Small dams for climate Adaptation: Evidence from Ghana's one-village-one-dam program for water security and agro-pastoral resilience in semi-arid Africa

Water scarcity is intensifying under climate change, threatening food security, rural livelihoods, and social stability in semi-arid regions worldwide. Small-scale water storage infrastructure, such as community dams, is increasingly promoted as a climate adaptation measure, yet rigorous evidence on their multidimensional impacts remains limited. This study evaluates Ghana's state-led One-Village-One-Dam (1V1D) program using Welfare Economics and Technology Substitution theories and a Multivariate Probit Model applied to data from 219 agro-pastoralist households in Northern Ghana. Results show that small dams significantly reduce reliance on reactive and often maladaptive coping strategies, including distress livestock sales, seasonal migration, and private water investments. Beyond enhancing agricultural and livestock productivity, the program strengthens local drought resilience and reduces water-related conflicts, contributing to the broader Sustainable Development Goals on zero hunger, climate action, and peacebuilding. By situating Ghana's experience within the global debate on nature-based and infrastructure-supported adaptation, this research offers transferable lessons for designing integrated water governance strategies in climate-vulnerable drylands across Africa and beyond.

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