Improving agricultural productivity using organic waste in Ghana (UOWIAP)

Duration: 20 December 2014 – 14 October 2017. This project has been finalized.

Project information

Aim: The aim of this project “Utilization of Organic Waste in Agricultural Productivity (UOWIAP Project)” is to build infrastructure and organizational capacity of a youth-operated waste collection business and compost production.

Objective: Contribute to economic development, promotion of organic fertilizers utilization and municipal waste management.

Method: Researching how waste management systems and public awareness can be developed and improved.

Country: Ghana.

Dutch policy goal: Increased sustainable agricultural production.

Progress reports

Year 2: The “Utilization of organic waste to improve agricultural productivity” is an action-oriented applied research project that aims to improve environmental sanitation and promote agricultural productivity in the GA West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. This is been achieved by engaging unemployed youth in organic waste collection from local markets, providing skills in compost productions, and farmer sensitization on compost utilization ad soil conservation. Building and sustaining youth-operated waste collection and compost production to promote economic development is possible, when in the initial stage you provide a basic salary for the participating youth and treat them as employees who are receiving capacity building to enable them to do their work well. This takes away the dependency syndrome of demanding for sitting allowances and per diems before participating in a programme that will benefit oneself.

Final report

Summary of the results: The utilization of organic waste to improve agricultural productivity is an action-oriented applied research project that aims to improve environmental sanitation and promote agricultural productivity in the GA West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. This is been achieved by engaging unemployed youth in organic waste collection from local markets, providing skills in compost productions, and farmer sensitization on compost utilization and soil conservation. Building and sustaining youth-operated waste collection and compost production to promote economic development is possible, when in the initial stage a basic salary is provided for the participating youth and by treating them as employees who are receiving capacity building to enable them to do their work well. This takes away the dependency syndrome of demanding for sitting allowances and per diems before participating in a programme that will benefit oneself. In order to sustain this concept, one needs to link up with an anchor business that will take up this responsibility as part of its business model.