The Soil Research Institute under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research has developed new fertilizer blends to support soil fertility and improve crop yields and ensure food security in Ghana.
The new fertilizer recommendations are of crops and zones specifics to ensure suitability of various crops across Ghana.The new recommended formulation for maize can increase yield to 6 tons per hector, rice 8 tons per hector, and 4 tons of soybeans per hector.
These recommended formulations are: 15-20-20 for maize, rice, sorghum for the Guinea savannah zone, 12-30-17+0.7 Zn for soybean in the Guinea savannah zone; 15-20-20+0.7 Zn for maize and rice in the Forest Savannah transition zone and 17-10-10 for cassava in the Forest Savannah transition zone.
The blend 17-10-10 is also recommended for cassava in the Volta, Central, Greater Accra, Eastern and Western regions of Ghana.
Speaking to Diamond news on the sidelines of a stakeholder and training workshop for the savannah zone agricultural productivity improvement project, Director at the Soil Research Institute, Dr. Mohammed Moro Buri said poor soil health resulting from soil degradation impact negatively on food and nutrition security resulting to poor health of the people.
He stressed the need for proper soil management practices in Ghana to support government ambitious agricultural policies in order to ensure food security and improve the livelihoods of farmers across Ghana.
National Project Coordinator Felix N. Darimaani stressed the need for increased investments in soil research to propound sustainable and economical soil management practices to enable farm maximize land usage.
He said increased research will enable the institute develop data and suitable fertilizer blends for various districts in Ghana since soil nutrition varies in many districts across the country.
He urged extension officers and farmers to encourage integrated soil fertility management, conservation tillage, use of organic fertilizer and water agroforestry management as sustainable soil management practices to ensure soil protection.
The Savannah Zone Agricultural Productivity Improvement Project (SAPIP) is aimed at transforming agricultural value chains for food and nutrition security.
The SAPIP project is on the theme “Nourishing The Soil to Nourish The People”.
