Sustainable Rice Farming Initiative
Location: Ghana
Key(s): Access to Food & Water, Economic Empowerment,
In the Jasikan District of Ghana, almost 87% of the population practices subsistence farming and the majority of the people are living in poverty. All farmers rely on rainfall to sustain their farms and recently, rainfall has been erratic and farmers are struggling to yield enough crops. The team at One Africa Research Development and Extension Programme (OARDEP) have spent years testing and developing sustainable agricultural techniques and now they are ready to create a model rice farm to provide education and opportunities to small scale farmers.
In partnership with Rockflower, OARDEP will work to create a model organic rice farm and education center. The farm will serve a number of goals including bringing awareness to farmers on the dangers of using chemicals, reclaim farmland affected by those chemicals, model innovative methods for increasing crop yields sustainably, provide managerial training to women farmers, and prepare farmers for the effects of climate change.
System rice intensification (SRI) is one of the key technologies that OARDEP will be bringing to small scale farmers. It is an innovative method that can help farmers to increase their yield on small parcels of land while using less water. It involves properly leveling the land, and evenly spreading gutters using a power tiller and leveler. The model rice farm will have access to the power tools needed to implement this technique and will be able to lend them to farmers who wouldn’t otherwise have access.
Through this program, farmers will learn about rainwater harvesting and irrigation management, entrepreneurial skills, new techniques in farming, and how to keep proper records for pricing and basic market skills. The model farm will be a hub for farmers to gain education, find community and create their own resilient and profitable farms.
