Environment and Agriculture Farmers Association of Ghana (EAWAG) in collaboration with the Department of Gender and Climate Change of the University of Energy and Natural Resources, (UENRY) Sunyani, have organized a day’s capacity building training workshop on Ecological farming for selected women farmers within Sunyani West District.
The Workshop which was held on the theme “Improving Farmers Knowledge on Ecological Farming,” and supported by Global Green grants Fund, USA exposed participants to some major global ecological challenges such as Climate Change, alien Pests, diseases and land infertility.
Mr. Francis Diawuo, an Environmentalist who was the resource person at the workshop indicated that human impacts such as bad farming practices (slash and burn), Deforestation, Excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides that produce nitro-oxide and burning of fossil fuels affects the ability of the ecosystem to function and cycle properly, hence the need to promote ecological farming.
Mr Diawuo said the effect of climate change is real considering the increase in temperature, Changes in precipitation as well as Sea level rise in recent times. This, according to him, consequently affects the agriculture sector.
On that base he stressed the need to provide farmers with basic understanding of ecological farming systems particularly on how to maintain and enhance soil fertility, create and maintain wildlife habitat, maintain biodiversity, reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, protect soil erosion and degradation and the frequent use of manure.
On her part, Madam Emelia Kyeremeh, Coordinator of EAWAG said ecological farming is beneficial because it protects soils from erosion and degradation, increases soil fertility, conserves water and natural habitats and reduces Green House Gas emission.
Madam Kyeremeh further explained that the ecological farming also Prevents environmental degradation and regenerate degraded lands, while reducing the need for purchased inputs such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides and keeps Soil in better condition because of the use of manure.
