Rainwater Harvesting and Community Engagement: A Path to Sustainable Livelihoods in East Gonja District, Ghana

Water, an indispensable element for life’s inception and continuity, is confronted with significant challenges as a primary resource. This paper assessed the influence of community participation on sustainable rainwater harvesting tanks for improved livelihood within Presbyterian Agricultural Services -Mile 7 (PAS-Mile 7) in the East Gonja District of Ghana. This research employed a mixed-methods approach using a cross-sectional descriptive survey. A sample of 50 respondents was selected from five communities within the study area using simple random and purposive sampling techniques within the estimated population of 24,628. The paper revealed high community involvement in the planning and implementation phases, with a composite mean score of 4.73 and 4.64, respectively. However, participation in monitoring and evaluation was moderate, with a composite mean score of 3.26, highlighting a critical gap in the project’s lifecycle. The findings again revealed that all communities within the study’s catchment areas are prepared to support the project to ensure their sustainability. This paper recommends that PAS-North conduct workshops and training sessions in monitoring and evaluation where participation seems moderate or lower compared to other project phases to build the capacity and empower project participants. The paper concluded that comprehensive community involvement throughout all project phases is essential for achieving sustainable outcomes.