Community-Based Waste Management To Prevent Open Burning And Release Of Persistent Organic Pollutants And Promotion Of Pesticide Management Among Vegetable Producers In Kasoa
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Kasoa is in the Awutu Senya district of the Central region. It has a big population and also has a big well organised market which is patronized bi-weekly by villages within and without the district. After each market day large volumes of waste are generated. Wastes generated in the market environment have a high content of organic materials which are good for composting.
A study of the type of waste generated at the market indicated that large constituents are:
i. Organic (food wastes, sawdust) (80%)
ii. Inert materials (sand etc) (10%)
iii. Plastics (6%)
iv. Paper (4%)
A very significant potential area for recycling of the waste is composting since about 80% of all market waste is organic, a major proportion can be composted.
Vegetable production seems to be a speciality of Kasoa farmers but a closer look at the farming practices indicate that most of the farmers depend on chemical fertilizers for vegetable farming. Other forms of banned chemicals are used in the production of these vegetables are therefore exposed to serious health hazards that come with the use of chemical fertilizers in vegetable production.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The waste generated at the Kasoa market area has now become an environment nuisance and a major cause of environmental pollution in the area. The waste deposited has become anti-hills and continuously breeds mosquitoes, rodents and other insects leading to many illness and diseases including cholera, malaria and typhoid.
The District Assembly seems to have been overpowered by the amount of waste that is generated weekly and therefore resorted to burning them in the open air which releases a lot of green house gases affecting the health of the nearby neighbourhood.
The use of agrochemicals among vegetable farmers in the Kasoa sub-district has reached an alarming proportion especially where a large percentage of farmers are illiterates. A number of chemicals, which have been banned in developed countries, are freely used on the farms. Due to ignorance, the chemicals are wrongly applied with devastating effects on humans? health and the environment at large. In assessing the hazards to man it is important to consider the chemical and physical properties of the active ingredient as well as the mode of application.
The health implications associated with releases of residual agro-chemicals to surface and ground water are grave. It is important to note that human and logistical support do not exist to monitor and create awareness on the menace that chemicals cause to human life and biodiversity.
A cursory survey of vegetable farmers in Kasoa revealed that banned chemicals are used in vegetable production to supply the local markets in Accra-Tema, and also for export. . Although farmers in the area have been taught and are aware of Integrated Pest Management, this has not been the practice. Crop diseases are however, controlled/managed by crop rotations as well as the use of chemicals. A wide range of chemicals used are Karate, Furadan, Topsin, Dursban, and Kocide. Sometimes these chemical preparations have some tincture of banned chemicals (DDT, Lindane, Thiodan Endosulfan) among others to meet their expected results.
DEVELOPMENT GOAL AND OBJECTIVES
The main goal of this project is to develop the capacities of the farmers to process the wastes generated from the Kasoa market and encourage vegetable producers in the area to invest in organic fertilizers and integrated pest management systems as way of managing the persistent organic pollutants.
Specifically, the project seeks:-
? To build the capacities of farmer groups in effective collection and recycling of waste
? To compost the waste into organic fertilizer for the production of vegetables
? To promote organic farming and integrated pest management system in the Kasoa area
EXPECTED OUTPUT /RESULTS
By the end of the project, the project will produce the following results:
Result 1: The capacities of local farmers developed in the collection, sorting and harnessing of organic waste for compost production for on-farm application
Results 2 Farmers trained in organic farming and integrated pest management
Results 3 Local Vegetable farmers supported to go into commercial production of organic compost
Kasoa is in the Awutu Senya district of the Central region. It has a big population and also has a big well organised market which is patronized bi-weekly by villages within and without the district. After each market day large volumes of waste are generated. Wastes generated in the market environment have a high content of organic materials which are good for composting.
A study of the type of waste generated at the market indicated that large constituents are:
i. Organic (food wastes, sawdust) (80%)
ii. Inert materials (sand etc) (10%)
iii. Plastics (6%)
iv. Paper (4%)
A very significant potential area for recycling of the waste is composting since about 80% of all market waste is organic, a major proportion can be composted.
Vegetable production seems to be a speciality of Kasoa farmers but a closer look at the farming practices indicate that most of the farmers depend on chemical fertilizers for vegetable farming. Other forms of banned chemicals are used in the production of these vegetables are therefore exposed to serious health hazards that come with the use of chemical fertilizers in vegetable production.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The waste generated at the Kasoa market area has now become an environment nuisance and a major cause of environmental pollution in the area. The waste deposited has become anti-hills and continuously breeds mosquitoes, rodents and other insects leading to many illness and diseases including cholera, malaria and typhoid.
The District Assembly seems to have been overpowered by the amount of waste that is generated weekly and therefore resorted to burning them in the open air which releases a lot of green house gases affecting the health of the nearby neighbourhood.
The use of agrochemicals among vegetable farmers in the Kasoa sub-district has reached an alarming proportion especially where a large percentage of farmers are illiterates. A number of chemicals, which have been banned in developed countries, are freely used on the farms. Due to ignorance, the chemicals are wrongly applied with devastating effects on humans? health and the environment at large. In assessing the hazards to man it is important to consider the chemical and physical properties of the active ingredient as well as the mode of application.
The health implications associated with releases of residual agro-chemicals to surface and ground water are grave. It is important to note that human and logistical support do not exist to monitor and create awareness on the menace that chemicals cause to human life and biodiversity.
A cursory survey of vegetable farmers in Kasoa revealed that banned chemicals are used in vegetable production to supply the local markets in Accra-Tema, and also for export. . Although farmers in the area have been taught and are aware of Integrated Pest Management, this has not been the practice. Crop diseases are however, controlled/managed by crop rotations as well as the use of chemicals. A wide range of chemicals used are Karate, Furadan, Topsin, Dursban, and Kocide. Sometimes these chemical preparations have some tincture of banned chemicals (DDT, Lindane, Thiodan Endosulfan) among others to meet their expected results.
DEVELOPMENT GOAL AND OBJECTIVES
The main goal of this project is to develop the capacities of the farmers to process the wastes generated from the Kasoa market and encourage vegetable producers in the area to invest in organic fertilizers and integrated pest management systems as way of managing the persistent organic pollutants.
Specifically, the project seeks:-
? To build the capacities of farmer groups in effective collection and recycling of waste
? To compost the waste into organic fertilizer for the production of vegetables
? To promote organic farming and integrated pest management system in the Kasoa area
EXPECTED OUTPUT /RESULTS
By the end of the project, the project will produce the following results:
Result 1: The capacities of local farmers developed in the collection, sorting and harnessing of organic waste for compost production for on-farm application
Results 2 Farmers trained in organic farming and integrated pest management
Results 3 Local Vegetable farmers supported to go into commercial production of organic compost
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Project Snapshot
Grantee:
Association of Women for the Preservation of the Environment
Country:
Ghana
Area Of Work:
Chemicals
Grant Amount:
US$ 22,400.00
Co-Financing Cash:
US$ 7,900.00
Co-Financing in-Kind:
Project Number:
GHA/SGP/OP4/Y3/CORE/2009/038
Status:
Satisfactorily Completed
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Project Characteristics and Results
Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
About 60% of the intended beneficiareis are indigenes of Kasoa, whilst the remaining are migrant farmers.
Capacity - Building Component
The project The capacities of local farmers will be developed in the collection, sorting and harnessing of organic waste for compost production for on-farm application. Farmers would be trained in organic farming and integrated pest management. Farmers would be supported to go into commercial production of organic compost.
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Indicators
Biophysical
WHO-TEQ (Toxic Equivalency)/year reduction into the environment or elimination of U-POPs namely Dioxins, Furans and PCBs (Poly-chlorinated biphenyls) through the SGP project
500
Biophysical
Reduction in the amount released into the environment or elimination of POPs through the SGP Grams/year of Hexachlorobenzene (HCB - C6H6) eliminated or release into the environment prevented
10000
Biophysical
Reduction in the amount released into the environment or elimination of POPs through the SGP Kilogram (Kg) of Heptachlor (C10H5Cl7) eliminated or release into the environment prevented
10000
Biophysical
Number of innovations or new technologies developed / applied
3
Biophysical
Number of local policies informed in POPs focal area
2
Biophysical
Number of national policies informed in POPs focal area
1
SGP Country office contact
Dr. George Buabin Ortsin
Phone:
233-242-977980
Email:
Ms. Lois Sarpong
Phone:
+233 505740909
Email:
Ms Akosua Bireduaa Aninakwa
Email:
Address
UNDP, Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme P.O. Box 1423
Accra, Greater Accra, 233-302
Accra, Greater Accra, 233-302
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