AfroEuro promotes organic farming in Ghana

Afroeuro Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) based in the Netherlands, has initiated a project in the Wenchi Municipality of the Brong-Ahafo Region aimed at increasing food production and preserving farmlands for the next generation by preventing the use of unnecessary chemicals.

During an AfroEuro Food Security Conference held at Buoku, near Wenchi last Saturday for progressive farmer associations selected from Buoku and its environs under the theme, “Organic Farming Promotion,” farmers were advised to adopt modern farming practices and avoid the overuse of chemicals to ensure a good yield and safeguard public safety.

Participants stressed the need to produce more food and save the farmlands and also strategize to prevent the use of unnecessary chemicals or limit its usage on farmlands.

AfroEuro Food Security Project is an initiative geared towards ensuring availability of food in Ghana.

Vincent Gambrah, Director of AfroEuro Foundation, said the project is a poverty oriented initiative that seeks to assist rural farmers to produce sufficient maize crop production.

According to him, the project will assist farmers to produce enough food that can be marketed to generate income to improve lives through improved diet.

Mr. Gambrah indicated that AfroEuro Foundation, an environmental friendly organisation, will assist farmers to produce healthier food.

He said the NGO has been in the area for years now and has been helping farmers in knowledge, materials, spray, better seeds and interest-free credit facilities.

He mentioned that the ultimate goal of the NGO is to help farmers grow to become commercial farmers to improve their living standards.

A Soil Scientist and Lecturer at Sunyani Polytechnic, Abena Owusu Adjapong, disclosed that improper application of fertilizers and weedicide was negatively affecting farmlands and human health.

Mrs. Adjapong noted that many strange diseases kill a lot of people due to the improper usage of chemicals on crops.

She therefore appealed to farmers to adopt organic farming.

Abrokwa Nyame, Information Management System officer at the Department of Agriculture at the Wenchi Municipal Assembly, noted that the excessive use of chemicals was endangering farmlands and soil nutrient.

Mr. Abrokwa advised farmers to embark on mixed farming and crop rotation to maintain soil fertility.

The lack of extension officers at the Department is making it difficult to encourage farmers to apply modern agricultural practices in their activities.

The Chief of Buoku, Nana Addai Sekyeredu, commended the NGO for the engagement and called on farmers to adopt modern farming practices and reduce chemicals to safeguard public safety and improve yield.