Management of Rejuvenate Gaia Global, sole agents of Greenfert organic granular fertiliser products, has disclosed it has been lending massive support to government’s ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ (PFJ) programme by maintaining the cost of fertiliser to farmers this year despite an increase in the cost of shipping owing to the COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war.
Speaking at a demonstration workshop in Takoradi to introduce Greenfert organic fertiliser to cocoa and crop production professionals in the Western and Western North regions, Managing Director of Rejuvenate Gaia Global, Mr. Randolph Obeng-Frimpong, said the company’s decision to maintain the price since last year was to support farmers under the PFJ and the general farming population to overcome the shocks of the COVID-19 and the situation of the Russia-Ukraine war.
The workshop, among other things, engaged farmers and district directors of agriculture in the two regions with discussions on how Ghana’s agriculture sector can be made more sustainable through the use of organic inputs.
“The good thing about Greenfert fertiliser is the experimental process after which the farmer begins to reap the benefit of 100 percent retention in terms of quality of crop production and harvested crops while maintaining sustainability and fixing the soil,” Mr. Obeng-Frimpong noted.
This is a two-in-one product that enhances crop production and also concentrates on enhancing soil quality, with the most important aspect being its affordability on the market.
“Cocoa farmers who use Greenfert have been increasing the quantity of their yield per acre, and also the quality of the cocoa crop. We’ve had engagements with COCOBOD, and it’s our understanding that being able to produce organic beans will also help the country tremendously. It’s an exciting time for us as a company and as a country, and we are happy to be part of the solution.”
Managing Director of Greenfert Group B.V. (Netherlands), Mr Jos Roodhuizen, indicated that the quest for global sustainable agriculture must be embraced by stakeholders across the value chain.
“As we talk of climate change and the need for sustainable agriculture practices, organic farming has become more important, with consumers becoming more interested in organic food. A sustainable farm ensures soil fertility and deepens protection of crops and the environment. That is what Greenfert stands for,” he added.
The Western Regional Director of Agriculture, Patrick Akowuah, said the introduction of Greenfert – which he attested has been used by some farmers he personally knows – has come to help solve issues in the agriculture sector by providing sustainable solutions to farmers and the soil.
“We know that Greenfert is organic, and we are also aware of what is happening in the global food value chain, where consumers are becoming conscious of what they eat vis-à-vis the rise in the quest of organic worldwide. This is why we need to patronise organic inputs to support plants and the environment,” he said.
The Western North Regional Director of Agriculture, Mr. Henry Fordzor, reiterated the need for farmers to adopt sustainable farming methods in line with government’s decision to increase the amount of organic inputs for the PFJ this year.
“Considering the global quest for sustainable agriculture, it is not by accident as government had moved to increase application of organic inputs for the PFJ in 2022 and beyond, with less emphasis on chemical inputs,” he added.
“The quest for healthy living and sustainable food production has become a top agenda for government in food production” he reiterated.
The introduction of the SDGs and the target to meet the goals by 2030 call on Ghanaians and the entire agriculture value chain to patronise organic fertiliser inputs to ensure environmental sustainability.
Goal 15 of the SDGs calls for a need to ensure life on land through the protection, restoration and promotion of sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainable management of forests, combating of desertification, among others.
With the backing of MoFA and other stakeholders through the PFJ, Rejuvenate is set to establish vital footprints nationwide to strike partnerships with farmers on the need to embrace organic farming as a best practice.
