For years, Abdul-Rauf Mahamadu, a smallholder farmer in the West Mamprusi Municipality, struggled with high input costs, pest infestation, and uncertain returns from his two-acre farmland. He relied heavily on chemical fertilisers, herbicides, and other inputs to produce food for his family, often with little left from the harvest. However, with the support of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocesan Development Organisation (NABOCADO), he has adopted organic and indigenous farming practices, cutting production costs and improving soil health.
The shift to organic farming is being supported by NABOCADO's Strengthening of Smallholder Farmers' Resilience towards a Changing Climate and Promotion of Environmentally Friendly Agriculture project, funded by Misereor and Bistum Münster of Germany. The project is being implemented in six districts and enables farmers to produce compost from locally available materials and adopt practices such as crop rotation, zero tillage, and mulching. These practices are helping farmers reduce their dependence on chemical fertilisers and pesticides while improving their ability to cope with erratic rainfall and soil degradation.
Mr Mahamadu's experience with composting, zero tillage, and crop rotation has transformed his farming practices and improved yields. He said compost had not only reduced his expenditure but also improved the condition and appearance of his crops. The organic material is prepared from locally available farm residues and other materials, enabling farmers to fertilise their fields without purchasing expensive chemical fertilisers.
Crop rotation has also helped Mr Mahamadu manage maize and soybean production, reducing striga infestation on his farm. He cultivated maize on a particular portion of land the previous year and rotated it with soybean in the current season. This practice has helped him tackle striga infestation, a major challenge for farmers in the area. Mulching has also helped farmers like Ms Talata Naaya withstand drought and reduce the need to hire labour for planting and weeding.
At Nkuzesi in the Nabdam District, farmers are adopting practices including zai pits, compost application, and intercropping to improve production. Ms Naaya said these practices had reduced the need to hire labour and allowed them to plant in rows and manage weeds more effectively. The practices also help conserve soil moisture and moderate soil temperature during dry periods.
Intercropping has also boosted household food security for farmers like Mr Yin Bugmah, who combined maize with cowpea and used liquid manure produced from poultry droppings. This approach enables farmers to obtain different food crops from the same farming system rather than depending entirely on one crop. Ms Assibi Tii, another farmer, said she had incorporated soybean and pepper into her farming activities, using mulching to reduce weed growth and retain moisture.
According to Mr Dominic Avea Aniah, Director of Livelihood and Agriculture Programme at NABOCADO, the SCRAS Project aims to help smallholder farmers produce sustainably without relying heavily on external agricultural inputs. The organisation trains farmers to produce compost from farm residues and livestock droppings and promotes locally available plant-based products to manage pests and improve soil fertility.
Key points
- Smallholder farmers in Northern Ghana are adopting organic farming practices to reduce production costs and improve soil health.
- The Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocesan Development Organisation is supporting farmers to adopt environmentally friendly agriculture practices.
- Organic farming practices such as composting, crop rotation, and mulching are helping farmers improve yields and cope with climate-related challenges.
