As part of efforts to address the shortage of agro-chemicals, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has announced that the government was proactively working with local fertiliser producers to produce quality organic fertilisers on a large scale for farmers across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the sector Minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, organic agriculture has taken a huge premium on the international market, adding that the mass production of quality organic fertiliser will make Ghana less dependent on inorganic fertiliser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr. Afriyie Akoto was briefing journalists following a stakeholder meeting with local fertiliser producers on the production and promotion of quality organic fertilisers domestically in Accra on Tuesday, May 24, 2022.
He attributed the \u2018acute shortage\u2019 of agro-chemicals generally, and fertilisers in particular, to the war between Russia and Ukraine, amid the international sanctions on Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These developments, he said, were breaking the supply chain of fertiliser and making global trading very difficult which Ghana was no exception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn a catastrophic situation, you have to be able to adapt and come out stronger. So we feel that we need to encourage the production of quality organic fertiliser domestically,\u201d he averred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He noted that from January to May this year, there has been a sharp drop of the amount of fertilisers distributed to farmers in this country, and lamented that \u201cthat was nothing to write home about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, Dr. Afriyie Akoto believed that in the wake of the challenge above, a significant amount of organic fertiliser production was possible in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe will have a close collaboration with local producers of organic fertilisers to see how we maximise your businesses to help us bridge the fertiliser gap, if not completely, at least we make the effort to bridge a higher percentage of the fertiliser requirement,\u201d he assured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He urged the local organic ferrliser producers to avail themselves of the opportunities presented by the government to boost production to meet the fertiliser need of the farming population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are prepared to work with you with our extension officers. We have the capacity in teaching the farmers on how to adopt and apply these organic fertilisers. And given the opportunity out there, I believe you can supply more,\u201d he confidently said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also encouraged the local producers to convince their foreign partners to come and set up fertiliser plants in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furthermore, Dr. Afriyie Akoto indicated that Ghana was abound with loads of raw materials for fertilisation which included garbage and fauna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He applauded the efforts of particularly Zoomlion Ghana Limited for investing hugely in using waste to produce organic fertilisers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The demand for fertiliser in Ghana, he said, was about 600,000 metric tonnes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd so far this year, we haven\u2019t even done a 100,000 metric tonnes. So we are way way off,\u201d he bemoaned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2026We are actively searching for solutions to ensure that farmers are supplied with the right chemicals,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the minister, the essence of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) is basically to grow farm productivity, especially on smallholder farms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd I believe we have been very successful with this programme in the last 5 years that I have been in charge of the ministry by targeting fertiliser and improved seeds for distribution to farmers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said the Russia-Ukraine war which has put asunder the global supply chain of fertiliser was \u201cseverely restricting\u201d the PFJ programme and depriving more farmers of the benefit of modern technology of seed and fertiliser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said for the last three-four years, his outfit has had a \u201cgood extension\u201d service, adding that this has led to a high subsidy by the government on fertiliser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt the peak of 2020, we had 1.6 million farmers on the programme which is only less than half of our farming population in Ghana. But it has had an impact in spite of all the attempts by our adversaries to put some dent on the achievements that this government has made in agriculture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Managing Director of Accra Compost and Recycling Plant (ACARP), Mr. Michael Padi Tuwor, who was present and spoke to the media on the sidelines of the meeting, described the engagement with the minister as \u201cvery fruitful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He indicated that as an investor he now has a clear understanding of the market, calling for more of such stakeholder engagements with MoFA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Responding to the question of whether there was unhealthy competition amongst the industry players, he said: \u201cWe must always expect competition, and it must be a healthy one for the common good of the country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Again on the issue of fake products on the market, Mr Tuwor suggested that there should be a baseline or standard by which products must be required to meet before sent onto the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen this is done it will help check imitations or fake products on the market,\u201d he advised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To this end, he encouraged stakeholders in the industry to work together to produce to meet the national fertiliser need of 600,000 metric tonnes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n