Ghana is losing an estimated 24,800 hectares of forest every year, equivalent to the size of Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland (or approximately 37,000 football pitches), according to new research by WaterAid and Tree Aid.
The report, From Roots to Rivers: How Deforestation Impacts Freshwater Access, warns that widespread deforestation is undermining the country’s access to clean water and threatening the health and livelihoods of millions.
The study, which examined satellite data collected between 2013 and 2025, found a direct relationship between forest loss and the decline in both quality and availability of freshwater across West Africa.
In Ghana, the findings showed that deforestation is linked to deteriorating water quality – leaving many rural and peri-urban communities increasingly vulnerable to unsafe drinking water.
According to the report, Ghana’s annual loss of vegetation has destroyed valuable ecosystems that once filtered pollutants, protected soil from erosion and regulated rainfall.
As tree cover declines, rainfall flows directly over exposed soil into rivers and streams, carrying sediment, waste and agricultural run-off that contaminates water sources.
The long-term consequence, the study said, is a reduction in amount of safe water available for household use, irrigation and livestock.
Across Ghana, Nigeria and Niger, the report estimates that more than 122 million people – about 45 percent of the combined population – are at risk from unsafe surface water.
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In Ghana alone, nearly 38 percent of the population live in high-risk areas where water quality is deteriorating rapidly. While Nigeria and Niger experience more pronounced losses in surface water, Ghana’s challenge is distinct as even where water remains available, it is increasingly unsafe to drink.
The study’s analysis of satellite data showed that the loss of every 1,000 hectares of forest in Nigeria and Niger correlates with an average 9.25-hectare reduction in surface water.
In Ghana, the correlation is less about quantity and more about quality; deforestation has led to higher sedimentation, pollution and algal growth in rivers and reservoirs.
While not directly mentioned in the report, illegal mining continues to be a major factor. At the end of last year, the Forestry Commission noted that 34 of Ghana’s 288 forest reserves had been severely damaged by galamsey.
The result, researchers noted, is that water treatment systems are under increasing strain, while rural communities without treatment facilities face rising health risks.
The report warned that this trend could worsen as climate change intensifies rainfall patterns, producing floods and run-off that accelerate erosion in deforested areas.
The report described a ‘rainfall paradox’, in which short-term increases of rainfall mask the long-term depletion of groundwater and loss of reliable freshwater systems.
In many parts of the country, it notes, heavy rains cause severe flooding followed by prolonged droughts… further stressing water supplies.
“Water is at the centre of the climate crisis. When forests are cut down, the natural systems that keep water flowing cleanly into the ground collapse. The result is dirty water, failed harvests and declining resilience among communities already least equipped to cope,” the report stated.
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The human impact of these trends is visible in communities that depend directly on rivers and streams for daily survival.
In Yendi, Northern Region, residents report that the Daka River, a vital source of drinking and irrigation water, now dries up earlier each year.
Tree Aid, which worked with local farmers to restore vegetation along the riverbank, said the project has already improved soil fertility and water retention – with crop yields rising as new tree cover stabilises the environment.
The report identified unsustainable land use, charcoal production and weak enforcement of forest protection laws as major drivers of Ghana’s deforestation.
Recommendations
It called for urgent investment in climate-resilient water systems and the integration of forest and water policies into national climate plans.
It also urged decision-makers to support locally-led reforestation initiatives and prioritise equitable access to clean water in rural areas.
Globally, 75 percent of accessible freshwater originates from forested landscapes and the report warned that Ghana’s continued forest loss could have cascading effects on agriculture, health and biodiversity.
It recommended that water management, sanitation and reforestation efforts be treated as one integrated system rather than separate development challenges.
Despite its grim statistics, the research offers cautious optimism. It highlighted Niger’s success in restoring 101,000 hectares of vegetation through planned reforestation – resulting in measurable increases of surface water availability.
This, the authors suggest, shows that the damage caused by deforestation can be reversed through long-term planning, investment and local participation.
“When trees disappear, water disappears,” the report warns. “Protecting forests is not just an environmental priority, it is a matter of public health, food security and national survival,” it added.
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