Ghana Does Not Need Chemical Fertilizers For Planting – Concerned Farmers

The Concerned Farmers Association of Ghana has taken issues with the country’s continuous use of fertilizers for planting to boost production.

According to the association, the continuous use of fertilizers is the result of the low yields experienced by farmers across the country.

The president of the association, Nana Oboadee Boateng Bonsu said Ghana’s soil is arable and does not need the use of fertilizers, especially chemical fertilizers to boost yield in the country.

He said the government's continuous introduction of chemical fertilizers to farmers has over the years contributed to low yields in the country leading to some scarcity of food in the country.

He condemned the government for the mass introduction of chemical fertilizers into the Ghanaian farming sector.

The president of the association expressed this concern while reacting to the issue of food shortages in Senior High Secondary Schools across the country.

He said instead of the government leading the chart to ensure selective applications of some of these fertilizers in the country, it introduced the product on mass usage leading to low yields any time farmers are not able to get a hold of the chemicals during the planting season.

The president of the association made these comments in an interview with Kwame Obeng Sarkodie, host of the Ghana Yensom morning show on Accra 100.5 FM on Wednesday, July 13, 2022.

He said if governments over the years were serious about safeguarding the interest of the ordinary farmers in the country, they would engage crop scientists to research into areas where chemical fertilizers are needed and where organic fertilizers are needed across the country.

“But this was not done and farmers were introduced to these chemical fertilizers that have destroyed the texture of most soils in the farming communities. As a result of this, anytime farmers plant without some of these chemicals they experience low yields,” he stated.

He blamed the division that has plagued the farmer front in the country for many of these anomalies, adding that there are farmers who swallow without questioning policies by the government.

“Because we are not united like the commercial drivers are, it has led to the mistreatment of farmer advocate groups in the country,” he lamented.
He chastised Parliament for also not showing respect to farmer holder groups in the country adding that they formulate policies without the input of farmers in the country.