On the banks of Muadani Dam, Alice Buwabiba, a widowed mother of three, stares at the cracked earth where vegetables once thrived. Eight years ago, she relied on the dam’s irrigation to feed her family and earn a small income. Today, the dam is nearly dry, its banks barren, and her crops withered.
“I warned people not to cut the trees around the dam,” Alice says, her voice heavy with frustration. “But everyone needed firewood and charcoal to survive. Now, we are all paying the price.”
Alice’s story reflects a broader crisis in Saboba District, home to nearly 96,000 people. Once fertile banks around Muadani Dam and the Oti River supported dry-season vegetable farming that fed families and supplied neighboring towns like Yendi and Tamale. But over the years, deforestation for firewood, charcoal production, and hunting has stripped the area of vital vegetation.
Saboba Food and Water Security at a Glance
Population and Area:
- 95,683 people (47,172 males; 48,511 females)
- District area: 1,751.2 km²
- Major livelihood: Rain-fed and irrigation farming
Water Bodies:
| Water Body | Historical Dry-Season Farming | Current Status | Key Impact |
| Muadani Dam | Supported vegetables, irrigated crops | Nearly dry; banks barren | Loss of food, income, livelihood |
| River Oti | Supported crops, livestock, micro-irrigation | Exposed to direct sunlight; reduced flow | Reduced irrigation, soil degradation |
Vegetation Loss:
- Trees around water bodies reduced by 70–80% due to firewood, charcoal, and hunting
- Consequences: Increased evaporation, water scarcity, extreme heat
Climate Impacts:
- Average daily temperature: 34°C
- Dry season: November–April/May, worsened by Harmattan winds
- Rainfall: Increasingly unpredictable → crop failures
- Pests: Fall armyworm and other invasive pests now prevalent
Food Security Implications:
- Farmers are unable to grow crops during dry season
- Loss of supplementary income from vegetable sales
- SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) under threat
- Heat and soil degradation compromises long-term productivity
Expert Advice / Actions:
- Replanting trees to restore shade and soil moisture
- Banning hunting and firewood collection around water bodies
- Community taskforces to guard water bodies
- Integration of climate adaptation in local farming practices
Trees, Shade, and Survival
Experts say that vegetation around water bodies is essential for maintaining water levels, soil fertility, and the local climate. Dr. Prince Maxwell Etwire, Senior Research Scientist at the Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI), explains:
“Trees absorb carbon and reduce heat, provide shade, and help retain water in soil. When the vegetation disappears, evaporation increases, rivers and dams dry faster, and farming becomes nearly impossible.”
The impacts extend beyond farming. Residents report extreme heat, hot winds, and sleepless nights outdoors, with some exposed to snakes and scorpion bites. Dr. Frank Baffour-Ata of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology warns that climate change and deforestation in sub-Saharan Africa threaten food security, particularly in rain-fed farming regions like Saboba.
From Abundant Harvests to Scarcity
Historically, the Muadani Dam and Oti River provided a lifeline during the dry season. Vegetables grown along their banks allowed residents not only to feed their families but also to sell surplus produce. Today, those options have largely vanished.
“The water dries too quickly, and the land is barren,” Alice says. “We cannot farm here anymore. Our food, our income, everything is gone.”
Urgent Action Needed
Authorities acknowledge the crisis. The Chief of Toma, Wulanor-bor Biniyam Kusa, has announced tree-planting initiatives and strict bans on hunting and harvesting around water bodies. The Konkomba Youth Association is mobilizing support to restore the Muadani Dam area.
Mpoan Simon, Saboba District Forestry Manager, emphasizes that the solution lies in community action. “If leaders enforce tree planting and stop destructive activities, we can restore these water bodies and revive farming,” he said.
A Threat to Food Security
Until the vegetation is restored, farmers like Alice remain trapped in a cycle of hunger and poverty. Experts warn that without climate action and reforestation, Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) will be severely compromised, and the effects of SDG 13 (Climate Action) failures will be felt for generations.
For Alice, the barren dam is more than a lost livelihood, it is a warning. “If we don’t take care of our trees, our water, and our land, there will be nothing left for our children,” she says.
By: Prince Kwame Tamakloe/Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
