The Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Omanbapa AgriTech Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish an organic fertiliser plant in Ghana to boost organic food production.
The agreement provides for the immediate commencement of the project, which would be situated between the Ashanti and Ahafo regions.
The project which will cost $10 million will initially operate as a blending plant using imported raw materials before transitioning into a full processing plant within one to two years’ time period.
“We are looking at how we can gradually transition from the use of inorganic or synthetic fertiliser to organic fertiliser. “We are concerned about the health of the soil; we want to protect the soil health for future production, and we are also concerned about the safety of the food that we put on the market for the Ghanaian people to consume,” Hon. Eric Opoku, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, said during the signing ceremony.
Minister explained that the project formed part of the Government’s agricultural transformation agenda to protect soil health and improve food safety.
He underscored the products haven undergone technical testing by the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) and been certified for use in Ghana after demonstrating its potential to increasing food production.
From the reports of the farmers who tested the sampled products, he said they given positive results, providing the Ministry with both technical and practical evidence of its effectiveness.
He mentioned that the project would create additional income opportunities for farmers because agricultural waste materials, including maize husks and other crop residues would be purchased as raw materials for fertiliser plant.
He stressed that the government is poised of assisting farmers and the private sectors to thrive. “Ghana’s agriculture is mainly private led, and it’s the mandate of the government to provide the conducive atmosphere for them to thrive”.
Minister urged the Omanbapa AgriTech Limited and its partners to commence activities immediately to enhance quick delivery of the products to the farmers to facilitate organic production over inorganic production.
The Chief Executive Officer of Omanbapa Group, Mr Bernard Oduro Takyi, said the project would be implemented in three phases comprising the procurement of inputs, blending operations and full-scale manufacturing.
He reiterated that the company has planned to invest about US$10 million in the project.
According to him, the initial blending phase is expected to produce between 20,000 and 30,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser annually, while full-scale production could reach about 60,000 metric tonnes.
He said local production would make organic fertiliser relatively cheaper than imported alternatives and create employment opportunities for Ghanaians.
Mr Takyi added that the use of organic inputs would also support efforts to reduce agricultural waste, lower carbon emissions and improve the competitiveness of Ghanaian agricultural exports, particularly cocoa.
Under the agreement, the two parties are expected to establish a technical committee to determine the exact location of the plant and oversee implementation of the project.
