Optimizing Fertilizer Use within the Context of Integrated Soil Fertility Management in Ghana

Tetteh, F. M.; Quansah, G. W.; Frempong, S. O.; Nurudeen, A. R.; Atakora, W. K.; Opoku, G.

2017

English

Ghana’s agriculture is characterized by low crop yields due to low soil fertility, soil erosion, inappropriate land use and nutrient depletion through crop harvest and exports without corresponding replacement of these nutrients by fertilizer use, leading to soil degradation. Food security is therefore at risk, with increased dependence on imported food and expenditure of Ghana’s foreign exchange reserves. The important food crops in Ghana are maize, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava and legumes. Among the cereals, maize is the most important with about 750,000 ha/year of production. Cowpea is a very important legume food crop and soybean is becoming important as a cash crop. The yields of these crops are, however, low because of low soil fertility and low input use. The Abuja summit on fertilizer declared that Sub- Saharan Africa (SSA) can only increase food production and alleviate poverty when fertilizer use is increased. However, the mean maize yield is 1.5 t/ha compared to potential yield of 6 t/ha. Two major reasons for low crop productivity include low soil

Tetteh, F. M.; Quansah, G. W.; Frempong, S. O.; Nurudeen, A. R.; Atakora, W. K.; Opoku, G.