Researchers promote integrated food production system in Ghana

Ghanaian agricultural researchers are encouraging integrated farming as an economically and environmentally sound activity in food production and income generation.

The Crops Research Institute (CRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is implementing the Aquaponics-based Food System (AFS), which combines crop production with fish, poultry and small ruminant rearing.

The objective, according to research scientist and agricultural engineer, Shadrack Kwadwo Amponsah, is to ensure all year-round food production for enhanced nutrition to the smallholder farmer, whilst offering an attraction for the youth to venture agriculture.

“Imagine a farming having a small piece of land with all these food production systems integrated into one; I don’t think you will complain if you have no money on you because you have enough to eat,” he stated.

Mr. Amponsah explains the emerging venture of producing worms for composting, known as vermiculture. According to him, this is essential to produce organic crops in an integrated farm that helps to mitigate the changing climate.

The impacts of climate change are already being felt everywhere and in all economic sectors.

In countries like Ghana, where farmers rely heavily in rain-fed agriculture, local farmers are most vulnerable to the unpredictability of the weather.

Whilst developing economies seek climate justice to mitigate the effects of the changing climate on livelihoods, researchers are exploring adaptation mechanisms to make agriculture sustainable.

Mr. Amponsah believes diversification of production is highly productive and efficient in managing risks imposed by the environment and climate change.

The Institute’s project field is exposing the public to opportunities to earn sustainable livelihoods from integrated farming whilst contributing to environmental protection.

Director of the CRI-CSIR, Dr. Stella Ennin, believes the project is the way forward to achieving sustainable food security in Ghana.

“You can see how crop productivity is much higher when you have manure from this system put on the crops… so this is a system that we are looking at ways of improving and adapting to our system and I can say it’s wonderful,” she said.

The AFS project is sponsored by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Cooperation (EMBRAPA) and implemented by the CRI-CSIR in collaboration with the Water Research and Animal Research Institutes.

Shadrach is confident integrated farming is a viable way out of youth unemployment in Ghana and other African economies.

Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh

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