Growing Against the Drought
In the sun-scorched plains of sub-Saharan Ghana, farming has always been a fight against time and weather. With only a short rainy season each year, families had one chance to grow their crops, and when the rains stopped, so did the harvest. What followed were months of dry, cracked soil and the daily struggle to put food on the table.
According to the World Food Programme, nearly 24% of households in northern Ghana are food insecure, with the highest rates concentrated in the Upper East and Upper West regions. The Ghana Living Standards Survey reports that more than 70% of households in this area rely on subsistence agriculture, meaning that when crops fail, so does the food supply. For many, the dry season brings more than drought; it brings hunger.
Where Water Flows, Life Grows
Since 2024, with access to clean water from our Water Project, training, and financial support, our Dry-Season Farming Initiative has been turning dry, unused land into thriving farms, enabling families in the communities we serve to grow food year-round, strengthen local food systems, and build sustainable livelihoods through agriculture and women-led shea butter production, even in the face of persistent drought.
In January 2025, XO World Project Foundation Co-Founder and CEO Colleen Brennan traveled to Ghana to visit all of our ongoing projects, witnessing firsthand the impact of our work across communities. At Nawaasa No. 1 in Chuchuliga, within the Builsa North Municipality, she saw the powerful results of our Dry-Season Farming Initiative, a transformation made possible by the reliable water flowing from our solar-mechanized borehole well, generously funded by the Kathleen Scott Family in the USA.
It is the water from this borehole that has unlocked the potential of the once dry and barren land, enabling families to cultivate thriving crops throughout the year, even during the harsh dry season.
Beyond providing water, we also supported the community with essential farming resources, empowering them to turn this life-giving water into food, income, and opportunity.
Our borehole was also designed to supply clean water for farm animals, helping improve livestock health and further strengthening local food security.
From Scarcity to Sustainability
Dry-season farming is about more than food, it’s about resilience. It’s about creating systems that communities can maintain and grow on their own. With every borehole we install and every farmers we support, we’re building a future where water no longer determines survival; it enables stability, sustainability, and strength.
We’re now expanding our dry-season farming initiative, bringing this model to more communities across sub-Saharan Ghana. With each thriving farm, we’re planting seeds not just in the soil but in the hearts of the people who depend on it.
Growing Stronger Together
Thanks to the unwavering support of our generous donors, partners and the courageous leadership of women and community members on the ground, XO World Project Foundation is fighting hunger and pushing back against drought. Through ongoing training and financial support, along with access to vital resources, we empower communities to grow crops sustainably and build resilient livelihoods.
Where clean water flows, crops don’t just grow, they thrive year after year, nourishing families and ensuring no one sleeps with an empty stomach. Where crops thrive, hope flourishes, communities strengthen, and futures are rebuilt. Together, we’re sowing the seeds for lasting change creating resilient, sustainable communities that can stand strong for generations to come.
Join Us in Growing Hope
Together, we can bring access to clean, safe water and sustainable farming to communities that need it most. Your support helps families grow food year-round, improve health, and build lasting livelihoods.
