Kojo Ashong is a farming village about 20 km away from Amasaman in the Ga West District of the Greater Accra Region. With a total adult population of about 500, the people are mostly vegetable farmers producing mostly okra, pepper, garden eggs, ravayal, tomatoes and chilly to Accra and also for export. The community is located on the banks of Densu River which is the main source of drinking water for Accra West (serving about 3 million people).

The method of farming in the area is mostly slash and burn and pesticides are used extensively in vegetable production and to prevent vector borne diseases in the area. The most challenging issue is that farmers do not know some of these chemicals that contain the POPs substance, and they use them in excess. The continuous application of agro-chemicals affects human beings through the food produced with the chemicals.

Another worrying issue in the settlement is the indiscriminate disposal of chemical containers and other poisonous substances in the target project communities because farmers are ignorance and do not know the effects of POPs on the environment. Sometimes some of the containers and unused chemical are disposed into the water bodies which are used as a source of drinking for the inhabitants especially far reaching farmers where borehole (potable) water is inaccessible. Closely related is the fact that farming is done close to the river bank and with continuous use of chemicals the supply of water and vegetables to Accra have been unwholesome.

The net effects of these causes are unacceptable. It affects the human health status and as well as the biodiversity because the ecosystems are contaminated. It has been noted that some farmers in the Kojo Ashong area are victims of infertility, associated heart deficiency (cancer of the heart), skin diseases, stomach ulcers and other associated ailments especially among the youth.

Besides, after the constant use of inorganic fertilizer the yield reduces whenever less than the quantity normally used or it is not used at all. Above all, these chemicals reduce bio-diversity by causing the death of micro-organisms and the loss of plant life.

2.0 PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND INTENDED RESULTS

2.1 Objectives of the project

The main objective of this project is to raise public awareness on the negative effects of wrong use of chemical and Persistent Organic Pollutant and build the capacities of the local vegetable farmers in the use of integrated pest management techniques in vegetable production in order to safeguard the health, safety and the welfare of the people in the project area.

2.3.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of the proposal are:

1. To raise awareness on the effects of the of wrong use of chemicals and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs),
2. To build the capacity of the vegetable farmers in the use of Integrated Pest Control Methods in farming
3. To support farmers to adopt organic farming in the production of vegetables for domestic and export market.

2.2 Project Outputs

OUTPUT/RESULTS

o All agro-chemical sellers, Law Enforcing agencies School children and 200 vegetable farmers in Ga West District are sensitized on POP and the proper use/disposal of approved agro-chemicals
o 200 vegetable farmers trained in safety agro-chemical application education and integrated pest management techniques
o 60 farmers supported in integrated pest management and production of organic vegetables for sale in the major supper markets in Accra.

3.0 PLANNED ACTIVITIES

OUTPUT 1.0: ALL AGRO-CHEMICAL SELLERS, LAW ENFORCING AGENCIES, SCHOOL CHILDREN AND 200 VEGETABLE FARMERS IN GA WEST DISTRICT ARE SENSITIZED ON POP AND THE PROPER USE/DISPOSAL OF APPROVED AGRO-CHEMICALS

Planned Activities
1.1 Form and train Project Management Committees in project area
1.2 Identify and all agric-chemical sellers in the Ga West District and in collaboration with EPA organize sensitization workshop for them.
1.3 Identify and register all vegetable farmers in Kojo Ashong and give them identification numbers.
1.4 Form and train a Task Force to enforce the ban on the use of contraband chemicals and the indiscriminate disposal of waste (plastic and used chemical containers) especially into the Densu River.
1.5 Liaise with Environmental Protection Agency and Ministry of Food and Agriculture to organize series of training workshops on the proper handling of chemicals for all vegetables farmers in Kojo Ashong and exposed them to identification and isolation POPs.
1.6 In collaboration with EPA and Chemical Sellers Association, organize weekly radio discussions on major FM stations in the district to educate the general public on the harmful effects in the wrong use of chemicals.
1.7 Form Environmental Education Club in all basic schools in Kojo Ashong to raise awareness on POPs and wrong use of chemicals.
1.8 Organise focus group discussions for vegetable farmers on organic farming, the proper use of agrochemicals, bush fire management, agro forestry schemes suitable in the area and sound environmental practices.

OUTPUT 2 200 VEGETABLE FARMERS TRAINED IN SAFETY AGRO-CHEMICAL APPLICATION EDUCATION AND INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES


Planned Activities

2.1 Develop information, Education and Communication materials
2.2 Complete Agreement with Crop Science Department of the College of Agriculture Legon on their role to train farmers.
2.3 Organize the interested registered vegetable farmers to form Selected Agrochemical Application Educators (SAAEs). Each group would be represented by not more than 10 members with consideration of gender fairness, non-tribal barriers and discrimination.
2.4 Together with Crop Science Department organize training workshops in integrated pest management techniques (organic farming practices) for the registered groups.
2.5 Support SAAEs to undertake peer-to-peer education among the vegetable producers in the Ga West District and lobby for the disuse of POPs chemicals.

OUTPUT 3 60 FARMERS SUPPORTED IN INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCTION OF ORGANIC VEGETABLES FOR SALE IN THE MAJOR SUPPER MARKETS IN ACCRA.

Planned Activities

3.1 Support each trained group to set up integrated pest management demonstration farms to produce organic products
3.2 Collect relevant data on the outcome, analyze and document them into IPM into manuals and video for teaching
3.3 Support 60 selected farmers with adequate seeds, tools, organic agricultural knowledge and distribution of inputs to farmers as revolving loans to undertake IPM.
3.4 Liaise with Crop Science Department of Legon and MOFA Extension Unit to provide farm extension services
3.5 Liaise with MOFA and hoteliers in Accra to identify markets for organic products
3.6 Supply organic products to designated market
3.7 Monitor the performance of farmers in organic vegetable production.