacy
Financial management and literacy workshops equipping cooperative members to manage money, records and shared assets.
Cooperative Governance
Governance training covering leadership, decision-making, water and asset management, and irrigation scheduling.
Ongoing Monitoring
Bi-weekly and monthly visits by ReliefEcho staff throughout implementation, to track progress and resolve challenges as they arose.
BUILT TO LAST
Structures that continue without us
Beyond implementation, strong local systems and structures were established to ensure continuity — so the impact endures long after the project's completion.
The Water User Committees maintain the infrastructure. The registered cooperative manages the site and its commercial relationships. The training remains with the farmers who received it. Together these mean the project did not end when we left; it changed hands.
“
People helping people — restoring confidence, building resilience, and creating lasting hope within communities.
— The ReliefEcho commitment
IN PICTURES
The project on the ground
Photographs from our work in Northern Ghana — the solar installation and the water infrastructure communities depend on.
LOOKING AHEAD
What comes next
Namiyela is the first proof of a model we intend to repeat: put reliable water in place, build the skills to use it well, and hand ownership to structures strong enough to carry it forward. We are now seeking partners to bring the same approach to more farming communities across Northern Ghana.