Lancaster environmental scientists are helping explore new water-saving irrigation techniques to help rice farmers' crops in Ghana be more resilient to changing climates.
As part of a project spearheaded by Lancaster University crop scientists, researchers in the West African country will trial Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) - a new technique that could save around 15-25 per cent of water compared to traditional rice growing methods.
The Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) method alternately floods rice paddies and allows them to dry, rather than being kept continuously flooded.
The project, a partnership between Lancaster University, the Ghanian Council for Scientific and Industrial Research - Crops Research Institute (CSIR-CRI) and Ghanaian company, Newage Agric Solutions Ltd, benefits from £221,000 funding provided through an African Agriculture Knowledge Transfer Partnership (AAKTP), which is funded by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The team works closely alongside KTP Adviser Geraint Jones from innovate UK Business Connect ensuring all partners are supported to access skills training and new networks, and that the project maximises its impact.
The project allows CSIR - CRI to employ Mr Vincent Opoku Agyemang with a local commercial partner - Newage Agric Solutions Ltd, a Ghanaian agriculture business. Mr Agyemang will evaluate the responses of different Ghanaian rice cultivars to AWD irrigation in the country's Weta region, including their flagship, locally produced, Evivi long grain rice.
Vincent Opoku Agyemang, KTP Associate said: "It is a privilege to be part of this collaborative effort between Lancaster University, CRI, and Newage Agric Solutions Ltd. Together, we aim to transfer a smart agricultural water-saving technology to enhance the yields and livelihoods of rice farmers in Weta. This partnership will play a crucial role in achieving zero hunger and improving livelihoods, aligning with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals to end poverty and hunger."
Rice is a water-intensive crop, especially during its early growth stages, requiring 3,000 litres of water to produce a kilogram of rice, more than three times as much as an equivalent amount of wheat. While the monsoon period in tropical climates provides water in abundance, the burgeoning demand for rice means it often needs to be 'double-cropped', where farmers plant and harvest one rice crop in the wet season, then plant and harvest a second in the dry season.
Changing monsoon patterns mean farmers need to increase their climate resilience if the expected rains do not happen, making them increasingly dependent on scarce irrigation resources.
This latest project builds and expands on previous successful trials in AWD. These earlier trials took place under the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) project, RECIRCULATE - a major international research and knowledge-exchange collaborative partnership between Lancaster University researchers and a growing pan-African network of research-led institutions, which has led to the formation of the Africa Research and Innovation Partnership (ARIP) network.
Results from the previous trials, which involved researchers from Lancaster University and the CSIR-CRI and hosted by Newage Agric Solutions Ltd, indicated a 30 per cent saving in water use without harming rice yields.
Lancaster University environmental scientists, Professor Ian Dodd and Professor Kirk Semple are collaborating with scientists from CRI and the team at Newage to coordinate the new project and provide scientific expertise on plants and soil.
Ian Dodd, Professor of Sustainable Agriculture at Lancaster University, said: "At an ARIP meeting in Accra last year, it was clear the commercial sector was interested in trialling AWD on a much larger scale than our previous small plot experiments. Those discussions formed the basis of our successful bid for Innovate UK funding with Newage Agric Solutions Ltd, which advances both the sustainability of agricultural water use and our research collaboration. Having previously been involved in delivering a KTP within the UK, I am convinced this project will offer a fantastic training opportunity for Vincent and provide considerable value to Newage Agric Solutions Ltd."
Climate change has limited irrigation supplies in the Weta region in recent years, so reducing water use while maintaining yield is critical to enable smallholder farmers across the area to produce more rice for their communities.
Dr Patricia Amankwaa-Yeboah of CRI said: "It is great to work with Newage Agric Solutions Ltd to translate research output to smallholder farmers in Weta. We look forward to sharing our expertise on water and nutrient innovations in rice production to contribute to Vincent's development as a KTP Associate."
Martin Nartey, General Manager at Newage Agric Solutions Ltd, said: "Our collaboration with Lancaster University and the CRI is a testament to the power of unity in advancing agricultural science and technology by merging academic excellence with cutting-edge research and industry expertise, ensuring food security for generations to come."
Eugene Zori, also of Newage Agric Solutions Ltd and involved in the earlier Innovation Award, said: "We are transforming research into reality to drive sustainable growth and resilience in the agricultural sector."
2025 marks 50 years of the Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme. KTPs bring together universities, research institutes and businesses to work together on a development project that is strategically important to the future of the business. African Agriculture Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (AAKTPs) are a partnership between a UK Knowledge Base, and an African Knowledge Base and Business Partner in one of the following countries: Republic of Ghana, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Republic of Kenya or Republic of South Africa.
