Farmers use contaminated Birim River to irrigate crops
Farmers
along the Birim River are using the water body, confirmed to contain suspended
particles and some levels of arsenic and mercury due to illegal mining, to
irrigate their crops.
Vegetable
farmers along the river at Akim Oda and its tributary, Mmor at Akwatia, rely
heavily on the yellowish flowing water, said to be filled with metals dangerous
to human health.
The
vegetables, according to the farmers, are sent to markets in cities and towns,
including Koforidua, Madina, Nsawam and Accra.
During a
visit to the Birim River the Daily Graphic saw hectares of
vegetables, including pepper, tomatoes and okro, which had been planted and
were being watered by farmers with water that research scientists say could be
harmful to human health.
It was
observed that the farmers had connected huge water hoses to water pumps powered
by generators to draw the water from the river.
A
follow-up to the Water Research Institute (WRI) showed that the institute had
in two different researches found that the river contained levels of
arsenic higher than the recommended limits of the Ghana Standards Authority
(GSA).
The
water also contains suspended materials of 1000 milligrammes per litre
(ml/l) which is higher than the 40ml/l allowed by the Water Resources
Commission.
The Birim
River takes its source from the Atiwa Forest range and has been identified by
research scientists as one of the most polluted sources of water in the country
because of the activities of illegal miners who use all kinds of chemicals in
their trade.
Ghana’s
mining laws require that mining companies treat water used for mining
activities before they are discharged into the environment but in the case of
the illegal miners, water bodies are the centre of operation, a situation that
makes communities living along the river vulnerable to the risks of the
dangerous chemicals.
Communities
along the Birim River depend on it heavily for both domestic and agricultural
purposes, a situation that makes them vulnerable.
With
little regard for the environment, the illegal miners, popularly known as
‘galamseyers’, mine in the river, close to the river banks or direct the
course to mine minerals from the river basin.
Research
Traces of
two heavy metals, arsenic and mercury, found in the river in a research
conducted by the Water Research Institute (WRI), have been tagged as harmful by
the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Although
the WRI found small traces of the dangerous chemicals in the river, the WHO
paints a deadly picture of the chemicals, saying even small amounts may cause
serious health problems, and are a threat to the development of the child in the
womb.
According
to the WHO, arsenic is highly toxic in its inorganic form and water
contaminated with the chemical used for drinking, food preparation and
irrigation of food crops poses the greatest threat to public health.
The polluted state of the Birirm River in the
Eastern Region
It warns
that “long-term exposure to arsenic from drinking water and food can cause
cancer and skin lesions. It has also been associated with developmental
effects, cardiovascular disease, neurotoxicity and diabetes”.
On the
other hand, mercury, the more popular of the two chemicals, in illegal mining,
is considered by WHO as one of the top 10 chemicals or groups of chemicals of
major public health concern.
“Mercury
may have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems, and on
lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes. People are mainly exposed to methylmercury, an
organic compound, when they eat fish and shellfish that contain the compound,” the
organisation said on its website.
Farmers
unaware
It is 9
a.m. near the steel bridge on the Birim in Akim Oda. Mr Pascal Owusu, with the
assistance of his employee, is busily splashing the yellowish water over pepper
plants.
Although
he admitted that the water appeared polluted, he said the plants needed it or
the heat of the dry season would kill most of them.
He denied
the possibility of contaminating the vegetables with chemicals, saying, “It is
just dirty, there are no dangerous chemicals in it.”
Mr Owusu
is a former illegal miner who quit because the business had become risky and
less lucrative.
Like many
farmers along the banks of rivers polluted by illegal miners, he is unaware
that the river is too contaminated to be used for irrigation.
But Mr
Martin Asmah, a research scientist of the WRI who studied the environmental
quality assessment of the Upper Birim River in 2011, said at the time the
research was conducted, the illegal mining activities were not pronounced as
they are today, adding that “there is a great possibility that the level of
contamination may go up”.
Difficult
to stop farmers
The
Director of Agriculture of the Birim South Municipal Assembly, Dr Felicia
Ansah-Amprofi, acknowledged that the river could be contaminated but added that
the directorate had not done any scientific analysis to tell the level of
pollution.
“It is
difficult to stop the farmers from using the river for irrigation in the wake
of erratic rainfall patterns. Last year, the rain stopped suddenly and they
lost most of their crops. Many fields of maize just dried up. They don’t have
anything else to use.”
Mr
Lawrence Alato, an agriculturalist at the Plant Protection and Regulatory
Division of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, said apart from the dangers
posed by the chemicals, the suspended particles also produced bacteria and
funguses that compelled farmers to use more pesticide, which, if not well
handled, posed danger to the consumer.
Solution
Many of
the stakeholders proffered different solutions to the problem, but Dr
Ansah-Amprofi said the only way out was an end to illegal mining.
“Those
who are polluting the water should stop. The farmers don’t have a choice. They
can’t watch a river flowing while watching their crops die,” she said.
However,
Mr Humphrey Darko, a research scientist whose work found that the Birim River
was not appropriate for irrigation, advised the farmers to stop using the river
and find an alternative.
“The best
thing is to refrain from using the Birim for irrigation purposes. If they can
dig some shallow wells that will be better than the use of the polluted river.”
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