The Minister of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Eric Opoku, has said that the government of Ghana is gradually transitioning from the use of inorganic or synthetic fertiliser to organic fertiliser.
He said this forms part of the national agenda to boost agribusiness through local production of essential inputs.
Eric Opoku said this when the Ministry of Food and Agriculture signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Omanbapa AgriTech Limited on Monday to establish an organic fertiliser plant to boost food production and reduce Ghana’s dependence on synthetic fertilisers. The pact provides for the immediate commencement of the project, which is expected to be located between the Ashanti and Ahafo regions.
He said the project formed part of the Government’s agricultural transformation agenda to protect soil health and improve food safety.
“We are looking at how we can gradually transition from the use of inorganic or synthetic fertiliser to organic fertiliser,” he said.
Mr Opoku said the product had undergone technical testing by the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) and had been certified for use in Ghana after demonstrating its potential to increase food production.
He said farmers who tested the product also reported positive results, providing the Ministry with both technical and practical evidence of its effectiveness.
Mr Opoku said the project would create additional income opportunities for farmers because agricultural waste materials, including maize husks and other crop residues, would be purchased as raw materials for fertiliser production.
“Apart from the fertiliser we are getting, they are also creating marketing opportunities for our farmers,” he said.
Story by Kofi Nartey
