Organic Concept in Agriculture: Broadening Perspectives

 

On Wednesday, May 25, 2022, the Agriculture Minister spoke about the high cost of inorganic fertilizers vis-a-vis Government’s constrained purse. He shared that the Ministry is considering organic compost as alternate, stressing financial potential: Organic products have significant market advantage over inorganic ones and enjoy better patronage in Europe. Organic composting is a welcoming idea since a lot of food exported from Ghana fail to meet safety standards of Europe due to overly concentration of chemicals.

In rolling out such ideas, governments usually rely on research institutions and industry. Logically, the Minister mentioned Zoomlion, which is running a compost Plant in the Greater-Accra Region. Other regions have also initiated the concept, so it is appropriate that the Ministry would adapt current practices to solve emerging problems. A media person sought the reaction of a compost expert from Zoomlion.

In a typical Ghanaian fashion, the expert readily enumerated the challenging factors of the plan. He mentioned that composting is capital intensive, and it is not feasible to get the amount of biodegradable waste required for such high amounts of compost. He concluded that the Government must find means to keep importing inorganic fertilizer. Indeed, the Minister had only implied a reduction in patronage.

The Bigger Picture

A more enthusiastic expert would have perceived immediately the numerous benefits that his company stands to gain from the idea, the basic being increased production, which would entrench his own employment and position. Zoomlion would engage more hands to staff the regional branches that would necessarily emerge to feed the grassroots, thus, reduce unemployment. Demand for compost would rise, and higher sales might translate into better remuneration.

Additionally, a national organic compost programme would promote safe and effective waste management. Research has revealed that 60-65 % of waste generated in Ghana is biodegradable, some placing it at 70 %. To wit, with innovative and effective mobilization skills, Zoomlion could ensure a sustainable, frugal supply of waste materials throughout the year. Best of all, such a plan would reduce by the same amount the mountains of waste besieging our communities.  

The primary step in plan implementation would be a national orientation in layered waste segregation to aid systematic composting. Inevitably, knowledge in composting would spill over to vermicomposting, sensitizing children and youth to different faces of agriculture. Organic composting would promote best gardening practices, nurture topsoil to yield healthy food products for gardeners, possibly increasing knowledge and interest in agriculture.

If the Government initiated the plan and Zoomlion became a leading stakeholder, the company would stand a great opportunity in securing international collaboration. South Africa, Australia, UK, Europe and the US have developed excelling organic waste management industries which yield tons of topnotch compost for domestic and export purposes. Established entities might collaborate with Zoomlion and other local companies to transform the agricultural and biodegradable waste sectors into sustainable manufacturing and income sources while enhancing food safety. Government could also invite such entities to establish in Ghana to boost local efforts.

Environmental Benefits  

The landfills across the country do not constitute just an eyesore but also degrade the environment. US Environmental Protection Agency affirmed in 2021 that landfills and other sources emit methane, a greenhouse gas which accounts for about 20 % of global emissions, trailing carbon dioxide. Complacent Ghanaians claim that waste generation in the country is not significant enough to contribute to global warming. Yet, China and Nigeria are among the eight countries responsible for all anthropogenic methane emission. Considering the flooding of Chinese manufacturing, operations of Nigerian entrepreneurs, and proliferating landfills in Ghana, methane recovery is a necessity.

A collaboration with foreign organic waste entities would likely include technologies for methane recovery for profitable energy utility. Again, such a move would imply creation of new job lines to reduce unemployment. Ironically, there is existing skill for methane recovery and utilization, but neither research institutions nor industry is harnessing such skills, wasting potential human resources. A compost programme could reverse the unacceptable situation.

A laudable idea, already yielding multiple benefits in other communities, has been conceived by the Ministry. Collaboration from research institutions and industry would, not only bloom the idea but also broaden the bases enough for grassroot participation. It is time experts applied acquired knowledge to solve community, national and global problems. Could they fulfil expectations?

E-Levy: Another Victim of Ghanaian Alliterate Culture

 

On Thursday, May 5, 2022, whilst topping my mobile wallet –not e-levied – a conversation ensued between the vendor and another client:

Client:(Sternly) I am withdrawing money from my account; don’t you dare tax me even one Cedi!
Vendor: Withdrawal from your account does not attract e-Levy.
Client: (Smiling) Really, no e-Levy?
Vendor: No. Transferring money to another person’s wallet attracts e-Levy, not your own withdrawal. (Vendor and I chorused): You are fighting what you do not even understand.

The exchange reminded me of two national policies that suffered ignorant antipathy: At the maiden plenary session of the 2007 Educational Review, the Director of Curriculum Review and Development Design, now NaCCA, lamented that the Religious and Moral Education subject was not impacting moral values of pupils, focus on religious issues notwithstanding. A lengthy debate in the succeeding sessions culminated in the consensus that rather than teach/learn values in isolation under one subject, moral values should be worked into all the subjects. Social Studies would tackle religious issues.

The Director’s logic still resonates with me: Market women knock inwards the bottom of measuring tins for grains, short-changing customers. Scales are also adjusted to cheat customers. In a pragmatic discussion of addition or percentages, teachers could explain that a tampered tin or adjusted scales do not give expected value for money – Dishonest. All subject areas, including English Language, worked assiduously to incorporate moral and cultural values into lessons, also managing social-emotional learning. It was a strenuous effort to render education practical.

The Reviewers never expected the hue and cry that greeted the first draft syllabus over the removal of Religious and Moral Education. The most vociferous protest came from the Churches. Apparently, the Review Committee and the sitting Government were antichrist to dare remove such a subject. Through all the pontification, however, I gleaned that they had not read the syllabi. The superficially about subject removal, disregarding rationale and replacement effort, was numbing.

The subjected was reinstated; paradoxically, pupil morality has continued to dip to the lowest ebb. Eighteen years later, we are harvesting increasing basic school alcohol/drug addiction, materialism, immorality culminating in teenage pregnancies, unplanned births, unnecessary curtailment of girl/child education, and a perpetuation of female dependency and poverty statuses. Could we, possibly, have done better with the original 2007 curriculum draft?

The Comprehensive Sex Education concept yielded another national hollow ruckus from the uniformed. One Monday, I was meeting four professional groups, so I sought learner perspective. Their only apprehension was the open discussion of sex, arguing it would arouse children’s curiosity. I explained it was purported to open discussion on sex, sensitize children, among others, about being touched wrongly, even by parents, potentially raise assertive children to resist/reduce child molestation, promote responsible attitude towards sex. I asked who had read the document. No one in four tertiary professional groups had read the document, yet they were condemning it.

The dialogue above starkly reminded me that we are treading the same alliterate route with E-Levy, so I ask ALL adversaries: Have you read the document? If any antagonist, like the client above, has not read and understood taxed items, exemptions, what is the moral grounds for heightened antagonism? Sheer antipathy to taxation – civic responsibility?

Residents who have embraced superficiality are not interested in adjustments for genuine human resource development and empowerment. If we treaded a literate course, all radio and TV stations would devote an hour each day to explain the E-Levy through knowledgeable tax personnel throughout 2022. Pressure groups and Ghanaian think tanks would collaborate with the NCCE and Ghana Revenue Authority/Ministry of Education/Adult Education/the Media to simultaneously design grassroots education and critique the process to straighten Government.

A literate Ghana would be critically poring over the tax details for responsibilities, exemptions, potential for national economic sustenance. An analytical Ghana would be scrutinizing the digitization process GRA is utilizing for fair taxation, the savvy of ICT personnel involved, the competence and integrity of communication service providers/Momo operators, the technological knowledge/infrastructure they have for competent services. We have responsibilities! My question to each stakeholder: Have you read the E-Levy document?