For Organic Farming Advocated For Increased Food Production

Katamanso (G/A) The Ghana Organic Agriculture Network (GOAN) today recommended organic farming methods to ensure food security envisaged for the 21st century. GOAN expressed concern about the over-dependence on agro-chemicals for modern agriculture, saying this has made farming expensive for small scale farmers who produce 80 per cent of the nation's food. Nana Akuoko Adomako, chairman of GOAN, said this at the end of a three-day workshop on organic farming at Katamanso in the Tema Municipality. The workshop was the theme "Organic Agriculture development in Ghana - economic, social and environmental implications". Nana Adomako said the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development, Agenda 21 adopted by 179 countries, called for food production as a pre-condition for future global food security. ''Unfortunately, many people are using chemical fertilizers, insecticides, vaccines, animal feeds and medicines, now seen as a pre-requisite for any successful agricultural venture to the neglect of organic farming which depend on natural nutrients or recycled organic matters''.