Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Special topic 5
Voice from the other side: a Ghanaian iew on
organics
Kees van Veluw*, Agro Eco Consultancy, The Netherlands
*Dr Kees van Veluw, Agro Eco Consultancy, PO Box 63, Bennekom 6720 AB, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 0 318 420405,
Fax: +31 0 318 414820, Email: k.vanveluw@agroeco.nl
Introduction
This special topic was written to explain and emphasise a radical change in agricultural devel-
opment in Africa. It shows that organic farming and an organic process of development helps
Northern Ghanaian farmers better than conventional development projects.
The changes that have to be made include the following:
• Any change in (agricultural) development should start from the existing (agricultural)
practices, yield levels, knowledge and attitude and not from the promises, potentials or
perspectives of a new, to be introduced, technology (see
The
African
backbone
is
agriculture
and
The
traditional
production
level
).
• Development projects should change from a technical orientation of development into a
mix of technical, social and cultural orientation because Africans have a multidisciplinary
or integrative view on life, sustainability and on development (see
Extension
is
technically
oriented
and
The
organic
approach:
sustainability
as
a
subject
of
extension
and
participation
as
an
extension
method
). As one farmer said: 'Soil erosion is soul erosion'.
• Development projects should change from top-down processes towards bottom-up
processes (see
Extension
method
is
top
down
).
• Development approaches should change from a disciplinary subject through a top-down
extension method into a integrated topic through a participatory development process
(see
The
organic
approach:
sustainability
as
a
subject
of
extension
and
participation
as
an
extension
method
and
Participatory
extension
methods
.
Organic farming is more than a way of farming; it is also a way if living and developing.
Organic farming links an integrative way of farming with a participatory method of develop-
ment to reach sustainability. In experiences recounted in
Voice
from
Northern
Ghana:
organic
farming
and
participatory
extension
, practical examples and achievements from Northern
Ghana are presented.
The
challenge:
'stop
soul
erosion'
is a plea for more projects that combine
organic farming methods with participatory extension methods instead of repeating top-down
approaches to introduce new techniques such as genetically modified crops. The potentials of
organic techniques and bottom-up development processes have been underestimated and
should be tried out far more.
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