Tono Irrigation canals undergoes rehabilitation

Navrongo (U.E/R) July 18, GNA - The Irrigation Company of the Upper East Region (ICOUR), has completed rehabilitation works on the 42- kilometre main gravity canal at Tono in the Kassena Nankana District to boost rice and tomato production. The multi-million Ghana -cedi project, which started two years ago, also involved works on smaller canals, which are yet to be completed. Alhaji Issah Bukari, Managing Director of the Company, said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Tono in Navrongo, that in the absence of rainfall, the canals would be opened for the irrigation of rice fields in the area.

He said 3,000 farmers depended on the irrigation system and so its revival would help reduce economic hardships and increase food production.

Mr. Bukari said ICOUR was collaborating with the Agricultural Development Bank to cultivate 1,030 hectares of rice for this year's farming season.

About 1,000 tonnes of the harvest, would be reserved as seed crop for the off-season farming between November and December. 1