GHANA
Location
Ghana is situated on the west coast of Africa with a total area
of 238,540 km2. The country has a north-south extent of about 670
km and a maximum east-west extent of about 560 km. It borders the
Ivory Coast to the west, Burkina Faso in the north and Togo to the
east. Ghana has a tropical climate. The eastern coastal belt is
warm and comparatively dry; the southwest corner, hot and humid;
and the north, hot and dry.
Agricultural sector
Agriculture is Ghana's most important economic sector, employing
almost two thirds of the population and contributing half of GDP
and export earnings (IFOAM 2003). The country produces a variety of
crops, including cocoa, maize, yam, palm oil, coffee, rubber, and
timber. Smallholder farms dominate the agricultural sector,
accounting for about 80 percent of total production.
Overview of organic farming
As in most West African countries, the organic sector in Ghana
is still relatively underdeveloped. About 19,132 hectares of land
are under organic cultivation, which accounts for 0.13 % of the
total agricultural area in Ghana (IFOAM & FiBL 2006). These
numbers including fully converted land as well as "in conversion"
land area have been growing substantially in recent years. The
whole region has a potential for developing a formal certified
sector, especially with regard to tropical fruit and palm oil.
Since Ghana does not have any significant domestic market for
organic produce, the future development relies on organic trading
links being established to export markets, particularly in
Europe.
Key organic products
Ghana's main organic export commodities are palm oil and fresh
fruits. The certification of farms already using organic methods
makes progress in these markets. Other key organic products include
cocoa, bananas, cashews, culinary herbs, cereals, vegetables,
cotton and shea butter (IFOAM 2003). Ghanaian NGOs and farmers
groups promote the expansion of organic production in the existing
product range as well as in new sectors. Those indigenous groups
are active in developing and disseminating improved organic farming
methods.
The network
The Ghana Organic Agriculture Network (GOAN) is the main
grouping of organic NGOs and trade associations, which is working
actively with concerned organisations such as ITC, HDRA, DfiD and
PAN-UK in developing the organic sector in the country. It has
about 150 member groups and organisations, representing a thousand
individual members.
With the assistance of HDRA and PAN-UK, GOAN in 1995 established
an agriculture centre to provide information, training and advice
on organic agriculture practices. It also has links with research
institutes to examine alternative methods of pest control,
particularly for cocoa, oil palm cotton, cereals and fruit
vegetables.
Coordinator: Samuel Adimado
GOAN Secretariat
PO Box 6342
Kumasi, Ghana
Tel/Fax: 00 233 51 20954
Email: goan@wwwplus.com
Website: http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/international_programme/ip_goan.php
External Support
The Ghana organic agriculture sector has been receiving support
from the following external organisations amongst others:
International Trade
Centre
Swiss
Import Promotion Programme
Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO)
References
- IFOAM & FiBL (2006): The World of Organic Agriculture.
Statistics and Emerging Trends 2006. International Federation of
Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), Bonn & Research
Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL, Frick, pp. 27-35.
- IFOAM (2003): Organic and Like-Minded Movements in Africa.
International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM),
Bonn, pp.102-108.