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Tropentag 2022, September 14 - 16, Prague, Germany

"Can agroecological farming feed the world? Farmers' and academia's views."


Organic farming for sustainable agriculture in sub-saharan Africa

Meyebinesso Magamana1, Betelihem Bekele2, Elizabeth Ogbile3, Philip Kamau4

1Ministry of Grassroots Development, Youth and Youth Employment, Togo
2Arsi University, Ethiopia
3Benue State University, Center for Food, Technology, and Research, Nigeria
4Effective IPM Association (EIPMA), Kenya, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences, Kenya


Abstract


Over 65% of approximately 750 million people in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) work in the agricultural sector, which is responsible for more than a quarter of gross domestic product (GDP) in the majority of these countries. Agricultural products account for about 20% of Africa's international trade. However, the depletion of African soil is a significant cause of low agricultural yields, which pushes farmers to use excessive chemical fertilisers. The adverse effects of continuous use of chemical fertilisers without integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) include soil degradation, acidity, and nutrient loss, which result in low soil biomass. Moreover, the prices of chemical fertilisers are skyrocketing beyond the reach of SSA smallholder farmers. Faced with the problems mentioned above, which are aggravated by the effects of climate change, SSA smallholder farmers will not only need an improvement in agricultural output but also the production of quality and organic produce, ultimately leading to environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The backdrop of this review necessitates the whole idea of organic farming for sustainable agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this proposal is to promote organic farming through the use of organic fertiliser in sub-Saharan Africa. The proposed programme entails the following three projects:

Project I: Training of farmers on good agricultural practices and linking them to suppliers of organic agro-inputs and the market for organic products in Kenya

Project II: Training of farmers on the manufacture of earthworm compost in Ethiopia

Project III: Production and marketing of organic fertilisers through animal droppings, plant debris, and organic waste in Nigeria and Togo


Keywords: Fertiliser, organic farming, sustainability


Contact Address: Meyebinesso Magamana, Ministry of Grassroots Development, Youth and Youth Employment, Lomé, Togo, e-mail: magamanamybinesso@yahoo.fr


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