The Bolgatanga Municipal Chairman of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), Rev. John Akaribo, has warned that long-term shifts in farming practices are steadily undermining soil fertility in Ghana, with wider implications for crop productivity, food safety, and public health.
Speaking on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East show in Bolgatanga, Rev. Akaribo said the gradual transition from traditional organic farming systems to heavy reliance on synthetic fertilizers and agrochemicals has weakened soil structure and reduced its natural regenerative capacity.
Rev. Akaribo explained that earlier agricultural systems depended largely on organic manure, particularly animal waste such as cow dung, which helped maintain soil fertility and sustain productivity without heavy reliance on external inputs. He said this balance has been eroded by decades of increasing chemical use.
While chemical fertilizers initially led to significant gains in crop yields, he noted that prolonged application over time has resulted in declining soil performance and growing dependence on artificial inputs to maintain productivity.
“When fertilizer was first introduced to our soil in the early 70s, if you apply two bags to an acre, the yield you will get, you can’t imagine,” he recalled. “But little did we know that as time goes on, the effects of that fertilizer on the soil will make the soil value depreciate.”
He said the trend has created a cycle in which farmers are increasingly compelled to apply fertilizers repeatedly to sustain yields, describing it as unsustainable for long-term agricultural stability.
Beyond soil fertility concerns, Rev. Akaribo warned that intensive agrochemical use may be affecting broader food systems, including food safety and public health.
He explained that chemical inputs applied to crops can move beyond farms into livestock production systems through contaminated feed, and eventually reach consumers through animal products.
“This creates a layered exposure process that begins at the farm level and extends to final consumption,” he said, warning that greater attention is needed to the long-term implications for food safety.
He further raised concern that declining soil biodiversity, including organisms such as earthworms, is weakening ecosystem functions that support agricultural productivity and soil health.
“There will be a time we would be looking for an earthworm but can’t find a common earthworm because we have killed all of these with chemicals,” he warned.
Rev. Akaribo stressed that while modern inputs have supported production growth, the imbalance in their use is driving environmental degradation and increasing concerns over chemical residues in the food chain.
He called for stronger food safety monitoring systems, improved regulation of agrochemical use, and a gradual shift toward sustainable farming practices that reduce dependence on synthetic inputs.
According to him, agricultural policy must treat agrochemical use not only as a productivity tool but also as a public health issue requiring coordinated action to safeguard soil health and consumer safety.
A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Simon Ayamdoo|Bolgatanga
