Nabdam: The Forum for Natural Regeneration (FONAR), an environmentally-focused organization in the Upper East Region, has organized a refresher training for Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) lead farmers on fertilizer application techniques. A total of 20 FMNR lead farmers, including 10 males and 10 females from the Dasang and Kparaboug communities in the Nabdam District, were taken through various techniques and types of fertilizer application to boost their yields and minimize the environmental impact of inappropriate fertilizer use.
According to Ghana News Agency, the training was part of the FMNR for Women Empowerment and Livelihood Project (FMNR4WELIP), funded by the Awaken Trees Foundation of Austria. The project aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of lead farmers on efficient and climate-smart fertilizer use to improve crop yields and ensure long-term soil health. Mr. Sumaila S. Saaka, the Executive Director of FONAR, addressed the farmers at a demonstration field in the Dasang community. He noted that the session was to refresh the farmers’ knowledge on fertilizer application, help them increase their productivity, and guide them to maximize returns on investment while minimizing environmental impact.
Mr. Saaka explained that inappropriate fertilizer use, including over-application, improper timing, or using the wrong type of fertilizer, can lead to serious environmental consequences such as water pollution, soil degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions. Nitrogen-based fertilizers, when misapplied, release nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas contributing to climate change. Training smallholder farmers on correct application methods was vital for mitigating this challenge while ensuring food security and sustainable agriculture.
He emphasized that the benefits of proper fertilizer application were enormous, as it not only increased crop yields and improved nutrient use efficiency but also reduced environmental impact, enhanced cost-effectiveness, improved soil health, and increased resilience to climate change. Mr. Saaka added that empowering smallholder farmers with knowledge on fertilizer use could significantly enhance their economic well-being and contribute to national efforts towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in reducing poverty, ensuring food security, and protecting the environment.
Madam Nwohuba Bugre, an FMNR lead farmer from the Dasang community, expressed that she had gained valuable insights from the refresher training, which would improve her fertilizer application going forward. She noted the training’s impact, stating, ‘I have learned a lot. Because I could not afford to buy the number of fertilizer bags needed for my farm, I used to buy just one bag for two acres, applying it in small quantities. This training has made me realize the impact of those mistakes, and I will do the right thing henceforth.’
Mr. Donatus Kurug, a lead farmer from the Kparaboug community, highlighted the importance of the knowledge gained from the training for all farmers in his area and expressed his commitment to sharing the information with others, particularly on the proper application of fertilizer to help reduce water pollution. He remarked, ‘Our boreholes are our main source of water, and inappropriate fertilizer use can easily contaminate them as we have learned, so I am committed to educating fellow farmers on the right methods to protect our water sources and improve our farming outcomes.’
Mr. Emmanuel Akobta, the Nabdam District Agriculture Engineer and co-facilitator of the training, who took the farmers through practical methods of fertilizer application, including side placement, broadcasting, and dibbling, among others, urged the farmers to strictly adhere to the appropriate techniques. The training was a follow-up to a previous session held by FONAR on the safe handling and use of agrochemicals and forms part of several interventions being implemented in the area to promote sustainable land use, restore degraded lands, and support the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, particularly women, under the FMNR4WELIP project.