Changing practice from agrochemical to organic methods in rural Ghana: the Nkabom Organic Farming Project

Organic farming is a proven healthy and economical method of farming with the capacity to solve the global food security need, especially in low-income countries. However, in the recent past, many farmers have been practicing non-organic farming at the risk of health and food security. There is the need to elevate to innovative organic-based farming practices. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the success of small-scale farmers converting to organic farming practices in a rural village in Ghana, West Africa, through an intensive training program and supply investment. Forty-two farmers participated in the training conducted by a farm educator from a medical university in Charleston, SC, in partnership with a local farmer who had received individual training in organic methods. One hundred percent of the farmers participated in research interviews before training and 7 months after training. Results indicate that the farmers were highly successful in converting to organic methods. Seven months post-training, 92.9% of farmers reported sole use of organic methods. In addition, their reported average monthly income increased significantly. Farmers were fairly knowledgeable about organic farming before the training but did not have specific skills in organic methods. The provision of comprehensive training in organic methods was highly successful for enabling the rural farmers in Ghana to change their farming practices.