By Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The Project Manager of the Stronger Together Project, Mr. Daniel Agbenoto, is advocating for subsidies on locally produced organic fertiliser to make it affordable and easily accessible to farmers, thereby improving farm yields.
According to him, studies have shown the enormous health, environmental, and economic benefits of using organic fertilizer. For this reason, he is calling on the government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, to subsidise the prices of organic fertiliser for improved farm yields and a green environment.
Looking at the current climate situation, which has affected rainfall patterning and loss of soil nutrients due to the use of synthetic fertiliser, weedicides, and pesticides over a long time, there is an urgent need to adopt innovative agricultural techniques, including the use of organic fertilisers.
Organic fertiliser helps improve soil structure, fertility, and biodiversity; again, it promotes efficient water use and reduces pollution; aside from this, it helps climate change mitigation since organic practices sequester carbon, reducing greenhouse gas emissions while promoting long-term agricultural sustainability.
Despite the huge benefit organic fertiliser offers, the cost per bag is so expensive as compared to inorganic for farmers; thus, most farmers are not able to afford it. Thus the call on the government to subsidy it, according to the Project Manager, Stronger Together, will enable farmers to use it instead of opting for inorganic fertilizer
He believes government subsidies on organic fertiliser can promote sustainable agriculture, ensure environmental stewardship, and improve human health.
The current absence/Inadequate facilities for proper sanitation and waste treatment services in many low- and middle-income countries, including Ghana, still causes over 564,000 deaths each year. The huge health concerns, the growing global climate, energy, and food crises have necessitated the need to act. It is based on this that the Stronger Together Project, an initiative by Plan International Ghana, seeks to address.
The Stronger Together Project, which has been implemented in the Ashaiman Municipality in the Greater Accra region, seeks to enhance the health situation and economic opportunities and improve environmental living conditions through the provision of faecal and organic waste treatment services through gender equity and social inclusivity.
Ashaiman Municipality is considered peri-urban with a population of almost 300,000. About 75.1 percent of the population aged 15 years and older are economically active. In the municipality, about 4% of households are in agriculture. Among the farming households in the municipality, (74.4%) are involved in crop farming. (GSS 2024).
Mr. Agbenoto, speaking in an exclusive interview with GBCGHANAONLINE’s Franklin ASARE-DONKOH, explained that the Stronger Together Project is using one stone to kill two birds at the same time. Saying the project is designed to improve sanitation of non-sewered areas in Ashaiman as well as to improve hygiene and public health of local communities by providing faecal and organic waste collection in a safe way.
“Through this project, economic opportunities have been created for farmers, SME’s, and local communities—especially women and youth—by setting up plots for (female) farmers on the use of organic compost to promote the use of alternatives to chemical fertilizers. Improved accessibility to affordable fertiliser and wastewater results in improved livelihoods for young farmers, including women. Women and youth adapt to innovative ways to increase and sustain the supply of faecal and organic waste and have a new source of livelihood through Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) activities,” he noted.
Providing training for sustainable agricultural practices has proved to be essential, particularly for women and youth. This empowerment increased their resilience to economic challenges and fostered greater community self-sufficiency,” Mr. Agbenoto added.
The Stronger Together project has a partner, Safisana Ghana, a Waste Management Service company that re-uses waste as a resource to produce biogas and organic fertiliser to create social, economic, and environmental impact.
Under the Stronger Together project, over 120 students have been trained as sanitation ambassadors and empowered to advocate for improved hygiene practices, enhancing community awareness, and promoting healthier behaviours.
Also, over 20 toilet operators have been successfully trained on maintaining safe sanitation in public toilet facilities, ensuring clean and safe spaces for community use, while over 20 vacuum operators have been trained on proper handling of faecal waste disposal, ensuring safe and efficient waste management in the community.
Again, 70 market queens and community leaders had been empowered as ambassadors for sustainable practices, significantly enhancing environmental advocacy within local markets.
Cultivated a network of 80 farmers trained as ambassadors for sustainable agriculture, fostering the dissemination of best practices in the community.
Successfully adopted new farming methods by over 85 farmers for innovative agricultural techniques, including the use of organic fertilisers.
Achieved strong leadership from young men and women in climate change advocacy, effectively driving community engagement and raising awareness about environmental issues.
