GIDA receives digital irrigation dashboard from IWMI for water management

The Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) has received a new digital dashboard from the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) to modernize irrigation monitoring across the country. Developed under the Digital Innovations for Water-Secure Africa (DIWASA) project, the tool is designed to provide real-time data on water allocation, irrigation performance, and agricultural productivity. The handover marks a significant step in the authority's transition toward data-driven decision-making to enhance national food security.

The digital platform offers critical insights into current irrigation challenges, featuring advanced tools for scenario planning and assessing specific irrigation demands. By centralizing water data, the dashboard allows GIDA to better manage existing resources while providing a technical foundation for the expansion of irrigated areas. Representatives from IWMI emphasized that for the tool to be effective, it must be integrated into daily operations, requiring regular data updates and active collaboration across various departments within the authority.

To ensure the sustainability of the project, GIDA has already begun training its officers in dashboard development and maintenance skills. The authority intends to replicate this technology across various irrigation sites nationwide, aiming to standardize how water resources are tracked and utilized. This digital transformation is expected to improve the efficiency of irrigation schemes, ultimately supporting farmers with more reliable water access and boosting overall agricultural output in Ghana.