N2
Africa Project has
introduced a new farming technology known as nitrogen fixation for smallholder
farmers in the Nadowli and Wa East districts of the Upper West Region of Ghana.
2AFRICA is a
large scale, science research project focused on putting nitrogen fixation to
work for smallholder farmers growing legume crops in Africa. N2AFRICA is funded
by ‘The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’ and ‘The Howard G. Buffet
Foundation’ through a grant to Plant Production Systems, Wageningen University,
in the Netherlands. It is led by Wageningen University together with CIAT-TSBF,
IITA and has many partners in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya,
Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda and Zimbabwe. Currently, new partnerships
are established in Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The new
technology seeks to improve soil fertility through the cultivation of
leguminous crops such as soybean, cowpea and groundnut using new farming
methods.
Mr.
Asieku Yahaya, Assistant Research Officer at SARI, said at a farmers’ field day
in Booduori in the Nadowli District that the project taught farmers new methods
of applying fertilizer such as phosphorous fertilizer, muriate of potash,
compost manure and the rhyzobium inoculants appropriately to increase yield.
The new
technology had the potential to improve soil nitrogen content, enhance soil
productivity and eventually increase yields of beneficiary farmers. The value
addition component of the project uses Women in Agricultural Development (WIAD)
to train women in soya processing.
He said there was
also a human resource development aspect which sponsored agricultural officers
to further their education in agriculture related courses.
Mr.
Salifu Mahama, MoFA-Nadowli District N2 Africa Project Schedule Officer, said
the project was meeting its technology outreach objectives through the empowerment
of a network of lead farmers to serve as an example to group members,
neighbours and the wider agricultural community.
He said the
project started its dissemination and demonstration implementation in the
Nadowli District in 2010 through the District Agricultural Extension Agents in
Zambogu, Goriyiri, and Daffiama with farmer coverage of 810.
Cp-africa.com