Organic farming adoption reduces costs for Ghana smallholders

Smallholder farmers in Northern Ghana are increasingly adopting organic and indigenous farming methods to combat rising input costs and climate instability. In the West Mamprusi Municipality, farmer Abdul-Rauf Mahamadu reported that traditional chemical-intensive farming for a single acre previously cost nearly GH¢1,300 due to expenses for NPK fertiliser, ammonia, weedicides, and insecticides.

By transitioning to organic practices on his maize and soybean plots, Mahamadu has significantly reduced production costs. He now utilizes compost made from locally available materials and employs techniques such as zero tillage, crop rotation, mulching, and intercropping. These methods have helped improve soil health and increase yields compared to previous chemical-dependent seasons.

This transition is supported by the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocesan Development Organisation (NABOCADO) through the Strengthening of Smallholder Farmers' Resilience towards a Changing Climate and Promotion of Environmentally Friendly Agriculture (SCRAS) project. Funded by Germany’s Misereor and Bistum Münster, the initiative operates across six districts: Kassena-Nankana West, Builsa South, Bongo, West Mamprusi, Nabdam, and Talensi.