Mampong (W/R)-Ghana, Oct. 5, GNA – As part of efforts to promote Climate Smart Agriculture, Goshen Global Vision, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), is organising a trainer of trainers on Biochar Compost application.
Beneficiaries are organic farmers in the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) and the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly (EKMA).
The training, which is to sensitise farmers on organic farming, has the slogan, “You Are What You Eat. Eat Healthy!”
The Goshen Global Vision campaign is under the US Forest Service Department of Agriculture with support from the STMA and EKMA.
Addressing farmer cooperatives at Mampong in Takoradi, Madam Mary Perpetual Kwakuyi, the Executive Director of Goshen Global Vision, said the proper application of Biochar Compost to the land before planting, caused lasting effects over a four-year before the depletion of organic fertilizer in the soil.
She said the Organisation was helping farmers to embrace organic farming so that extension officers could certify them as organic producers of crops.
Madam Kwakuyi advised farmers against the use of herbicides in crop farming, but to look for harmless alternatives which did not degrade the land.
She said organic compost was bio-degradable to which plants and crops could easily absorb the nutrients from the soil.
A Soil Scientist and Researcher at the Center for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Dr Daniel Nyarko, demonstrated to farmers how to practically design compost fertilizers with a Biochar Compost machine and saw-dust as part of organic trial of the land since burning and smoke were against the GrEEn agenda.
He said the CSIR would continue to partner Goshen Global Vision to upscale knowledge and skills of farmers to harness potential of on-site composting with droppings of animals to reduce cost and maximise profit.
Dr Nyarko said with a combination of Biochar Compost and droppings of animals, higher crop yield was assured, adding that farmers could apply the Biochar Compost to test the soil before planting.
The Director for Agriculture at the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA), Mr Daniel Asimenu, lauded the Organisation for the intervention to assist farmers to revisit organic farming and pledged the collaboration of the Agricultural Department to realise the dream.
An Agricultural Extension Agent (AEA) at the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly (EKMA), Mr Emmanuel Quaicoe, expressed gratitude to Goshen Global Vision, for the laudable initiative and efforts to improve upon the efforts of farmers to increase productivity.
Mr Quaicoe said about 30 farmer cooperatives were under his jurisdiction and were benefitting immensely from the project and pledged his constant interaction with farmers to address their concerns.
Mr Obed Nana Tweneboah, the President of the STMA farmer cooperatives at Mampong, told GNA in an interview that his outfit had reached out to 70 farmer cooperatives in the area and commended Goshen Global Vision for constantly interacting with farmers to better their lot.
A Plant Entomologist from the CSIR in Takoradi, Dr Elizabeth Tetteh, assured the farmers of their commitment to provide any form of assistance they might need to boost their production.
