The Head of Parks and Gardens Unit at the Presidency, Edem Kojo Doe has warned that Ghana’s cities are facing a looming crisis and could lose their topsoil fertility in the next 5-10 years due to rapid urban development.
He said this will severely impact agriculture and agribusinesses.
Speaking on Woezor TV on Friday, April 11, Mr. Doe said the main causes of soil degradation are urbanization and the lack of sustainable practices.
According to him, the construction of estates and homes is leading to soil erosion and loss of fertile land, while insufficient land management and conservation techniques are exacerbating the problem.
“So it’s also the result of urban development where there’s a lot of development in the boat industry. People are building estates, people are building homes. So definitely when I build my house, I’m not allowed to come and build my soil again for topsoil agriculture”.
Mr. Doe revealed that the consequences of soil degradation are far-reaching, noting that the loss of fertile land will compromise Ghana’s ability to produce food, affecting the nation’s food security.
Additionally, the decline of agriculture and agribusinesses will have significant economic implications for the country.
To address these challenges, Mr. Doe said potential solutions include investing in greenhouses and hydroponics, developing the cocopeat industry, and implementing sustainable land management practices.
“So the impact is that there’s a challenge but there’s an opportunity. So it’s telling us that we should look for other alternatives in terms of plant media to grow our crops”.
“So that’s why we should start investing in greenhouses, in hydroponics, and the cocopeat industry, the value chain, to produce this cocopeat for production.”
He believes these alternatives can help reduce reliance on traditional soil-based agriculture and provide new opportunities for farmers.
However, there are also several challenges that need to be addressed, including the high cost of farm inputs, poor mechanization and irrigation systems, and inadequate market development structures.
He said by addressing these challenges and exploring alternative solutions, Ghana can work towards preserving its soil fertility and ensuring a sustainable future for its agriculture and agribusiness sectors.