The Tono Dam and Irrigation Project is a large-scale government-operated irrigation scheme located near Navrongo in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Constructed in the 1970s with assistance from Taiwan, it is one of Ghana's major irrigation projects, supporting rice and vegetable cultivation across approximately 2,490 hectares and serving as a critical water resource for agriculture and local communities in the region.
The Tono Dam and Irrigation Project is one of Ghana's largest and most significant irrigation schemes, located approximately 20 kilometers southeast of Navrongo in the Upper East Region. Built between 1975 and 1985 with technical and financial assistance from the Republic of China (Taiwan), the project encompasses a massive earth dam creating a 1,900-hectare reservoir and irrigating approximately 2,490 hectares of farmland. It serves as a vital water resource for agricultural production, particularly rice and vegetable cultivation, supporting thousands of farmers and contributing significantly to Ghana's food security in the northern regions.
The Tono Irrigation Project was conceived in the early 1970s as part of Ghana's efforts to develop the agricultural potential of the Upper Regions and reduce dependency on rain-fed agriculture in the drought-prone northern savanna zone. Construction began in 1975 under a bilateral agreement with Taiwan, with the dam commissioned in 1985 as the largest irrigation infrastructure in the Upper East Region. The project was designed to transform subsistence farming into commercial agriculture, and over the decades has become a cornerstone of rice production in northern Ghana, though it has faced challenges including siltation, maintenance issues, and water management conflicts.
The Tono Dam is accessible by road from Navrongo, located about 20 kilometers southeast along the Navrongo-Paga road with clear signage to the irrigation project. Visitors can view the dam structure, reservoir, and irrigation canals, though access to certain operational areas may require permission from the Tono Irrigation Project management office in Navrongo. The best time to visit is during the dry season (November to March) when irrigation activities are most visible and the access roads are in better condition.
Despite being designed primarily for rice irrigation, the Tono Reservoir has become one of the Upper East Region's most productive inland fisheries, with local fishing communities harvesting significant quantities of tilapia and catfish, creating an unexpected economic benefit that was not part of the original project design.
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