Kumasi: A soil research scientist has emphasized the importance of Ghana prioritizing the enhancement of its soil organic matter and fertility to support sustainable food security. Mr. Emmanuel Baidoo, an Assistant Research Scientist at the Soil Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-SRI), has called on the government to continue subsidizing fertilizers for farmers to improve soil fertility and crop yields. He also stressed the need for the Ghana Meteorological Agency to provide farmers with adequate weather information to reduce crop failures caused by unpredictable weather patterns.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Baidoo presented a report on an ongoing study at the CSIR-SRI 2025 in-house review and planning session at Kwadaso, near Kumasi. The study investigates how farmers can mitigate climate change using indigenous knowledge, particularly the African Dark Earth concept. This concept refers to the fertile, carbon-rich soils found in West Africa, which result from long-term human activity. Baidoo highlighted the importance of replenishing the soil through best management practices like balancing fertilizer application, organic composting, crop rotation, and diversification to enhance soil fertility and food security.
The study also indicates that nutrient mining has reduced cocoa yields in areas with these rich soils. Baidoo noted that regions such as Bomfa and Ekyeneso in the Ashanti Region, parts of the Kintampo North District, Tamale area, and Navrongo, which are part of the African dark earth areas, have been repurposed for infrastructure development. This trend poses a potential threat to food security due to the conversion of fertile soils to non-agricultural uses.
The in-house review and planning session allowed other experts in soil research to discuss and review CSIR-SRI's research and development activities for publication, contributing to knowledge building. Presentations covered various topics, including land use planning, soil fertility and evaluation, soil fertility management and crop productivity, land suitability and agriculture systems, environmental impacts on soil health, and soil and human health interactions.
Dr. Collins Tay, Director of CSIR-SRI, mentioned that the Institute is involved in several research and development activities through consultancies and donor-funded projects. The SRI anticipates donor funding to conduct studies on Ghana's soil information systems, potentially addressing soil nutrient management and crop-specific fertilizer recommendations in selected agroecological zones.