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Ghana’s population of 6.7 million in 1960 is expected to reach 34.2 million by end of 2020 (GSS, 2004). The population of the Bono region in the year 2000 was 1,815,408. This increased to 2,310,983 by the end of 2010 (GSS, 2013). The Sunyani Municipality’s population grew from 101,145 in 2000 to 147,301 in year 2010 (GSS, 2014). Rapid population increase has led to an increasing demand for food. Global supply of food has increased significantly since the 1960s and continue to do so the world over (FAO, 2011). The demand for food is estimated to rise substantially worldwide from 59% to 98% by 2050 (Valin et al., 2014). The production of food crops in Ghana is mostly dependent on rain-fed system of agriculture. Nearly 136,000km2 of land covering about 57% of the total land area of Ghana is classified as agricultural land. Out of this 58,000km2 (24.4%) is cultivated whiles about 11,000 hectares is irrigated (FAO n.d.).Rainfall patterns within and between the years in Ghana has been variable in recent times. Between 1989 and 2015, highest average annual rainfall of 133mm was recorded in 2007 whilst the lowest was 78mm in 1998. Average annual rainfall recorded between 2000 and 2010 was 128mm whilst between 2010 and 2015 annual rainfall decreased to 116mm (Asiedu et al., 2017).
The Sunyani Municipality is experiencing erratic rainfall pattern in recent years while the population continue to increase. Between 1960 and 1969 decadal average in total rainfall recorded was 1716mm. This declined to 1374mm between 2005 and 2014 (Abbam et al., 2018). The uncertainties in rainfall has led to an increase in the use of surface water for irrigation. However, research has shown that the use of untreated surface water may expose users to the risk of microbial contamination (Ackerson and Awuah, 2012). Exposure describes the extent to which users fall geographically within the range of a hazard situation (Birkmann et al., 2013). A hazard describes the potential effect of microbial contamination on a socioeconomic system within a given space over a period of time.
The World Health Organization (WHO) describe two types of health hazards usually associated with polluted water use. First is the rural health and safety problem for those working or living on the land where the water is being used, and second is the risk that contaminated products from the polluted water used may subsequently infect those who consume or handle foodstuffs that have been contaminated with polluted irrigation water (WHO, 1999). Further, it is argued that, in the area where surface water is used to irrigate crops, three groups are at risk of disease infection. These include agricultural workers and their families, crop handlers, and those living on areas irrigated with wastewater (Mara and Cairncross, 1989). Once the polluted surface water is applied, the field and the crop become the vehicle of infectious exposure. The field is the route of exposure to the agricultural worker and the crops become the route of exposure to the consumer of the crop. Farmers’ major activities working on-site may expose them to high levels of risk from inhalation, ingestion, and dermal absorption of contaminated water and soil (Aboagye et al. (2018). Again, farmers may be exposed through consumption of uncooked farm produce. This study focuses on the field as the route of exposure to agricultural workers and their families. Thus, the focus is on rural and peri-urban health and safety challenges for those working with polluted irrigation water.
There is mounting evidence that the use of contaminated water to irrigate vegetables and certain fruits near urban areas is one of the chief means of gastrointestinal disease spread (Shuval, 1993). Existing literature have reported poor microbial quality of irrigation water in Ghana. For example, Amoah et al. (2005), reported high faecal coliform levels in irrigation water in Kumasi and Accra. Similarly, Silverman et al. (2012), observed high levels of E. coli in irrigation water in Accra. However, Akrong et al. (2012) reported variations in total and faecal coliform levels in tap water stored in dugout, surface water from stream and wastewater in drains used to irrigate crops in Accra Metropolis.