The government has been asked to establish agricultural laboratories in rural areas so that smallholder farmers can access services for soil testing.
The decision, made by Professor Osei-Agyeman Yeboah, a Lecturer at the North Carolina Agriculture and Technical University, will enhance farming and smallholder farmers’ access to advice on the best crops for their soil and the best local fertilizer recipes for good harvests, according to Professor Yeboah.
He made the recommendation at a USDA-NIFA Projects farmer outreach event at Sanpebga in the Kumbungu District to highlight the top technological advancements to boost Northern Region production, food security, and nutritional health benefits.
It was organized by CSIR-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute and supported by North Carolina Agriculture and Technical University and the University of Maryland East Shore.
It was on feed harvesting, silage preparation, good livestock husbandry practices, commentary feeding, crop residue management, and compost preparation, and was conducted at the farm level to create awareness of integrated soil fertility management strategies, compost preparation, farm residue recycling, intercropping and improved varieties.
Professor Yeboah, who is also the Project Leader for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Project, said, “Soil is a critical part of thriving agriculture, which provides the necessary nutrients for crop growth. However, not all soils are suitable for growing crops.”
He said regular soil testing could help improve soil health, which was typically inaccessible and too expensive for smallholder farmers.
He stated that mostly the small farmers had limited access to correct information to remedy deficiencies leading to incorrect or insufficient agro-input use that adversely affected soil health, productivity, and local ecosystems.