Greater Capacity and Enhanced Skills to Support Over 12,000 Farmers Irrigation Schemes

Accra, Ghana — Agronomists, engineers and other employees from the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) had been trained on the Operation and Agriculture Supply Information System (OASIS Information System) to improve operations and decision-making capacity. During the training programme held on 8-12 May 2017, GIDA employees gained field experience at the Weija Irrigation Scheme to practise mapping agriculture land and collecting soil profile data with an Android mobile smart phone.

The computer software application facilitates in situ rapid collection of numerous field data for precise and timely analysis of agricultural production. As an example of the breadth of its capabilities, the OASIS Mobile Edition captures soil colour, soil texture, soil grade, soil pH and many other soil properties for each and every soil horizon as described in the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Soil Survey Manual.

Once the data are sent to the Web application, the GIDA Head Office managers and analysts will be able to identify problem areas through the OASIS' data analytical function that compiles the data and generates customisable indicator reports in real time. Kwasi Mintah, Director of the GIDA Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring and Evaluation Department, who participated in training, said:

"We find this application extremely useful. With nothing more than a smart phone, we are able to collect and analyse data in no time as opposed to the use of traditional methods which require relatively expensive equipment and takes so much time to process and analyse the data collected."

With the completion of training, GIDA employees have enhanced their skills to collect and analyse data concerning all of GIDA's 56 public irrigation schemes throughout the country. GIDA employees can use the Web and mobile applications in current and future growing seasons to support over 12,000 farmers who use the irrigation canals.

As an evidence-based system the OASIS Information System will enable the GIDA to make better design decisions, which take into account present and local conditions, in the re-engineering of irrigation canals and water conveyance infrastructure. The system will also enable the Ghanaian government to track farming activities on each individual farm plot for farmer performance, agricultural productivity and regulatory compliance, resulting in accurate measurements of water usage and correlations to harvest yield.

Visit http://OASIS.AG to read more about the OASIS Information System.

Contact: Edward Uechi 1-202-322-2357

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