The Crops Research Institute has launched a project to promote environmentally friendly and sustainable maize and rice production in Ghana and three other African countries.
The project, christened ‘Adopting Agroecology and Circular Economy for Emission Reduction in Maize and Rice’ project code-named “ACE4ES”, is a two-year initiative aimed at addressing the harm being caused to the environment through unproductive farming practices in maize and rice production in four participating African countries.
The project consortium has identified excessive application of agro inputs such as inorganic fertiliser and slash and burn as major causes of pollution to the soil and climate through the emission of dangerous chemicals such as methane and black carbon, which have been confirmed to contribute significantly to cardiovascular, respiratory, and lung conditions in humans.
The ‘ACE4ES’ project is being funded at a cost of more than one million Dollars with the Climate and Clean Air Coalition of the UN Environment Programme as its main funding partner, while the Crips Research Institute is contributing a small component of the entire cost.
The partners are the Crops Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research at Fumesua and the Peasant Farmers Association, both in Ghana, and the Youth Initiative for Land Africa of Benin and AfricaRice of la Cote d’Ivoire, which will be implemented in Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, and Tanzania during the two-year period with a window for upscale afterwards.
The Project Coordinator, Dr. Kwaku Onwona-Hwesofuo Asante, explained that the overriding focus of the ‘ACE4ES’ is to promote farmers’ adoption of nature-friendly production practices such as compost for both higher yields and environmental sustainability.
“The use of fertilisers, pesticides, etc. makes agriculture risky. When we’re able to reduce the inputs and substitute with nature inputs like compost, rotational farming and other practices, it tends to protect the environment and give us the yield that we need,” the Project Coordinator explained.
Launching the project, the new Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Madam Ophelia Mensah Hayford, commended the Crops Research Institute for its continuous deployment of new and improved technologies towards modernization of agricultural production in the country.
She, however, expressed concern about the low awareness of its activities among the public.
She noted, “I’ve observed with enthusiasm the many novel things the CSIR and its agencies are doing that lack publicity. The onus lies with us to talk about what we’re doing to create the needed platforms for partnerships, network and to unlock private capital. We’re better positioned to tell our stories. Let’s therefore enhance communication and advocacy in the things we do within the scientific community.”
Madam Mensah Hayford lauded the objectives of the project highly and commended the Crips Research Institute for its contributions to agricultural production in Ghana over the years.
The Director of the Crops Research Institute, Professor Moses Mochia, noted that, through the ‘ACE4ES’ project, local communities will be empowered to adopt farming practices that promote environmental stewardship and resilience.
“As the lead institution for this project, we’re deeply honoured to spearhead aimed at integrating agroecology and circular economy principles into maize and Rice production systems,” he said.
Speaking via Zoom, the Programmes Manager of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition of the UN Environment Programme, Madam Catalina Etcheverry, described the project as having the capacity to contribute positively to the climate change agenda.
