+

2010
Case Study: Plant Pool
and Roman Ridge
Accra, Ghana

A Report

For

International Water
Management Institute (IWMI)

Promoting Sustainable Urban

Agriculture in Accra, Ghana
By
Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Shahar Brinenberg, Xinyang Chi, Efetobore
Egborge, Tim Jeffery, Aurelia Nwogu, Victoria Solomon, Jinqiao
Song, and Yang Tao

Development Planning Unit, UCL

 Acknowledgements
We have been extremely privileged to work with and learn from the
individuals who took time to meet with us while we were in Accra. Their
willingness to explain the complex situation of agriculture, politics, and
development in Accra enabled us to produce this report.

We are particularly indebted to IWMI, who served as our host during the
time we were in Accra, Sowah Ababio Delvine, our facilitator, who gave
us invaluable guidance throughout our time in the field, and the faculty
and staff at DPU. A listing of the organizations with which we met can be
found in the Appendix.

2
Table of Contents

Acknowledgement----------------------------------------------------2

Abbreviations----------------------------------------------------------4

How to use this Report------------------------------------------------5

Research Objectives--------------------------------------------------5

Executive Summary---------------------------------------------------6

Introduction to the Two Sites----------------------------------------7

Theoretical Framework ----------------------------------------------9

Methodology----------------------------------------------------------14

Limitations-------------------------------------------------------------16

Initial Diagnosis and Hypotheses---------------------------------17

Focus on Land: Key Findings and Strategy---------------------24

Focus on Market: Key Findings and Strategy------------------31

Conclusion ------------------------------------------------------------40

References-------------------------------------------------------------42

Appendix--------------------------------------------------------------43

3
 +

Abbreviations

AMA

Accra Metropolitan Area

AWGUPA

Accra Working Group on

Urban and Peri-Urban
Agriculture

EPA

Environmental Protection
Agency

FStT

From Seed to Table

GRA

Ghana Railway Authority

GRIDCO

Ghana Grid Company

Limited

HCF

Healthy Communities
Framework

IWMI

International Water
Management Institute

MoFA

Ministry of Food and

Agriculture

SLF

Sustainable Livelihood
Framework

4
How to Use this Report
This report is the result of a five month research project conducted by
students in the MSc Environment and Sustainable Development (ESD)
program at the Development Planning Unit (DPU) in the University
College London (UCL). It was designed to compliment a research
project conducted by students in DPU’s 2009 ESD course. It is
recognized that there are multiple areas that require further study,
and it is expected that the 2011 ESD course will build off the work that
has been completed.

Research Objectives
The purpose of this study was to examine UA in Accra with specific
reference to two sites, Roman Ridge and Plant Pool. This included:

• Developing an understanding of UA in these sites, including

the context in which it occurs and the opportunities and
challenges it faces.

• Identifying key stakeholders, as well as their perceptions,

motivations, and relationships with one another.

• Creating and testing strategic interventions and

recommendations to advance UA in Roman Ridge and Plant
Pool, as well as in Accra as a whole, with an aim towards
identifying ways in which UA practices can become more
sustainable.

5
 Executive
Summary

This study has focused on the potentials of
urban agriculture in Accra to become more
sustainable, as well as its role within the
metabolism of the city. Our work takes an
integrated approach to examining urban
agriculture, while building off previous
research projects.
site, while the other focuses on increasing
farmer capacity to influence the marketing of
produce. In doing so, we critique an ongoing
initiative taking place on both sites, the From
Seed to Table project, which aims to enable
farmers to increase their production and thus
their profit.

To delve deeper into the issues examined
here, particularly security of land tenure and
marketing, the situations on two sites were
compared – Roman Ridge and Plant Pool, both
located within the Accra Metropolitan Area on
parcels of institutional and marginalized land.
These sites provide an opportunity to analyze
how agriculture operates under different
situations, as well as the potentials sustainable
urban agriculture has to positively influence
the sustainability of the city system as a
whole.
This report also highlights the importance of
collective action and collaboration amongst
stakeholders. Unity amongst farmers, along
with active support from other actors involved
with urban agriculture in Accra will allow the
city to much more effectively address the
obstacles Accra is faces both now and in the
future.

We developed strategies designed to push

current agricultural practices to be more
sustainable. One of the strategies is a formal
process to obtain recognition to farm on the

6
Introduction Accra Metropolitan Area (AMA)

to the Sites

UA in AMA is facing
Roman Ridge
multiple challenges as
pressure to develop the city
increase. For UA to be
taken into consideration in Dzorwulu
planning initiatives, its role
as a potential tool to move
AMA towards sustainability Plant Pool
must be critically examined.
Thus, this study focuses on
the experience of UA in
Plant Pool and Roman
Ridge, two sites near the
Figure 1. Roman Ridge and Plant Pool are some of the few places
center of AMA. These sites
where agriculture is practiced within the urban area, changing the
were established in the
urban landscape. Not only do these sites increase the biodiversity
1960s and 1970s and have
of the city, but they also promote multiple uses of land. Roman
been a source of livelihoods
Ridge is located on a floodplain, while Plant Pool is located under
for generations of farmers.
high-tension power lines.
They provide invaluable
information to the often
unrecognized role that UA
has within the city system.

By exploring the differences

and similarities on these
sites, we have learned not
only about the challenges
and opportunities of UA in
AMA, but also about the
more general potentials of
using institutional and
marginalized land for food
production. These
potentials have implications
not only in AMA, but also for
communities, politicians,
planners, farmers, and
academics as they operate
within urban systems.

Figure 2. The two sites are separated by Dzorwulu, a larger parcel

of land whose agricultural activities have been studied more and
better documented.

7
 Shifting
Focus

In the pre-field visit stage,

we focused on UA in
Dzorwulu. However, once
we arrived in Accra we were
presented with the
opportunity to study both the
Plant Pool and Roman Ridge
sites. Both sites are less
studied than the better-
known Dzorwulu site and, as
Roman
Ridge
Farming Practices
Farming takes place near high-
tension power lines, and
farmers cultivate exotic
vegetables such as cauliflower,
Chinese cabbages, carrots,

discussed above, though the
three sites are
Plant
lettuce, cucumbers, and spring
onions. Farmers are dependent
on the adjacent river for
irrigation.

geographically very close to
each other, their situations
are different. We realized
that the ability to conduct a
comparative study could
reveal issues that may
otherwise be less obvious,
and so we switched our focus
from Dzorwulu to both Plant
Pool and Roman Ridge. The
comparative nature of the
study was particularly useful
when examining issues of
security of land tenure and
piped water, topics which
are discussed further in this
report.
Marketing
Selling is dominated by market
women.
Number of Farmers
43 men.
Site Area
2.5 hectares. The area of the
site has decreased due to
construction on the site.
Land Owner
The Land Commission and the
Ghana Railway Authority, both
of which lease the land from the
Osu traditional authority.
Pool
Farming Practices
Farming takes place under high-
tension power lines, and farmers
cultivate exotic vegetables such
as green peppers, cucumbers,
Chinese cabbage, lettuce,
radish, and spring onions. Both
piped water and wastewater are
used for irrigation.
Marketing
Selling is dominated by market
women.
Number of Farmers
30 men.

Site Area
2 hectares. The amount of land
cultivated has not changed over
time.

Land Owner
GRIDCO

8
 + Theoretical
Framework:
Sustainable
Urban
Societies

+
Potentials of Sustainable Urban Agriculture

Sustainable Urban Societies

Pursuing Sustainable Urban Societies

Criteria

9
 Potentials of Sustainable Urban Agriculture

This research aimed to promote sustainable urban agriculture for local

Sustainable Urban
Agriculture Defined
societies. However, it is important to justify the necessity of SUA in
order to provide a strong base for the research project as a whole. SUA
has the ability to positively contribute, on multiple levels and in a
variety of ways, to solving problems cities tackle, such as some of the
issues depicted below in Figure 3.
To examine the role of SUA both for individuals and for communities,
we developed a dynamic network, inspired by research on healthy
communities1, to explore linkages between UA and the other elements
of social development.

!
Sustainable urban
agriculture involves the
production of food to
address local needs. It
incorporates a sustainable
combination of natural,
economic, physical,
institutional and socio-
cultural resources.
Sustainable urban
agriculture helps meet basic
human needs, improves Figure 3. Linkages between the different components of SUS. We
found that there are complicated interactions amongst these
livelihoods, and moves the elements. For example, as SUA requires effective and efficient
governance and equal opportunities for vulnerable social groups to
community and city have their voices heard, it has an interactive relationship with vibrant
towards a more sustainable civil society and accountable government.

urban society.

1. Patel Center for Global Solutions, 2010; Seattle Foundation, 2009)

10
 Sustainable Urban Societies
+

As the definition
indicates, SUA has the
potential to enhance
the sustainability of
urban society. To phycial
demonstrate this
potential, we combined
SLF with HCF, to look at
sustainable
development on a socio-
natural
broader level, and cultural
produced a new
framework for
sustainable urban
society (SUS) which
identifies natural,
physical, economic,
socio-cultural and
institutional dimensions
institutional economic
of resource as the
elements of SUS.

Sustainable Urban Society Defined

A sustainable urban society is one that enables and encourages all members of a society, including
present and future generations to attain and maintain a high quality of life. This includes but is not
limited to, the fulfilment of basic needs, inclusive access to a clean, responsibly managed
environment and equitable livelihood opportunities.

11
 Pursuing Sustainable Urban Societies

As SUA ‘incorporates a sustainable combination of natural, economic, physical, institutional and socio-
cultural resources’, it adds to the five resources of SUS. Therefore, we believe that as the current UA is
pushed towards SUA, not only is SUA promoted, but the ultimate goal of sustainable development – a
sustainable society -- is advanced.

Nevertheless, encouraging UA development towards more sustainable alternatives requires a

systematic transition. As the SLF illustrates, taking livelihood strategies to better resource accumulation
is dependent on the enabling environment, which are the institutions, policies, culture, and legislation,
promoting SUA as a sustainable development strategy. This also depends on the transformation of
structures and processes in social, political and cultural dimensions.

12
Criteria

In this research, we had a close cooperation with the relevant institutions and government agencies
to have better understanding of the enabling environment and develop more practical sustainable
development strategies for UA. Moreover, to develop potentially effective strategies, it is important
for us to identify the gaps between the current UA situation and SUA and the effectiveness of each
strategy in narrowing these gaps. The following criteria table was developed:

!"#$%&'"(( )&*+"&*,(
!"#$%&'()$*+,+'-$,+.$/,0&+1$2()1(,3$,(-$,0,&4,54-$,+.$,6)(.,54-$7)($4)',4$7,(3-(/$8)$&+0-/8$
-'$.$/*'( &+8)$89-&($2().:';)+$
!<#$=9-$3,(>-8$,44)?/$7,(3-(/$8)$&+'(-,/-$2()*8$7()3$2().:';)+$

!@#$A/&+1$-B'&-+8$,+.$-')4)1&',44C$/):+.$29C/&',4$&+2:8$,+.$')+8()44&+1$:/-$)7$9,D,(.$
/:5/8,+'-/$$
012#*',3( $$$$$$$$$-E1E$+:8(&-+8$(&'9$')32)/8$?&89$89-$2)8-+;,4/$)7$(-F:0-+,;+1$89-$/)&4$$
!G#$H32()0&+1$H+7(,/8(:'8:(-/$I:,4&8C$,+.$-J-('&/,5&4&8C$7)($89-$7,(3-(/$,+.$89-$')+/:3-(/K$
')+0-+&-+'-$L8(,+/2)(8,;)+M$3,(>-;+1$/2,'-M$?,/8-$.&/2)/,4NE$

!O#$P+9,+'&+1$89-$I:,4&8C$,+.$2(-0-+8$.-1(,.,;)+$)7$/)&4M$?,8-($,+.$(-4-0,+8$+,8:(,4$(-/):('-/$$
4,+%&,3( !Q#$P+/:(&+1$,''-//&5&4&8C$,+.$,6)(.,5&4&8C$)7$4,+.M$?,8-($,+.$)89-($+,8:(,4$(-/):('-/$
!R#$H+')(2)(,;+1$3-,+&+17:4$2)2:4,($>+)?4-.1-$&+$2().:';)+$
!S#$H+'(-,/-.$')44,5)(,;)+$5-8?--+$7,(3-(/$,+.$')+8,'8$?&89$-J8-(+,4$,'8)(/$7)($&+7)(3,;)+$
5$'*$6'%3+%&,3(
7()3$-J8-(+,4$,'8)(/$
!T#$%)(-$8(,&+&+1$7)($7,(3-(/$)+$+-?$/:/8,&+,54-$7,(3&+1$8-'9+&I:-/$
!"U#$PI:,4$)22)(8:+&;-/$7)($,44$/8,>-9)4.-(/$8)$2,(;'&2,8-$&+$.-'&/&)+V3,>&+1$$
!""#$H+/;8:;)+/$,+.$,//)'&,;)+/$,(-$',2,54-$)7$7:4*44&+1$89-&($)54&1,;)+$&+$2()3);+1$
7.#8+%8$.,3((
4&0-4&9)).$7)($7,(3-(/$,+.$3,(>-8$3,8:(&8C$
!"<#$H+/;8:;)+/$,(-$?)(>&+1$'4)/-4C$8)1-89-($8)$3)5&4&D-$(-/):('-/$,+.$3)0-$7)(?,(.$

Table 1. Sustainable Urban Agriculture Criteria

In the research, we analysed the data against this table to find the entry points for further UA
development. The possible impact of the two strategies we have developed have also been analyzed
using this table to examine the potential improvement they can bring to UA and, ultimately, SUS.

13
 Methodology

!
Methodology

Limitations

14
 Methodology

Transect Walks
3 transect walks on Roman Ridge,
Dzorwulu and Plant Pool to have a
better understanding of the
relationships between these three
sites.

Stakeholder Analysis

Individual Interviews
Hypotheses Criteria 33 interviews with farmers of both sites
(including farmer association
chairmen, secretaries, etc.).

We also met with a number of

representatives from organizations and
governmental agencies, as described
in Appendix 6
Transect Walks

Individual Interviews

Focus Groups
Focus Groups
3 focus groups with farmers, as follows:

Data  Analysis   • 1 at Plant Pool

• 2 at Roman Ridge

Strategy  Development  

15
 +
Limitations

Although we dedicated
approximately 5 months to
this project, our work is
limited by a number of
factors. For example,
neither site has been well
documented, and most
available data is relatively
old. Moreover, we initially
developed the project using
a sectoral approach that did
not prove to be as useful as
hoped. Additionally,
communication barriers
may have also limited our
research, as we were at
times dependent on
translators. During the two
weeks we spent in Accra,
time constraints affected the
depth of the research. For
example, we were unable to
meet with certain
stakeholders, such as GRA,
GRIDCO, and members of
the communities which
border the sites. The
perspectives of these actors
must be considered when
discussing strategies
regarding UA in Accra.

16
 + Results of Secondary
Literature Review:

Initial
Water Diagnosis and
Hypotheses

Waste

Land Market

In the pre-field phase, four key sectors of UA, land, water, waste and market, were examined
based on the literature review to discover the initial diagnosis of the current UA situation and
the sectoral hypotheses to achieve SUA according to our theoretical framework.

We also recognized the importance of institutional relationships between stakeholders such

as the farmers’ associations, government agencies, research institutes, and international
organizations. Therefore, we examined different stakeholders’ position and influence with
regards to SUA along with the value chain. A large number of stakeholders involved have
been examined for each sector, and key actors for UA in general were then identified (please
refer to Appendix 3 for brief description of each stakeholder).

17
 Sectoral Analysis: Land

Initial Diagnosis Stakeholder Mapping

• Land tenure insecurity forces
farmers to use inputs that
degrade the soil.

• Farmers are concerned about

soil degradation caused by
using fertilizers.

• Although relatively stable

since the land ownership
goes to VRA, land tenure is
informal.

• Collaboration between the

internal and external
stakeholders for securing
land tenure is weak.

Hypothesis:
A more formalized land tenure and enhanced knowledge sharing can reduce soil
degradation and enhance land sustainability.

18
 Sectoral Analysis: Water

Initial Diagnosis Stakeholder Mapping

• According to AMA bylaws,
wastewater irrigation is illegal.
• Farmers are concerned by the
inconsistency of piped water.
• Farmers are not concerned
about water quality.
• Currently, mostly manual
irrigation methods are used.
These are both time- and labor-
intensive.
• Consumers have a bad
perception of vegetables
grown using wastewater for
irrigation.
• There has been limited
political and financial support
from national and local
government, although research
and pilot projects have been
launched by institutions and
international organizations.

Hypothesis:
Upgrading the irrigation system by both technical and institutional approaches has the
potential to secure water provision in the long term, and to reduce farmers’ and
consumers’ vulnerability to health risks.

19
 Sectoral Analysis: Waste

Initial Diagnosis Stakeholder Mapping

• A large proportion of organic waste
produced in the city is not separated
at source or properly recycled.
• Farmers like the idea of using
organic compost but the compost
produced is not affordable for them,
and they lack motivation and
incentive to purchase the compost
produced.
• Constrained by time, farmers are not
interested in composting onsite.
• There is little or no motivation by the
government and other institutions to
empower the urban poor to engage
in micro-composting as a livelihood
source.
• Farmers choose fertilizers over
compost due to the resulting rapid
growth in crops.

Hypothesis:
Organic solid waste can contribute towards a sustainable urban society through the provision
of a healthier urban environment, increased livelihood options and reduced throughput in
the system in Accra.

20
Sectoral Analysis: Market

Initial Diagnosis Stakeholder Mapping

• Cost and quality appear to be
key drivers for traders.
• Wealthier consumers are
interested in
better/differentiated products.
• Products are not differentiated
at market.
• Farmers do not engage in
marketing and depend on one
route to market – the market
traders.
• Farmers are dependent on
trader feedback to understand
what influences consumer
demand.

Hypothesis:
Farmers can gain new marketing skills to improve the way they market their products to
consumers. This can enhance consumer perception and loyalty of their produce. It can
also help attract new customers and open new routes to market.

21
 Key Stakeholders for UA

Figure 4. Key stakeholders for UA in Accra.

We can see from this diagram that farmers have a positive role in input and production phases
but are excluded from the rest of the value chain. This means they have little if any contact with
the consumers who buy their products and subsequently, limited knowledge about market-
related issues. NGOs like IWMI, Enterprise Works etc. can have a positive influence throughout
the whole process.

22
An Integrated Approach
At the beginning of our field trip, our initial still low since they have limited right to say on
diagnosis and hypotheses has been tested. marketing activities.
Hence a clear picture of UA situation of the two
sites had been achieved: We found that our A detailed information can be found in
sectoral approach would not sufficiently Appendix 7.
address or reflect the realities of UA in Accra.
To address these issues, we modified our
Additionally, water and waste related
perspective, moving from a sectoral approach
interventions were in progress (e.g. onsite
that saw land, water, waste, and market as
composting training by FSTT project).
relatively individual topics to an integrated
However, the farmers and farming practices approach that recognized that land and market
are dependent both on stable and secure are interrelated and that water and waste issues
access to land, as well as revenue from the are largely related to land and the market.
market. These issues are interrelated. For
We also recongised the complexity of water
example, a Roman Ridge farmer noted that he
problem on both sites (Appendix 6). Due to the
would be willing to pay formalized “rent” to
time and resources constraints, the finally
use the land for a given amount of time, but
strategies focus more on land and market, and
that his capacity to pay would be dependent
we suggest the 3rd year research continue the
on what he earns from the market; while
related research in depth.
although farmers in Plant Pool have better land
and water conditions, their farming profit is

Changing Tools

To better understand
the interdependent
nature of the issues we
examined, we
modified the value
chain model, instead
conceptualizing it as a
value cycle in order to
better depict the
strong link in
practicalities between
the revenue from the
market and the
decisions farmers
make regarding inputs
and production.
Figure 4. Urban Agriculture Value Cycle

23
 +

Land

+
Key Findings:
Comparing the Situations at Roman Ridge and Plant Pool
Pressure to Develop and Official Perspectives
The Importance of Collaboration

Strategy: Formalizing Farms

Designation of Land
License to Use the Land

24
Key Findings
Comparing the Situations
at Roman Ridge and Plant Pool
The field research revealed multiple unsustainable farming
practices that must be addressed in order to achieve SUA. From
the data we collected, we found that many of these practices have a
direct link with the recognition and approval, be it formal or
informal, for the farmers to use the land. This is evident when
contrasting the tenure situations at Roman Ridge and Plant Pool and
the methods of irrigation.

In Plant Pool, farming occurs under high-tension power lines.

Though their presence is perhaps more accepted than farmers on
other sites around Accra due to their historical presence on the
land, there are sometimes tensions between farmers and electricity
workers. Farmers, with the assistance of MoFA, are currently in the
process of negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding with
GRIDCO, the site’s landowner. This Memorandum would increase
the rights of the Plant Pool famers, more formally acknowledging
their presence on the site. The Plant Pool site has not changed in
geographical size since the site’s initial establishment.1

Farmers on Roman Ridge are not as fortunate. Agriculture occurs

on a flood-plain near high-tension power lines and the construction
of homes and offices has decreased the area able to be farmed.
The Land Commission and Ghana Railway Authority, both of which
“lease” the land from the Osu traditional authority, are reluctant to
officially recognize farmers, as that would complicate potential
eviction efforts in the future.

The differences in situations affect irrigation infrastructure and

hence farming practices. For example, on Plant Pool, most farmers
have access to piped water. However, applications by Roman
Ridge farmers to receive piped water have been denied, as the
farmers do not have the necessary paperwork that indicates they
have the formal ability to use the land. Therefore, Roman Ridge
farmers use wastewater pumped from the river that borders the
site. The implications of using these different sources of water are
explained in the findings related to the market and in Appendix 6
(pg. 18).

1. Interviews and Focus Group of Plant Pool Farmers

25
 Key Findings
Pressure to Develop and Official Perspectives

The Roman Ridge site is surrounded by the Roman Ridge and

“[Accra officials
and residents]
think the only
thing land is good
for is building…
opportunities for
urban agriculture
are going to be
nil…it’s going to
reduce and
reduce and
reduce.”
-Doris Tetteh, Town and
Country Planning, AMA
Dzorwulu communities, both of which are considered “privileged”
and desirable neighborhoods in which to reside. This, along with
skyrocketing land prices, increases the pressure to develop.2 Until
now, the farmers at Roman Ridge have been able to work on the land
in part because the location is a floodplain, preventing flooding of
the local communities of Dzorwulu and Roman Ridge. However, the
Hydroservices agency will soon be upgrading the storm drain
running along the site’s southern perimeter, which will mean that the
site will no longer be a floodplain. When this happens, it is very
likely that developers will move quickly to build on the land.
From conversations with politicians, government representatives,
and other institutional stakeholders, we found a widespread
perspective that UA will be pushed to peri-urban areas, particularly
Ga West. Even amongst UA advocates and researchers, the issue of
availability of land for agricultural purposes located within the urban
area seemed to be dismissed, even though land is a fundamental
input for farming. For example, AWGUPA does not include certain
key land-related stakeholders such as land-owners and traditional
authorities. Land use issues appear to be seen as “too complex” to
tackle, and the existing urban sites seem to have already been
“ceded” to development.
2. Interviews with Ayawaso SubMetro, AMA Town and Country
Planning, and Mayor of Accra

Contradictions
We repeatedly heard from officials that agriculture has no place in the city. The Mayor of Accra
expressed this sentiment when he said, “[There is no] land in Accra for agriculture.” However, the
Roman Ridge and Plant Pool sites show the benefits and potentials agriculture has on institutional and
marginalized lands within the urban area, and the Mayor himself pointed out that “public land is
probably about 23-30% of the land in AMA.” Considering the potentials urban agriculture has to
contribute to a healthy, more sustainable city, and the demonstrated ability to use land in multiple
ways, as occurs on these sites, a change in the way public land is viewed could greatly benefit Accra as
a whole.

26
The
Importance of
Collaboration
We found widespread
recognition amongst the
stakeholders, particularly
the farmers, MoFA, and
Town and Country Planning,
that in order for UA to be
advanced in AMA, farmers
and other interested
stakeholders must be well
organized and collaborate
with one another. Though
historically there have been
multiple farmers’
associations on both the
Roman Ridge and Plant Pool
sites, these Associations
were tied to government
initiatives that required
farmers to be organized in
order to receive benefits.
After the government
initiatives ended, the
Associations also informally
ended. Each site currently
has Associations, and each
month the chief executives
of Plant Pool, Dzorwulu, and
Roman Ridge meet
together. These
Associations are organic,
farmer-led initiatives.

The diagram to the right

shows the various
stakeholders the Roman
Ridge Farmer’ Association
could work with in order to
make advancements
regarding security of land
tenure, as described in the
strategy Formalizing Farms.

27
 Strategy:
Formalizing Farms

As discussed previously, the typology of these two sites provide important

lessons for urban agriculture, particularly in the context of farming on
institutional land. Though urban agriculture is not currently viewed in
planning as a legitimate land use, farming activities on institutional and
marginalized lands can provide transformative benefits both for
communities and individual livelihoods. This challenges mainstream
conceptions of urban spaces, encouraging officials, communities, and
individuals to rethink the urban landscape in a more progressive way.

A possible strategy to overcome the problems we found is to formalize

urban agricultural practices on the Roman Ridge site by going through the
following two stages: 1) apply to the AMA Town and Country Planning
Department for the area to be designated for farming and, after this is
achieved, 2) apply to the Land Commission for a 5 year farming license.3

3. Interview with AMA Town and Country Planning

Building on Existing Opportunities

When talking with various stakeholders, we were encouraged to see several opportunities to make
positive advancements for urban agriculture in Ghana. For example, the land use policy is being
changed for the first time since 1945. This is a potential opportunity for urban agriculture to be
incorporated as an approved form of land use, which would go a long ways towards aiding
farmers’ efforts to secure land tenure.

Secondly, urban agriculture in Accra benefits greatly because of the existing collaboration
amongst supporters and key stakeholders, in the form of AWGUPA. However, it seems that this
platform can be used more effectively. For example, expanding AWGUPA to include additional
actors, such as landowners and the media, could be beneficial. Furthermore, there is room for
AWGUPA to expand its work on land-related issues.

28
Strategy:
Formalizing Farms – Designation of Land

For the first stage, the farmers should create a site

plan, draft an application letter asking for the land
to be specifically designated for urban
agriculture, and organize a petition signed by
farmers, customers, and local residents and
submit it to the Town and Country Planning
department. The Roman Ridge farmers are
capable of creating each of the components of the
designation application, particularly with the
assistance of MoFA, who can help with the
creation of the site plan, which is simply a map
with the site boundaries clearly marked. 4

4. Meeting with AMA Town and Country Planning

The petition is not formally part of the application procedure but is helpful in demonstrating that the
farmers are well organized and have the support of multiple stakeholders. In order for this strategy
to be effective, it will be essential that farmers collaborate not only with each other, but also with
external actors such as MoFA, Town and Country Planning, and the residents of the surrounding
communities. The designation should then be granted within four months, according to Town and
Country Planning.

Stage 1: Designation of Land

Create Site Plan, Town and Designation

Letter, and Country Planning Granted
Petition

29
 Strategy:
Formalizing Farms -License to Use the Land

The second stage requires the farmers, with

anticipated assistance and support from
AWGUPA members, particularly MoFA, to
apply to the Land Commission for a license to
farm on the land, ideally for at least 5 years.
This license would formally allow the farmers
to cultivate the land for the determined
amount of time. The site would be protected
from formal development and the farmers
would be safeguarded against attempts to
evict them from the land. Furthermore, this
should provide the basis for farmers to begin
working more formally in other aspects as
well, such as applications for credit and piped
water, if they choose.

Although there would be a fee for the license,

our meeting with the Land Commission
indicates this fee would be low and affordable
for the farmers. For more details, please see
Appendix 2 for this strategy’s action plan and
stakeholder mapping.

Stage 2: License to Use the Land

Completion of Land License

Application Letter Commission Awarded

30
 Market

Key Findings
Overview
Comparison of Roman Ridge and Plant Pool
Deeper Analysis of Situation in Plant Pool
Impacts of the From Seed to Table Program
Diagnosis and Opportunities

Strategy:
Increasing Quality, Increasing Competitiveness,
Increasing Success

31
 Key Findings
Overview
Vegetable markets are quite common in Accra, with 29 markets located in different areas1. While few
farmers have supplementary jobs2, faming is no doubt the dominant source of family income for urban
farmers. Therefore, profits from farming are an important indicator in revealing the ability of UA to
improve livelihoods.

However, based on the SUA framework developed by the research, analysis on current marketing
activities on both the Roman Ridge and Plant Pool sites reveals obstacles hindering the maximization of
farmers’ profit, as their influence throughout the value cycle are constrained by the current marketing
system.

“I am very happy to “The consumers

see your group will
research on market
issues, since market is
the most important
channel to increase
farmers’ income…”
-- Sowah Ababio
Delvine
MoFA Extension Officer
and Group Facilitator
complained about the
water quality, so
marketers prefer rural
products… If quality of
UA is good, the
marketers will buy it.
“Market women are
tough. It is difficult to However, small scale
bargain with them to get a also makes UA
good price…” unattractive to
wholesalers.”
“We sell crops at low -- Agbogbloshie
price. The market women Market Association
are not paying money
immediately [or] even no
payment…”

“Quality is not a problem

for us as we have clean
water…”
1. Meeting with Town and
Country Planning
2. Interviews with farmers of -- Farmers of Plant Pool
PP and RR
and Roman Ridge
32
 +
Key Findings
Comparison of Roman Ridge and Plant Pool

The analysis of stakeholders shows that farmers are positively

involved in the input and production phases but their influence is
quite limited and they are reliant on the availability of resources such
as funding, land, water, seeds, etc. The contrast of the land tenure
situations of the two sites in the previous session has shown the
different consequences of farming practices. It is difficult for farmers
to apply appropriate farming practices, particularly when those
practices consumer precious resources, to realize better product
quality and productivity.

Farmers are almost excluded from the rest of the phases of the value
cycle, most noticeably in the market phase. Interviews and focus
groups on the two sites reveal similar situations, in which market
women are dominant in selling, and a limited understanding amongst
farmers about customer demand and price changes. However,
compared with Plant Pool, Roman Ridge farmers have less motivation
and willingness to change the current situation due to their sense of
insecure land and the limited resources available.

Different Reactions towards Change

Training to use on-site poultry manure composting to replace fertilizers have been provided on
both sites. This method can lead to not only improving vegetable quality, but also to reduced
threats to health and environment. 11 of 12 farmers interviewed on Plant Pool have set up their
own composting sites. Though only 3 of 8 farmers interviewed on Roman Ridge decided to use
this method, the majority prefers to apply poultry manure on plants directly due to the amount
of time required for composting. This is understandable, considering their concerns regarding
eviction and the loss of their plots.
(Interviews with farmers of Plant Pool and Roman Ridge)

Our work focused on marketing in Plant Pool. In-depth research was conducted during the field visit to
understand the current situation. At the same time, we also took a closer look at the implementation
and impacts of the FSTT project in Plant Pool.

33
+
Key Findings
Deeper Analysis of Situation in Plant Pool
Marketing Channel Price and Payment Perception

Market women play a dominant

role in selling vegetables, and
farmers have much less power
over the setting prices. Since
farmers have a relatively low
understanding of customer
demand and changes of prices
due to a lack of contact with the
market, market women have
more power over price
negotiations and do not always
guarantee payment. The farmers
interviewed have serious
concerns regarding these
problems, despite claims of the
market association in helping to
ensure payment2. These issues
are indicative of farmer insecurity
throughout the value cycle.
Marketing channels are quite
limited. Over the past 50 years, Compared with rural products,
although vegetables grown in UA production is much less
Plant Pool have changed from competitive in the market due to
local to exotic types along with customers’ negative perceptions
the market demand, the of quality , coupled with
marketing channels have production on a smaller scale.2
remained nearly unchanged, Due to a media report on
as market women play the wastewater irrigation in Dzorwulu
years ago, vegetables produced
dominant role, with the
in this area have a negative
occasional onsite customer.1
reputation. Currently, though
farmers in Plant Pool are less
worried about consumer
1. Marketing timeline from the
focus group perceptions over their vegetables
2. Meeting with Agbogbloshie because of their ability to use
Market Association piped water for irrigation,3 the
3. Interviews with Plant Pool
Farmers market women and consumers
4. Last year report still retain negative perceptions.4

34
 +
Market
Key Findings
Key Findings (3)
Impacts
Impacts
of From
of From
Seed
Seed
to Table
to Table
(FSTT)
(FSTT)

The on-going project, From Seed to Table (FStT), is an important attempt of

improving the current UA farming situation (Appendix 5). According to the
implementing actors, FStT consists of 3 steps: pre-production, production,
and post-production. It provides a training platform for the improvement of
farming practices in order to achieve high quality products, enhance
farmers’ collaboration via farmers’ associations, and improve the overall
marketing skills of farmers through training and management of farmer
kiosks to be established later1.

Figure 5 Farmers’ Reflections of PSTT

Plant Pool farmers strongly
recognize the changes
brought about by FStT and
the benefits from the new
farming methods learned
from this project. They
have great expectations
for the future kiosks,
though until now, their
marketing skills and
understanding of how to
run the kiosks is limited
(Figure 5)2.

1. Meetings with AMA-
MoFA, IWMI, EW, and one
project meeting.
2. Focus group and
Interviews with Plant Pool
Farmers
FStT Shortcomings
Our preliminary observation indicates several shortcomings of FStT.
These include: a short time-scale, lack of training output evaluation, lack
of consideration of enlarging UA production scale, unreliable projected
income increase, and a lack of dissemination plan. Please see Appendix
5 for more information.

35
 +
Key Findings
Diagnosis and Opportunities
Diagnosis
The current UA farming system featured with
inadequate input resources, inappropriate
farming practices, low consumer perceptions of
products, and limited selling channels dominated
by market women, has increased farmer
insecurity throughout the value chain. This has in
turn become an obstacle in increasing farmer
profits.
Though better farming practices and new
marketing channels have been introduced
through pilot projects, there remains space for
improvement to achieve long-term sustainability.
Therefore, a new UA marketing system should be
set up, through which urban farmers can be
motivated with higher profits, leading to an
improvement in livelihoods.
36
Opportunities
Provided with more secure land use, as well as
better water for irrigation, farmers in Plant Pool
have a greater capacity to focus on increasing
market profits. They are aware of the profit
potential in enhancing marketing and have the
motivation necessary to make change.
The on-going FStT project has improved farming
practices. The cooperation and support from
institutions has provided a good foundation for
enhanced marketing. It also indicates that
institutions are concerned and willing to improve
the existing marketing system.
Considering long-term sustainability, FStT still has
some shortcomings, which provide reference
value for future strategic interventions.
 +
Strategy
Increasing Quality, Increasing
Competitiveness, Increasing Success

The new UA system can be described as the cycle depicted below. In the cycle, we can see the
profitability of new farming practices for farmers can be maximized by retaining the improved product
quality gained through appropriate farming practices, and promoting perception and competitiveness
of UA products; the profit can also motivate farmers to continue with the new mechanism. The cycle for
sustainable UA marketing system has been translated into our marketing strategy in five continuous
steps (Figure 6).

Figure 6. The cycle for sustainable UA marketing system translated into five continuous steps.

The Importance of Collaboration

We found that the establishment of farmers’ associations, facilitated by the program, also exerted
considerable effort in the whole process as it organized farmers to learn in the program and increased
cohesion and added to learning. Furthermore, we were told by the chairman of the farmers’ association
that the Association was about to form a monitoring committee in order to supervise the farming
practices of farmers participated in FStT.

37
 +
Strategy
Increasing Quality, Increasing
Competitiveness, Increasing Success

These steps, if implemented, will assist in building a new UA

marketing system to improve urban farmers’ livelihoods, not only in
Plant Pool, but also in other contexts. Table 2 shows the detailed
purpose and objectives of each step. In order to fulfill the objectives
of this strategy, we designed a step-by-step action plan, which ideally
should last for one and half years, excluding the long-term approach
of institutionalization. We also identified possible actors to implement
each step, and potential outputs. A detailed explanation of actions to
be taken in each step, as well as the plan for monitoring and impact
assessment can be seen in Appendix 3.

Table 3. Purpose and Objectives of Each Step

There is an important prerequisite of this strategy that must be taken into account. As illustrated in our
research, Plant Pool’s unique advantages are the comparatively stable land tenure and better water
supply, which allow Plant Pool farmers to better plan for the future. Therefore, when designing the
strategy, we took these advantages as existing conditions for establishing new marketing system for
Plant Pool. However, if this strategy will be also used for other sites, or to institutionalize the new
mechanism, those fundamental issues must be taken into consideration. This will be illustrated in the
explanation of “Step 5” in the Action Plan.

38
 +

Conclusion

+
Conclusion

Recommendations for Further Research

39
 Conclusion
This project aimed to contribute towards the
advancement of urban agriculture in AMA in a
number of different ways. We deliberately
choose the Plant Pool and Roman Ridge sites,
not only because of the interesting dynamics
present on both sites, but also because they
have not been studied as extensively as
Dzorwulu, allowing us to add information
about these sites. In our research, we
attempted to approach the most considerable
problems and pursue the most promising
opportunities in order to maximize the effect
of our research in contributing to the
sustainable development of local urban
agriculture and society. Therefore, on the
Roman Ridge site we focused on the land
tenure issue while on Plant Pool we looked
into more profitable production and marketing
strategy. Regarding the theoretical
framework, although we seem to have
different focuses on two sites, the two parts of
research tightly linked to each other, in much
the same way as the strategies link together.
Both the land tenure strategy and marketing
strategy, demonstrated in the analysis using
criteria table, have the potential of enhancing
resources of the five dimensions. Moreover, as
illustrated in the theoretical framework, as the
resources of the five dimensions of SUS are
40
being enhanced, the current urban agriculture is
also moving towards the direction of sustainable
development and contributing to achieve
sustainable urban society. Therefore, both
strategies have the potential of promoting
sustainable urban agriculture and ultimately
sustainable urban society.
From another perspective, the linkages between
the two strategies are also validated as they all
contribute to the upgrading of the UA value
cycle. It was demonstrated that land security was
one of the fundamental condition of sustainable
urban agriculture as it encourages farmers to
invest into their land and conduct better
production practices; marketing and the profit
farmers gain also provide farmer incentives and
financial capacity in investing into the upgrading
and producing high-quality products. Hence,
there is a synergy effect between the two
strategies as they complete each other in
promoting sound agricultural system.
Alternatively, it means Roman Ridge and Plant
Pool can learn from each other with regards to
addressing land tenure issues and enhancing
marketing in order to approach more sustainable
urban agricultural system on both sites.
Conclusion

Just as last years’ students focused only on a part of the whole

area in order to conduct more in-depth research, this year we
concentrated efforts on one aspect on each site. However, the
findings and the achievement we gain should not be limited to
the site where research was conducted. Actually, there is
fundamental universality on the three UA sites in the Dzorwulu
community. Hence we are expect the 2011 ESD students to
further develop what has been done, integrate the findings and
strategies on different sites, and have the big picture in mind
when they are striving to contribute to sustainable urban
agriculture in Accra.

Recommendations for Further Research

We recognize that there are many additional issues left to be explored on these sites
and, more generally, regarding SUA in AMA. Some of these issues include:

• Water use through the harvest and transportation, marketing, and preparation
phases of the value chain.
• Consumer perceptions of UA, including perceptions of agriculture as a land
use in the urban area as well as perceptions of UA products.
• The role the media plays in UA issues in AMA.
• Farmer access to financial services such as loans with appropriate interest
rates and repayment schedules.
• Issues relating to food storage and institutionalized, collaborative efforts to
prevent food from spoiling, as well as the effects of food spoilage on the Accra
food system.
• Potentials to scale up agricultural activities on institutional and marginalized
land in AMA.

41
 References

IFAD (2010). The Sustainable Livelihoods Approach. Retrieved on February 27, 2010
from www.ifad.org/sla/index.htm.

Krants, L. (2001). Livelihoods Approach to Poverty Reduction: An Introduction. Retrieved

on February 22, 2010 from
www.catie.ac.cr/CatiesSE4/htm/Pagina%20web%20curso/readings/krantz.pdf.

Patel Center for Global Solutions (2010). What we do. Retrieved February 22, 2010 from
www.patelcenter.usf.edu.

Practical Action (2009). Livelihood-centred Approaches to Disaster Management.

Retrieved on February 22, 2010 from practicalaction.org/disaster-
livelihoods/disaster_approaches_livelihoods.

Seattle Foundation (2009). A Healthy Community: Strategies for Effective Giving.

Retrieved February 22, 2010 from www.seattlefoundation.org/page10004386.cfm.

42
Appendix

The appendix contains raw data from individual interviews and

focus groups with farmers, which were used in the analysis for
this report.

1. Fieldtrip Schedule (P. 44) 7. Application of Criteria (P. 60)

2. Formalizing Farms: Action Plan 8. Fieldwork Information

and Monitoring and Impact Database (P. 63):
Evaluation (P. 46)
a. Interview Guide (P. 63)
3. Market Strategy: Action Plan
b. Information from
and Monitoring and Impact
Organizations (P. 67)
Evaluation (P. 48)
c. Transact Walk (P. 81)
4. Stakeholder Information (P. 54)
d. Information from Farmer
5. From Seed to Table Project
Interviews (P. 85)
Profile (P. 56)
e. Focus Group Activities
6. Water Issues in Plant Pool and
(P. 105)
Roman Ridge (P. 58)

43
 Appendix 1

Fieldtrip Schedule

Stakeholders Method Key Issues

Monday May 3
Previous interventions (policies, projects,
Presentation,
IWMI institutional interaction); Financial
Meeting
sources; International cooperation
Presentation Current activities, and relations among
AWGUPA
Q&A members
Tuesday May 4
Plant Pool,
Transect
Dzorwulu, and Irrigation methods; Investment and
Walks, Brief
Roman Ridge income issues; Health issues; Previous
Focus
Farmers' projects
Groups
Associations
Policy and possible changes; Financial
AMA MoFA Meeting
issues
Wednesday May 5
Waste
Waste collection and disposal methods;
Management and Presentation
Investment and income; Potentials for
Sanitation Q&A
change; Previus projects
Directorate
Waste collection and disposal methods;
Presentation
ZoomLion Investment and income; Potentials for
Q&A
change; Previus projects
Waste collection and disposal methods;
Presentation
EPA Investment and income; Potentials for
Q&A
change; Previus projects
Thursday May 6
Plant Pool and
Land, water, waster, market, and farmers’
Roman Ridge Interviews
special concerns
Farmers
Planning and
Meeting and
Coordinating Land planning and using, land for UA
discussion
Unit/ May AMA
Town and Meeting and
Land related projects, registering land
Country Planning discussion
FSTT Regular Attending
How to establish farmers’ kiosks
Project Meeting the meeting
Friday May 7
Presentation
GWCL Infrastructure and technology
Q&A

44
 Stakeholders Method Key Issues
Informal irrigation strategies; Policy and
Presentation
GIDA regulation trends; Land conservation;
Q&A
Irrigation infrastructure
Donors and Meeting and Financial resources; Cost effectiveness;
NGOs discussion Donor’s funding projects
Meeting and How FSTT works, and interrelationship
Enterprise Works
discussion among stakeholders involved
Saturday May 8
Roman Ridge: Land tenure, encroachment
Plant Pool and
Focus timeline
Roman Ridge
Groups Plant Pool: Marketing timeline, FA’s
Farmers
performance, FSTT reflections
Sunday May 9
Further Data Analysis and Group Coordination
Monday May 10
Presentation
ILGS Formalization of land tenure
Q&A
Tuesday May 11
Plant Pool and Focus
Further discussions about land and market
Roman Ridge Groups and
issues, feasibility of potential strategies
Farmers Interviews
Agbogbloshie
Meeting and Market of vegetables, customers’ demand
Market
discussion and perception
Association
Wednesday May 12
Group discussion and preparation of the find presentation
Thursday May 13
Plenary and Group Presentations, interaction with all stakeholders
Discussions

45
Appendix 2
Strategies Action Plan
Monitoring & Impact Evaluation
Formalizing Farms, Action Plan
Stage Step
Designation of Land
Development of site plan
Creation of application letter
Meetings with key stakeholders
to gather support for the
application, particularly the
neighboring communities, Land
Commission, and GRA
Submission of application
materials to Town and Country
Planning
License to Use the Land
Completion and submission of
application letter.
Collaboration between
stakeholders to show Land
Commission the application is
supported by multiple
stakeholders
Potential to Apply this Method to Other Sites
Knowledge-sharing
collaboration efforts between
farmers on different sites
UA-related stakeholders
incorporating this avenue into
action planning
Action
Farmer collaboration with MoFA and Town
and Country Planning officers to create a
site plan indicating the boundary of the
site.
Collaboration between the FA and MoFA to
complete an application letter.
Formal farmer meetings with key
stakeholders to be facilitated when
necessary by AWGUPA members
Submission of all necessary application
materials to Town and Country Planning
officials
Ensure letter submitted to and received by
Land Commission
Regular meetings incorporating relevant
stakeholders to discuss the status of the
application
MoFA and other AWGUPA stakeholders
facilitate formal meetings between farmers
from different sites
MoFA and other AWGUPA stakeholders
document efforts to move through this
process
46
 Formalizing Farms
Monitoring and Impact Evaluation
How to Monitor and
Stages Critera Impacts Indicators
Assess
Decision-
makers
Roman Ridge
recognize the
application for
benefits of
designation of use of
designating
land granted.
urban sites for
agricultural use.
Agriculture is
Official
C8, recognized as a
Designation planning
C11, legitimate land
of Land processes take
C12 use within the
into account
urban area.
urban Official AMA plans
agricultural incorporate urban
practices and agriculture practices.
recognize it as
formal part of
the urban
metabolism.
Evicting farmers
on the Roman
Formal applications
License to C5, C6, Ridge site would Roman Ridge
to build houses and
Use the C8, be more difficult, farmers seen as
offices on the site are
Land C11, and formal plans having a right to
denied.
C12 for development farm the land.
would be
hindered.

47
Appendix 3
Strategies Action Plan
Monitoring & Impact Evaluation

Marketing Strategy Action Plan

Stage 1:
Action plan: relevant stakeholders need to work together to build up
farmers’ understanding and interests of this strategy, evaluate the training
outputs of FStT 1st farming cycle, redefine the next two FStT training cycles
by using the evaluation results as well as capacity building for farmers.
FA’s capacity to organise the usage of suitable farming methods need also
to be enhanced (e.g. managing skill training for the FA board)

Potential output: By doing so, it is possible to develop a farmers’ survey of

their percentage of acceptance and reflections of the 1st cycle of training.
Hence it can increase the acceptance of the trained farming methods.
Furthermore, the influence of FA can also be improved.

48
Step 2:
Action Plan: In this step, with assistance from EW and MoFA Extension
Officer, FA will establish FA farming practice monitoring committee (FAC),
which should be elected by farmers. Farming practice monitoring should
also be started, firstly done by EW for one farming cycle, and then by FAC.
At the mean time, IWMI starts regular vegetable quality monitoring.

Potential outputs will includes the FA Farming Practice Monitoring

Committee (FAC); Seasonal Reports of Farming Practice Reports; Seasonal
Product Quality Testing Reports.

49
Stage 3:
Action Plan: IWMI or MoFA should certify the quality of PP vegetables and
be responsible for product branding. They are suggested to publicly
advertise the improved quality via media (Filming of farming practices,
results of previous quality tests, etc.)

Potential outputs: the vegetables of PP will get quality certification. As the

customers will have a better perception on the products, the image of PP
vegetables can be improved. Furthermore, the public advertising also
draw public attention on the livelihood of the farmers.

50
Step 4:
Action Plan: To certify and brand the PP vegetable by IWMI or MoFA; To
Publicly advertise the improved quality via media (Filming of farming
practices, results of previous quality tests, etc.)

Potential outputs: Quality certification from IWMI and PP Brand; Increase

of public perception of the products; Winning public attention of urban
farmers’ situation

51
Step 5:
The final stage is to disseminate the successful PP marketing model to RR
and Dzorwulu, and then to other place of Accra and institutionalize the
collaboration among all stakeholders involved.

To achieve this stage, the previous 4 steps should be implemented in PP

and come up with successful ending. The Secure land tenure issue needs
to be addressed, stable clean water supply needs to be secured and
reduction of waste pollution should be guaranteed first. Otherwise, the
new marketing system will lose its basis, and impossible for sustainability.

Therefore, more stakeholders should be involved in AWGUPA, such as

GWCL, to negotiate for solutions for fundamental problems for UA
production, such as land tenure, water supply, etc., which are the basis of
the new marketing mechanism. It is also important to raise political
awareness of the importance of UA from higher level (regional and
national) and get financial supports from the national government instead
of from international donors.

52
Market Strategy
Monitoring and Impact Evaluation
The following table shows the potential impacts to UA of this strategy, and
also shows how it can meet with the SUA criteria that we developed in the
theoretical framework. In order to monitor the process, we also identified a
set of indicators have also been identified, as well as relative stakeholders
and how they can implement the monitoring and impact assessment.

53
Appendix 4:
Stakeholder Information (1)
Name Brief Information
Accra Municipal Assembly. AMA has a total land size of 200 square kilometres and is made up of
eleven sub metros namely Ablekuma Central, Ablekuma North, Ablekuma South, Ashiedu Keteke,
AMA and
Ayawaso Central, Ayawaso East, Ayawaso West- Wuogon,La, Okaikoi North, Okaikoi South, and
Members
Osu Klottey. authority (by-law: “No crops shall be watered or irrigated by the effluent from a drain
from any premises or any surface water from a drain which is fed by water from street drainage”)
Accra The sub-metropolitan District Councils consists of around eight residential areas, were put in
Sub- place to “respond to the complex and peculiar socio-economic and management diversity of the
Metro metropolis” they cater for waste collection and waste depot management but they were
Director ineffective due to improper logistics and management but still exist
The Accra Working Group on Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture, AWGUPA, was constituted at the
multi-stakeholder forum organised by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly-Ministry of Food and
AWGUPA Agriculture (AMA-MoFA) and IWMI-RUAF in 2005. AWGUPA coordinated the implementation of a
joint situation analysis on urban agriculture in Accra metropolitan area and the multi-actor
preparation of a City Strategic Agenda on urban and peri-urban agriculture.

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, together with MoFA-AMA Directorate, suggested
CSIR
exploring the option of ground water use in urban farming
EnterpriseWorks Worldwide is a not-for-profit development organization that promotes
sustainable, enterprise-oriented solutions to problems facing small-scale producers around the
Enterpris developing world. EnterpriseWorks' mission is to harness the power of the private sector to
e Works increase employment, raise family incomes, and promote civil stability. EnterpriseWorks and its
partners help farmers and entrepreneurs transform their livelihoods by adding value to
commodities, safeguarding natural resources, and accessing profitable markets.
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization
Ghana Irrigation Development Authority, under the MoFA, To explore all water resources for
livelihood options in agriculture at appropriate scales for all communities. To formulate and
GIDA execute plans to promote the development of land and water resources in Ghana for crop
production, livestock watering, aquaculture, agricultural related industries and institutions within
a sustainable environment.
Land Owner of Plant Pool Faming land. Ghana Grid Company Limited was incorporated on 15th
December, 2006 as a private limited liability company and granted a certificate to commence
business on the 18th December, 2006. The functions of GRIDCO are undertake economic dispatch
and transmission of electricity from wholesale suppliers to bulk customers; provide fair and non-
GRIDCO
discriminatory transmission services to all power market participants; acquire, own and manage
assets, facilities and systems required to transmit electrical energy; undertake metering and
billing services; carry out transmission system planning and implement investments necessary to
provide the capacity to reliably transmit electric energy; Manage the Whole Sale Power Market.
GWSC Ghana Water and Sewage Cooperation

Ghana Water Company Limited (has cautioned the public to put a stop to the use of treated water
GWCL
for irrigation, and the alternative can be grey water

The role of the informal sector such as the the small scale urban farmer, vegetable producers and
Informal waste picking fall under the informal sector category. the activities of this sector has not been
Sector given the recognition it deserves. although Accra does not have large numbers of waste
pickers,Waste picking fulfils a service gap in the solid waste management
The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is a Crown corporation created by the
Parliament of Canada in 1970 to help developing countries use science and technology to find
IDRC practical, long-term solutions to the social, economic, and environmental problems they face. Our
support is directed toward creating a local research community whose work will build healthier,
more equitable, and more prosperous societies.
International Water Management Institute is a nonprofit scientific research organization focusing
on the sustainable use of water and land resources in agriculture and on the water needs of
IWMI
developing countries. IWMI's mission is to improve water and land resources management for
food, livelihoods and nature.
The main goal of the Ministry of Food And Agriculture ( MOFA ) is to create an environment for
sustainable growth and development in the Agriultural Sector that would include:Provision of food
MoFA
security; Supply of raw materials for industry; Creation of employment; Reduction in poverty and
the creation of wealth, etc.
MoFA-
AMA
Together with CSIR, suggested exploring the option of ground water use in urban farming
Directora
te

54
 Stakeholders Information (2)
Name Brief Information
The Ministry of Works and Housing has as its main functions the formulation and co-ordination of
policies and programmes for the systematic development of the country's infrastructure
requirements in respect of Works, Housing, Water Supply and Sanitation and Hydrology. The
MoWH
Ministry co-ordinates and supervises, by way of monitoring and evaluation of the performance of
both public and private agencies responding to and participating in the realisation of the policy
objectives established for the sector.

The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission of Ghana is an independent body set up to regulate
PURC
and oversee the provision of the highest quality of electricity and water services to consumers.

Private
it came about as a result of the privatisation of the WMD by AMA in 1996. they have contributed to
Waste
the reduction of waste in the city but effects are not fully felt due the volume of waste produced by
Collector
the city.
s
Resource Centre on Urban Agriculture and Food Security (RUAF) aims “to contribute to urban
poverty reduction, employment generation and food security and to stimulate participatory city
governance and improved urban environmental management, by creating enabling conditions for
empowerment of male and female urban and peri-urban farmers, capacity development of local
RUAF
authorities and other stakeholders and by facilitating the integration of urban agriculture in
gender-sensitive policies and action programmes of local governments, civic society
organisations and private enterprises with active involvement of the urban farmers, livestock
keepers and other relevant stakeholders”
SWITCH is the name of an action research programme, implemented and co-funded by the
European Union and a cross-disciplinary team of 33 partners from 15 countries around the world.
SWITCH SWITCH aims to bring about a paradigm shift in urban water management away from existing ad
hoc solutions to urban water management and towards a more coherent and integrated approach.
The vision of SWITCH is for sustainable urban water management in the 'City of the Future'.
Town and Department of the municipal council dealing with planning. Their direct involvement in the use of
Country the Dzorwulu land could be minimal due to decentralization but we need to check this when we
Planning arrive
The University of Ghana is the oldest and largest of the seven Ghanaian public universities. It is by
Universit far the most prestigious university in West Africa. It was founded in 1948[2] as the University
y of College of the Gold Coast, and was originally an affiliate college of the University of London[3],
Ghana which supervised its academic programmes and awarded degrees. It gained full university status
in 1961[3], and now has nearly 42,000 students.
The Volta River Authority (VRA) was established on April 26, 1961 under the Volta River
Development Act, Act 46 of the Republic of Ghana, as a body corporate with the mandate to
operate mainly as a power generation, transmission and distribution utility. In 2005, following the
promulgation of a major amendment to the VRA Act in the context of the Ghana Government
Volta Power Sector Reforms, the VRA's mandate has now been largely restricted to generation of
River electricity. The transmission function has been hived off into a separate entity, designated National
Authority Grid Company to perform the transmission activities. During this process of transition, the VRA is
planning to operate its distribution agency, the Northern Electricity Department (NED) as a
subsidiary company to merge with the Electricity Company of Ghana into a single distribution
utility after the transmission period. The amendment has a key function of creating the requisite
environment to attract independent power producers (IPPs) onto the Ghana energy market.
WaterAid's vision is of a world where everyone has access to safe water and sanitation. WaterAid
WaterAid transforms lives by improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in the world's poorest
communities. We work with partners and influence decision-makers to maximize our impact.

WB World Bank
An independently managed waste organization which generates its operational revenue through
Waste the collection of user charges from service users, directly pays its staff and performs vigilance
Managem and enforcement of laws which control waste generators and haulers amongst others. Its
ent Dept autonomy is limited by AMA which is responsible for its supervision and budgetary control of the
also decides its policies and strategies.
World Vision does community development, disaster relief and advocacy. World Vision is a
World
Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children,
vision
families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice.
Zoomlion Ghana Limited is a waste management company on the environmental landscape of
Zoomlion Ghana. It is in association with Zoomlion China, manufacturers of quality and durable waste
Accra management vehicles and equipment with over 50years experience in the waste management
Limited sector in China. DETAILS OF SERVICES: Solid Waste pre-collection door to door service; Street
Sweeping and Drain Cleaning; Liquid waste Collection and Haulage to disposal sites

55
Appendix 5:

From Seed to Table Project (FStT) Profile

The RUAF Programme “From Seed to Table” (FSTT, 2009-2010) “aims to
facilitate the development of sustainable urban farming systems and to
contribute to urban poverty alleviation and enhanced urban food security,
social inclusion and empowerment of urban disadvantaged groups in 18
partner cities around the world”. It builds on the results of the RUAF- Cities
Farming for the Future Programme (2005-2008) (RUAF, From Seed to Table,
http://www.ruaf.org/node/1970).

FSTT in Accra takes in Plant Pool, Dzorwulu, and Roman Ridge as pilot
areas. Farmer groups in the three sites will seek to improve the production
and marketing of vegetables by providing appropriate farming practices
training to the farmers, capacity building of local stakeholders, and
seeking new marketing channels including direct sale to restaurants and at
farmer kiosks (shops).

This programme is conducted by IWMI-RUAF, and implemented by

Enterprise Works, with the support from Accra Metropolitan Assembly-
Ministry of Food and Agriculture (AMA-MoFA), who facilitates the
collaboration within AWGUPA. Meanwhile, MoFA Extension Officer works
as daily contact with local famers as well as the farmers associations.
Representatives from all the above-mentioned actors (including farmer
representatives from each group) will have regular project meetings to
discuss project progress, and find solutions to new problems. Trainings on
appropriate farming practices are provided to the farmers through Urban
Producers Field Schools (UPFS).

Up till now, the three farmers groups have reached an agreement in their
joint business plan to produce a range of vegetables, and sell to hotels,
56
restaurants and at farmer kiosks. A first cycle of UPFSs on the production of
lettuce has already finished. In terms of new marketing channels, on one
hand, no clear progress has been achieved for direct sales to restaurants
and hotels; on the other hands, establishment of farmer kiosks goes
smoothly, and has attracted farmers’ great attention. . There are three
areas selected for the kiosks: Ministries Area (there’s already a shop there);
Identa (a residential area) and Medina (this isn’t finalized). Now they are
discussing on how to run the kiosks.

According to the field trip observation, there are also some shortcomings
that may reduce FSTT’s achievement. Due to the time constraint, this can
only be considered as preliminary observation, and to be more precise, it
deserves further analysis with more information and resources available.

(1) Too short time-scale: 2 year is not enough to realise the ambitious goals
of this program. For example, it takes time for farmers to understand and
adapt the sustainable farming practices (because of tradition, financial
capability, resources availability, etc). It also takes time for both farmers
and customers to get used to the farmers kiosks. Given longer time, there
would be more space for revision the output, as well as farmers’ reflections
on it.

(2) Evaluation of training output not sufficient enough: FSTT has three
cycles of UPFSs, which is a good cycling system to enhance the
achievement. However, there should be enough time space between each
cycle to make sufficient evaluation of training output, so that the next cycle
could be improved in advance.

(3) Projected increase of farmer's income. The programme predicted the

increase of farmers' income could be more than 15%. While only 30% of
the total products can be sold through the farmer kiosks, and the rest still
have to remain in the same route, it is hard to guarantee this increase, at
least within the 2-year programme period.

(4) Not enough collaboration between different FAs for larger production
scale. If be more competitive, UA products should be sold in larger scale.
Besides looking for new marketing channels for individual farmers, or
single FAs, it would be more competitive if make different FA working as a
whole to enlarge production scale.

(5) Lack of dissemination plan: FSTT is a good attempt for changing the
sustainable UA farming system, as well as mobilizing the farmers
throughout the value chain. It will be important to disseminate the success
to other sites in Accra. During the field trip, we haven't seen a clear
dissemination plan for it.

57
Appendix 6

Water Issues in Roman Ridge and Plant Pool

Although quite close to each other, water conditions for UA are quite
different in Roman Ridge and Plant Pool. Our research on water issues
focuses on input and production phases. We suggest a further research on
the rest phases for the 3rd year group. Hence the whole picture of water
issues can be discovered, when a feasible strategy on water specifically
fits in the political context and collaboration could be formed.

Irrigation in Roman Ridge

On the Roman Ridge site, there are two overarching issues regarding
water use. The first relates to the source of the water used for irrigation.
Farmers pump water from the stream that borders the southern edge of the
site. While this is beneficial in that it is a steady source of water, the quality
of the water is poor due to contamination from the surrounding
development and improper disposal of waste. Farmers understand the
market implications of using wastewater, as knowledge of wastewater use
during production negatively impacts consumer perceptions in the market.
These negative perceptions continue, despite changes in production
processes to mitigate bad side effects of wastewater use. Both Plant Pool
and Roman Ridge farmers pump water into stabilizing ponds prior to using
the water for irrigation. Water is left in the ponds for two to three days,
allowing sediment to settle while water lettuce, which grows in the ponds,
cleanses the water. Crops are then irrigated either with hoses or with
watering cans, the spouts of which are covered with netting to further clean
the water. Furthermore, numerous studies have shown that wastewater can
be used safely, and municipal policies have recently changed, making
such use legal.

58
Another overarching issue involves larger-scale water management on the
Roman Ridge site. The site is located on a floodplain, making it
undesirable for construction and providing a very informal form of
protection against development on most of the site. However, as
mentioned in the land section, there are current plans to line the drain near
the site, which would better manage the water and potentially open the
land for development.

Irrigation in Plant Pool

Farmers in Plant Pool use both pipe-bone water and drain water for
irrigation. Since land availability in Plant Pool is much more stable than that
of Roman Ridge, farmers succeeded in applying for pipe water system
from GWCL, and now about 70% of the total farming land in Plant Pool has
been equipped with irrigation pipe lines. The rest, most of whom own
farming beds close to a drain, uses wastewater from the drain for irrigation.
Generally speaking, farmers using pipe water for irrigation own the beds
far from the drain. Compared with the intensive time and labour
consumption of fetching water from the drain, they feel the water fees are
more affordable, and are willing to pay to sustain the pipe water supply.

However, compared with stream water in Roman Ridge, pipe-bone water is

not steady, especially in dry season, when all water supply will be cut off
by GWCL in the region. Since pipe-water is the only source for those
farmers, many of them will give up irrigation during the cut-off periods,
leaving vegetables dried or even die.

With comparatively clean water for irrigation, farmers in Plant Pool are
more confident about their vegetable quality. However, due to the overall
low perception of UA vegetables due to contaminated water supply in most
of the urban area, and that trader don’t differentiate vegetables in the
markets, it is difficult to see clear higher profit can be gained by using
pipe water irrigation for the Plant Pool farmers.

59
Appendix 7:

Application of Criteria
The following tables explain our analysis of the current situation at
Roman Ridge and Plant Pool using the criteria we developed from SUS.

Key
Strong Weak Insignificant

Plant Roman
Resource Criteria
Pool Ridge
C1: Microfinance and savings programs are
available and affordable for local farmers to
Economic invest in their production
C2: The market allows farmers to increase profits
from production

Economic:
From the information gathered from the farmers and other stake holders it
was observed that micro finance and savings programs are to some extent
available to the farmers but they are unable to access these finance easily
due to the high interest rates and short loan repayment period. In the case
of the savings programs, for most of the farmers, their investments are not
commensurate to the income they receive after the sale of the crops,
barely able to make enough profit from sale crops; they find it difficult to
save.

Plant Roman
Resource Criteria
Pool Ridge
C3: Using efficient and ecologically sound
physical inputs and controlling the use of hazard
substances. E.g. Nutrient rich compost with the
potentials of rejuvenating the soil.
Physical
C4: Improving the quality and accessibility of
infrastructure for farmers' and consumers'
convenience. E.g. transportation, marketing
space, waste disposal.

Physical:
Both sites are not sustainable in terms in the inputs added to the soil
because farmers in both the Pant Pool and Roman Ridge farm make use of
fertilizers and pesticides which are not ecologically sound, but the Plant
Pool site has been considered as performing weakly in this criterion
because the farmers at the Plant Pool site are more concerned about the
land and as such use little fertilizers and more of the compost gotten from

60
animal dropping to rejuvenate the soil. The Roman Ridge farmers, however,
with concerns of eviction, try to reap more from the land hence, use more
fertiliser and apply their animal dropping straight into the soil without
composting. The market women dominating the marketing channels and as
such, the farmers are not involved in the transportation and marketing of
the produce and as such fail to completely satisfy the physical criteria.

Plant Roman
Resource Criteria
Pool Ridge
C5: Enhancing the quality and preventing the
degradation of soil, water, and relevant natural
Natural resources
C6: Ensuring the accessibility and affordability of
land, water, and other natural resources

Natural:
As mentioned earlier, due to land tenure issues, the Roman Ridge farmers
have no access to piped water hence they resort to the use of wastewater
for irrigation. These farmers they do not pay a lot of attention to the
degradation of the soil and other natural resources, as they are mostly
interested in maximising their output from the land. The Roman Ridge
farmers failed to meet the natural resource criteria. The Plant Pool farm site,
however, are better able access and enhance the quality of natural
resources in the course of their farming practices mostly due to their
relatively secure land tenure.

Plant Roman
Resource Criteria
Pool Ridge
C7: Incorporating meaningful popular
knowledge in production
Socio- C8: Increased collaboration between farmers
Cultural and contact with external actors for information
C9: More training for farmers on new
sustainable farming techniques

Socio-Cultural:
The Plant Pool Farmers’ Association, although still young, has a strong
collaboration amongst members and external actors such as the MOFA and
other institutions. Through this channel, the farmers are able to access a
wealth of knowledge and aid from external actors to improve their
agricultural practices. The roman ridge farmers on the other hand, due to
weak collaboration amongst the farmers are limited in their ability to
access aid and knowledge from external actors. Despite the differences in
the ability to collaborate within the two sites, farmers in both sites are able
to incorporate popular knowledge gathered from different sources

61
including indigenous knowledge and knowledge from other farmers in
their agricultural practices.

Plant Roman
Resource Criteria
Pool Ridge
C10: Equal opportunities for all stakeholders to
participate in decision-making
C11: Institutions and associations are capable of
Institutional fulfilling their obligations in promoting
livelihoods for farmers and market maturity
C12: Institutions are working closely together to
mobilize resources and move forward

Institutional:
There is the potentials for collaborating to improve urban agriculture
practices in Accra but to some extent, the stakeholders, associations and
institutions are not on the same page as regards the importance of
sustainable urban agriculture to the city hence, stakeholders such as the
farmers do not receive equal opportunity to participate in decisions that
affect them. There are little evidences suggesting that these institutions
and associations are working closely to upgrade the agricultural system in
Accra.

62
Appendix 8:

Field Trip Information Database (A)

Interview Guide
The topic guide lists topics/possible questions to cover in the interview. The
interview should be unstructured and wording of questions and order in which
topics are covered is flexible, depending on issues that the interviewee raises.

Introduction

• Introduce interviewer
• Explain purpose of interview & how their views will be used & roughly how
long it will take
• If you want to use recorder, ask permission
• Explain about confidentiality and fact that everything discussed is anonymous
(check with Sowah if necessary?)
• Any questions?

1. Background

• Farmer’s age, gender and tribe/ethnicity/language/nationality/ level of

education (if considered relevant)
• Brief background on how he/she became farmer/how long/family
connections
• Do they have any other livelihoods, how many hours
• Where do they live
• About FA:
o If a member:
o What are benefits to join?
o Do you need to pay to be a member?
o Do you know anyone who is not a member?
o Are you satisfied with them?
o Is it more useful or better to combine the 3 FAs together (PP, D, RR)
o If not member:
o Why don’t you want to join in?
o Can women join it?
o What do you thing FA should be
• Possibility to ask them to pinpoint their plots on a map
• Annual income: a range (need to check with Sowah about the normal range );
% from farming
• Time spent on farming daily/weekly

2. Previous/current farming practices

• What crops, vegetables, herbs do you currently grow

• Why are they growing these products (PROMPT)
o Consumer demand strong
o Good prices
o Easy to grow

63
 o Quick to grow
o Other reasons
• Are they growing exotic or indigenous vegetables
o Why
o Which vegetables require more water/fertiliser
• Do they think this is good for the soil
• If not, would they consider changing crops to improve the soil
• Have they changed the types of crops they’ve grown over the years
o If so, in what ways and why
o Have the changes been successful (PROMPT)
 Make more money
 Greater quantity produce
 Better quality produce
 More reliable yields
 Other reasons
• If changes haven’t been successful, why (ANY BARRIERS)
• Have they collaborated with external actors to help improve their
farm
o Which organisations and how
o How successful has this been and what were the results
o Who would they like to work with
o How much do they communicate and collaborate with farmers from
the other two sites? What form does that communication usually
take?
o Do you receive any financial support? (TRYING TO GET AT INFO
REGARDING LOANS, ETC)

3. Land issues

• Who owns the land

• What is the land tenure situation, any recognition from owner
• How did you get a plot here?
• Any contact with owners
• How do they feel about this situation
• How can the situation be improved (PROMPT)
o More formal recognition – lease (how long)
o Memorandum of understanding
o Purchase land
o Anything else

• How does the low tenure effect their farming practices

o Can they plan for the long term
o Does it prevent them from growing certain crops, using compost
instead of fertiliser, protecting soil

• What is the quality of soil in your plots

o Are they concerned about degradation
o What is causing it
o How can it be stopped
 Greater collaboration
• Who with, who can help them, what expertise do they
need (assembly rep, composting expert, mofa )
• Has collaboration helped in the past?

64
 • Could they work with other farmers more
 Sharing new ideas/knowledge
• Who with, who can help them, what expertise do they
need
o Would greater tenure lead to more sustainable long term practices

4. Water issues:
• Water sources
o Where to get the water?
o When to irrigate the vegetables?
o For those who use pipe water:
 Is it allowed to use pipe water? Are there any troubles from the
local officer?
 Water quantity: seasonal differences
 Water quality: clean or not?
 Who maintain the pipe lines and the storage ponds?
 How much do they pay for the water? How to pay it? Is it
affordable?
 Additional profit for using the pipe water? (price higher)
o For those who only use drain water:
 Do they want to have pipe water? Why?
 Do they have any time even without waste water to use in dry
season?
• Irrigation methods:
 Pipes or watering cans? Or both?
 How do they share the pump?
• Health concerns (especially for those use the drain water):
 Do they know it is not healthy?
 Any protection? Who provide the protecting materials, like
boots?
 Any people tell you about it, FA or local officer?

5. Waste issues:
• Composting
 Do they use fertilizer or compost? % of each? Which is more
expensive? What’s the price difference? Which do they use more?
 For those who use chemical fertilizers, why use fertilizer?
 Are you aware of the effects of chemical fertilizers to health and
to the land?
 Is it convenient to do the composting by yourself?
 Where is the waste from? Anyone collect it for them?
 Where do they get the waste for composting?
 How much would you like to pay for composting?
 Would you like to have livestock farming close by for compost?
• Waste collection
 If they live around, do they have waste collection services?

6. Market and customers

• Who are the customers for your produce

o Does mofa buy produce at floor price
• Do you have contact with them

65
 o In what ways
o Any feedback on produce
o Demand for new products
o How can them improve communication with customers

• Do they have any regular, loyal customers

o If so, why do they keep coming back?
• Have they had training on how to market produce
• In what ways
• How do they feel their marketing skills could improve, any new skills
they’d like to develop
• Do they provide anything different to other farms (PROMPT)
o Types of vegetables
o Farming processes/best practices
o Quality or price
• Vegetable box – last year’s group suggestion
• Farmers booth
• Initiatives with Enterprise Works, others

• Can they target new customers

o Restaurants
o Hotels
o Farmers markets

7. Gender Issues:
• Are there any female farmers in the site?
• Why do you think women are not interested in participating in the UA
production process?
• What do you think of woman as FA leaders?

66
 Field Trip Information Database (B)
Information from Organisations

1. About UA in General

Sub-Metro
Recommends that the farmers are given silos where they can keep their
crops to reduce post-harvest losses

EPA
Concerns about different environmental issues have increased. Although
there are issues with awareness creation, this needs to be continued.

Even if they receive complaints, they can’t stop the vegetable farming.
They can only really stop the animal farmers because they’re in the
residential area and there may not be enough room. On a larger scale, yes,
they’ve worked to support UA, but not on a smaller scale (so also, not
urban/peri-urban). Florence made a recommendation to AWGUPA that
EPA monitor urban and peri-urban agriculture. Florence’s Report: EPA
shouldn’t stop livestock production. Should look more specifically at the
complaints (ex. If the people don’t like where they’re dumping the cow
manure, maybe it can be dumped somewhere else).

What could EPA do to support UA? Could propose EPA come up with
guidelines on U/PA operational practices if it becomes a critical issue. Ex.
If they have a lot of complaints…if there is a public outcry…. (but that could
also be used to push out the farmers from urban area)

Planning and Coordinating Unit/Mayor

Purpose of ag in farming…to produce food. Pushing out both the markets
and the production.

2. About Future of UA

AWGUPA
Next stop in terms of policy? What do they want to advocate now? (long-
term vision). They have started go outside of Accra to look at other sites.
IWMI has had a sort of training workshop in order to sort of showcase what
they’ve been working on and they plan on continuing with this, to follow up
on this. They’re also trying to link up with the current minister to bring up
before the cabinet these issues.

Planning and Coordinating Unit/Mayor

67
The city of Accra will depend more on the food produced in the hinterlands.
Accra has adjoining districts, they produce food. They have more of the
land
For ag, have Ga East, Ga West, and Ashaiman to think about relocating ag
activities. Going to collaborate with assemblies there, getting land from
the stools.

3. About Land

AWGUPA
Latest Land Use Mapping in AMA seems many fields have disappeared
very quickly, so perhaps we can contribute in terms of comparing land
maps from now and before to show where land has been encroached (land
tenure is simple but complex…most land is owned by stools, institutions,
and another. Most open spaces aren’t specific for agriculture. The land is
zoned but they don’t have the ability to enforce the zoning). In another
week they should have new maps, but those are to show the spaces still
available for farming…but it’s only for some sites? They currently don’t
have a map of public lands.

MoFA
Land for UA is shrinking, particularly over the last 30 years, due to an
increase in land prices and developers. “This comes about because the
government doesn’t own or control land” (Amaruk). Land issues must be
addressed through policy. Amaruk sent a letter to the Metropolitan
Assembly The government wants help in identifying land to be put into
trust. Formally register the land with them, then can use this land for UA.
Regarding funding to develop a “land bank,” they don’t know about funds
yet, but AMA has bought some land for markets. MoFA doesn’t do
advocacy work in terms of land tenure. MoFA had advocated for Dzorwulu
and Plant but it didn’t really help, as the VRA CEO wouldn’t listen.

SubMetro
Farming activities “could cause erosion” – James Ughoka.
UA is only in fallow lands. Regarding the UA farmers, “We cannot do away
with them…but advise them to go to the outskirts…it is inevitable for
farmers to get evicted” – James Ughoka. Land prices are increasing a lot.

EPA
They only permit farming that is over 40 hectares or if it effects the
resettling of over 25 families. They have worked with MoFA in order to
check the pesticide use and fertilizer use. EPA doesn’t monitor soil quality
within the urban area.
Environmental Impact Assessment? Need to get a permit in order to do
construction, etc. If they give a permit, the permit comes with a set of
conditions (ex. Water runoff, etc)

68
Planning and Coordinating Unit/Mayor of Accra
They’ve been looking for some vacant lands to build schools, as well as
gathering additional funds for building schools and providing tuition for
kids. Doesn’t think there’s really any vacant lands in Accra. Emphasized
the temporary nature of farming.
Because we know we don’t have enough land for UA, want to take
advantage of abilities of other districts (ex. Ga West) (also for other issues
such as waste management, housing, agriculture). The newly acquired
land is for farming but if landowners want to build then the farmers can get
pushed out. (Essentially pushing the farmers out further and further).
Public land is probably about 25-30% of the land in AMA. Green Belt
policy: The green belt idea was promoted about 15-20 years go but it has
been encroached upon. Previous government had sold lands that should
have gone to the. The stools have sold almost all their land.

AMA WMD
Even problems when the land is set aside for UA (example: constructing
stuff durig the night).

Zoomlion
ZoomLion has acquired lands in all the regions for commercial farming
using compost. Also beautification and landscaping

Town and Country Planning

General: Town and Country Planning develops the agenda for land use
planning and issues permits for development in the city. They don’t deal
with land ownership (that’s the Lands Commission). They regulate private
land.

Public vs Private Land: 80% of land is private. However, when land

becomes government land, the land because the property of the specific
department.

Land Use: When the land stays empty for a couple of years, it is taken to
understand that the land has been left, and there is encroachment. Until
the central government “releases” the land, they can’t change the zoning.

Land Administration Project: Trying to coordinate work; Intention to bring

all land-related agencies under 1 umbrella. Trying to provide a better
system for the transfer, documentation, and mapping of lands. Ministry of
Lands under new body called Lands Commission. Anticipated to take 25
years total, it’s currently at the design level, which will end this year.

Land Use Project: Town Planning will coordinate this, it will essentially
focus on how to improve Town Planning; Anticipated to take 25 years total.
It’s currently at the design level, which will end this year.

69
Drain Construction and Floodplain: The only interruptions to the farmers
will be during the construction of the drain, which will be done by Hydro
Services. They’ll probably be given compensation during the construction
if the farmers are well organized. The construction will “rescue” that land
from being a floodplain (ie marginalized land) so they need to be well-
organized.

Registering the Land and Getting Recognized: As of now, the farmers

haven’t registered any interest in the land. Road to getting recognition (on
the condition that it’s all government land). Get organized (form Farmer’s
Association). Register with Town and Country Planning for that area to be
specifically designated.

Apply for a license from Lands Commission: Need to ask for a secure
designation. Check with the executive secretary of the Lands Commission,
he’s done work with urban livelihoods – check with him to see what he can
do. Once it’s gone back to the stool, it’s difficult. This only really works if
they’re well-organized…they must be able to provide pressure if
necessary. Mechanics/auto repairmen have succeeded in doing this sort of
thing in Iron City – they are the spare parts dealers. If they could acquire it,
pay a token amount, and then register it, that would be the “road to
security”. Lands that aren’t being used are returned to the stool. As of now,
only the government can give title on those lands, then rights should be
protected. To apply, have a site plan, then attach a letter saying what you
want to use it for, apply. (Make the request to the committee. For example,
Dzorwulu would need to ask Hydro Services). Need to ensure that
citizens/residents are behind it as well cuz they’ll ask the citizens how they
feel – they do both institutional and community inquiries. The approval
processes taken between 1 and 3 months. To do a site plan, go to the
survey department and buy a town sheet. Then map out the area they’re
talking about.

There is a concern that farmers are just look for land for free. (Adriana
pointed out that the farmers we’re referring to are marginalized farmers
without much capacity to pay).

Green Belt: Previous plans to establish a Green Belt hasn’t worked at all

Enforcement: Of encroachment is the responsibility of the Works

Department of Assemblies. However, they are weak.

Misc.: No areas of land currently registered/zoned for U/PA.

Open/marginal land or open/designated use but not in current activity.
This land can be used until the intended use comes in and starts to use it.
The new study will recategorize the land, maybe UA won’t be categorized
in Accra but maybe in other areas. The new study should involve
traditional authorities – it is also important to involve land owners.

4. About Market (and FSTT)

70
MoFA
The idea is to create three outlets so people can buy from shops the
farmers supply directly. Three shops at three strategic locations in Accra.
They’re considering gender issues, encouraging women and youth to get
involved in marketing (looking for active women involvement). They took
them through capacity building as far as marketing goes.

Philip – strategy to bring both poor and better-off farmers together to work
as one body/collaborate. Most of the farmers operate at the same level.
This pilot project is in Plant Pool, Dzorwulu, and Roman Ridge. It’s ending
in 2010, the shops will be in operation before this year ends. There are
three areas: Ministries Area (there’s already a shop there); Identa – a
residential area; Medina ? – this isn’t finalized.

Farmers don’t usually do the marketing directly. Usually they wait, leaving
the vegetables in the field, for the traders to come and the traders pay the
set price they’re willing to give, pricing some better according to quality
and sorting the bad ones out. (The bad ones get fed to animals).

Planning and Coordinating Unit/Mayor

Want to create marketing points? So people sell their food.
About 29 different markets in AMA.

IWMI (Lika)
In many instances the farmers aren’t willing to sell to consumers
directly…If want to develop the idea of different type of farming, then
access might be an issue.

Enterprises Work Ghana (Now called Relief International)

EW now is implementing “From Seed to Table” in Accra (FStT). FStT takes
the value chain concept to innovate the farming system in Accra and trying
to develop new market channels (selling directly to restaurant & hotel, or
establish new chain with shops) for the farmers to replace the old one.

Process includes: pre-production: land preparation (access to adequate

land); Production: water for irrigation, as well as irrigation practice; Post-
production: storage; Market: reliable market (main issues).

AWGUPA helps farmers to have micro finance. If registered as members,

all can have credit.

This is a actually a learning process for all of the partners. Many

stakeholders involved to solving the challenges. E.g. in the project, a
difficulty is how to get the space for the shop. AMA was involved and gave
authorization for the farmers shop to get a site.

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Criteria for site selection: Target group: some consumers in mind when
designing the project, who wants to the farmers to supply vegetables
directly. There are two sites secured already, one is in middle class areas,
and the other in ministry areas.

Market: polluted water for irrigation has lead to bad reputation, now the
project is trying to solve the problem.

Meeting of From Seed to Food Project (RUAF-FStT)

Attendees: Enterprises Work, MoFA, IWMI, Farmers representatives
(including two ladies from Dzorwulu) from PP, RR, D)

FStT in Accra has been implemented since 2009, and its innovation project
aims to help farmers from seeding to harvesting. The first phase has
finished, the second phase is going to start with setting up 3 shops in the 3
site (kind of mobile structure paid by the project). Now they have two
shops ready on site and the first shop is planned to be start in the end of
May. Farmers could sell their vegetables through these shops. Before
selling, all vegetables will be washed, sorted and packed by salespersons
before selling in the shop.

Some difficulties: 1, how to choose the site for the farmer (people own the
land want to manage the shop); 2, who and how to manage the shop that
could be trusted by all the farmers.

Today they discussed mainly about how to management the shop within
the farmers groups, and try to make a guideline for management.

The shop is called "CitiVeg", with the following structure suggested:

CitiVeg (owned by the

farmers, CitiVeg D, CitiVeg)

Marketing Team (hired by farmers’ Team leaders, Sales

groups, do cleaning, sorting, etc.) officers (all come from the
farmers)

Another management structure was also suggested as following:

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 Farmers Group (Executives)

2-3, responsibilities: supervision,

records on produce and sales,
Marketing Team coordination of demand and supply,
reimbursements, general management
of kiocks.

1-2, responsibilities: deliver, sales,

Salespersons record keeping, requests/demand,
sanitation (waste and washing), etc.

Problem: selling by weight or by pack?

They also discussed the criteria of marketing team: Registered member of

FStT project; Regular member of the general association; Pays group and
membership regularly; Honest, transparent; Ability to read and write or be
able to keep record; Shareholder of the group cooperative; Basic
knowledge of marketing; Gander balance

And criteria discussed for salespersons (we left for hotel at this point):
Very beautiful;
Elegant; Basic skills in sales management; Good network with prospective
buyers.

Agbogbloshie Market Association

About the association: Criteria of membership: sell the executive products;
register with the association (5cd) and pay monthly fee (1cd). Benefit for
members: get financial support if any unexpected things happen; help
each other (such as illness); donation to help member; protect marketers’
interest in getting support from AMA and institutions. There is a regional
marketers association-----the director is the queen of market
About the marketers and farmers: The marketers don't fix a profit of
vegetables, but choose the most profit vegetables according to season and
market force. The association will let marketers know if there are some
farming area selling products at a high price and try to help marketer to
get more profit. The price is not fixed even for loyal supplier, since
seasons and situation do change. The farmers need to know information
about the market price in order to decide what they grow and how much
they charge. The price for farmers also depends on supply and demand
side (if there is only one farmer planting this vegetable, he can decide the
price). When market women refuse to pay for the vegetables and the
farmer complain to the market association, the market association will find
the women and ask her to pay.
Profit: The price of 1 bed of cabbage is 100 CD, the cost of buying from
farmers is 8 CD. Transportation cost does affect the profit and the price of
product -----price is different in different market and from different farming
area.
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Package the products: There are women buy from the market then wash
and pack it to sell at a high price in supermarket. The customers of these
supermarket are elites and high-income customers.
Storage: Storage is another big problem. Then vegetables good bad they
have to sell them to the poultry farmers to feed animals.
For UA: The water of UA is being criticized. The competition for land is
high. The consumers complained about water quality, fertilizer they use, so
the marketers also prefer rural products. There used to be GTV news
about vegetable safety in Accra UA.
Rural agriculture is preferred as it gets all the resources for products, the
resources are of good quality (cleaner water, rich soil, large land). There
are specific products produced mainly in UA such as lettuce. Cabbage in
the rural area is big green and looks fresh because of the soil quality. If
quality of UA is good, the marketers will buy it. However, some executive
member mentioned that even quality is good they prefer rural since UA is
of small-scale which is not in favour of the wholesalers. Most marketers of
that market don’t deal with UA. They think that UA should stop as
customers don’t like UA, resource for UA is poor, cost of production is high.

5. About Waste

MoFA
There are currently no partnerships regarding waste-related stakeholders,
they rely on the private sector. They’re encouraging farmers to compost on
the farmer level. “Typical farmer would prefer to use compost instead of
chemical fertilizers”. Subsidizing Voucher Program: If there was a
composting system in place, ok, could develop a voucher system for
compost.

SubMetro
Waste management: contracts with ZoomLion, MoHaas Waste, Yama Waste.
Yama is assigned to Dzorwulu. In Dzorwulu they do both central and door-
to-door collections. As Dzorwulu and Roman Ridge are both privileged
areas and they both have door to door collection. They’re not yet doing
recycling, as waste is not separated. When taken to the landfill, after a time
the land is covered over with sand so it can be rehabilitated.

Teshie Plant: Not in this SubMetro. It’s going to be transformed. ZoomLion

is good at managing liquid waste, more is being handled by the head
office

AMA WMD
Composting: Recognizing that composting is “obvious solution”. Can be
difficult to get people to agree to give the land for waste (lower land
value…). Also, location considerations – example, if far away from where
waste is generated, then the waste becomes more expensive due to

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transportation issues. Composting is particularly good for clay soils.
Raising the pH value of acidic soils. Decreases the erosion of soils. Must be
very careful to consider the costs of composting.

Teshie: Input capacity = 25 pounds per hour. Teshie was for both liquid
and solid. Mixed with sawdust then added to organic refuse. Sewage
sludge doesn’t generate a high temperature (but refuse does). So to be
sure the compost doesn’t get too hot, they mix both. Last year 1 July the
plant was moved away, people didn’t like it, moved out of the city. Now
the sewage is dumped directly to the sea, untreated “that is the only option
we have.” Now they filter out the gases produced and they pump in
oxygen. Any material that comes to the composting site must be weighed,
then sorted. The inorganic is collected in a container and sent to a landfill
site. The size makes a difference for decomposition. For community
based projects, use human labor because otherwise too expensive.
Monitor the moisture content and the temperature because otherwise the
material becomes very offensive. Sandy soils, clay soils, mixed soils, all
have different amounts of compost too be used. The weight of a tomato
when using composting is higher than cow manure, than the control.

Constraints and Challenges: City authorities want to get the waste out of
the communities. Financial constraints. Political interference (Assembly
members must approve the use of funds??). Population increase (rural to
urban migration)

Collection Responsibility: AMA collected but now contractors do that.

They have communal containers placed in the community. Also bins. The
communal containers collect about 70% (that’s where the state pays a lot of
money because doesn’t know who’s dumping there but need to pay for
that). But planning next year to implement so polluters must pay. So you
pay for dumping costs (the community still dumps in the collection
containers and at the landfill they pay. State pays 450,000 GH Cedis for the
three disposal sites each month. Question about illegal dumping due to
polluter pays (Assembly members are involved, educational programs
involved).
How were fees decided?Proposal brought by WMD, sent to Assembly for
debate, a unit was decided on. There is a size of container that is uniform
everywhere, no contractor will charge special fees (unless the bins are
bigger).

Monitoring the Activities of Contractors: Each district has a

coordinator…each day the sites are checked and they receive the report.
If the site isn’t taken care of properly WMD contacts them about it. If the
contractor’s truck is down, they ask another contractor to go and collect
it…otherwise WMD will do it themselves. Other than that, they know the
average ton they receive from each site. WMD has an officer at the landfill
site who monitors what is dumped. Checking the contractors at random.
Also checking the contractor’s records.

75
Composting Plant: When you compost the waste, two sources. When
you’re taking the compost a far distance they take it in a truck. Small
farmers bring sacks to the plant and fill and then take back with their
transportation. If they need help WMD will help them take it back (but for
a fee, which is determined by how far it has to go). The composting plant
has been closed down. There are a lot of NGOs who wanted the waste to
be separated at the households with the organic portion to be composted.
So they’re starting another project, none of which have started yet. The
projects are community-based composting systems. Non seem to be
located in Dzorwulu community. What have been the criteria with regards
to determining sites? Answer: Looking at where they can get the land.
They want the size to be 40 feet by 60 feet. It’s very difficult to get the land
in Accra. And it should be near a public toilet. Because otherwise you
probably need to build a toilet and washroom in, which is another cost.
Also want to have a bypass center so you can also bring the plastic
materials in.

Chemical Fertilizers v Composting: Started composting in the 80s, when

they produced it it wasn’t mature enough, and they didn’t have enough
water so when they put it on the fields and added the water the
decomposition started, which started to attack the plants. So water is also
an issue. So they also started incorporating the sewage sludge into the
composting.

ZoomLion
Both solid and liquid waste. Solid waste – door to door collection,
communal container collection. SIP=Sanitation Improvement Package.
Generation waste is 0.6 kg per capita per day (estimate the population of
Accra to be 6 million). They also do grass cutting and landscaping.

In Accra no sites designated for landfill as the sites that had been
designated have been encroached upon. In the future they have plans to
go into waste with energy. Bulk market and cash market (cash market is a
small volume of the market…ex. Landscaping, home use, etc). ZoomLion is
In the process of having a composting site put up (a village on the way to
the Ashanti region)

A subsidiary of ZoomLion which undertakes landscaping, beautification of

parks, gardens, and horticultural activities in the cities…the ZoomLion
compost will be used for these projects.

Challenges: Transportation – still struggling with where to get the waste,

because where they’re putting the site is far from where the waste is
generated. Transportation also makes it more expensive. They’re
working with other waste management companies. Willingness of farmers
to accept/pay for the use of compost. Packaging of compost also can be

76
difficult to separate the sand that is collected during waste collection (ex.
From sweeping streets)

Way Forward: Must consider using liquid waste (ex. Generating waste).
Government must also pay subsidies and incentives to encourage
composting. The Greening Ghana project must make use of compost.

Teshie: Closure of the plant was directly related to the encroachment. The
people who encroached actually took AMA to court saying to close down
the plant. Politicians ran an election on closing the plants.

ZoomLion Contract With State: The contract says they have to take all the
garbage from that zone. There is not a limit to the amount of garbage they
collect. The contractors bid for the areas to collect. The communal bins are
not part of the zoning. ZoomLion provides the containers. Current
contract…um, was apparently not signed. The duration of contracts is
apparently about 3 years.

Polluter Pays Project: Introduced by ZoomLion. Per headload is like 10

Ghanaian cents. (Headload that a child can take…about a backpack’s
worth) But this has yet to take effect. Connecting the Plants with Contract,
Community Collection, etc. CHF (an NGO) with a community-based
project (for four years). This speaker does not agree with it because it is
short-term.

Composting: Two systems to consider: mini-composting plants and larger-

scale projects.

Responsibility for Collecting Waste: Answer: Depends on who has

responsibility to collect in that area. Illegal dumping. But ZoomLion has a
broad base. They didn’t really answer the question about ZoomLion in the
Dzorwulu community (v Yama). ZoomLion guy – before they came into the
picture, things were really bad. So things are better, but still need work.
Working on international collaboration, etc.

Separating the Waste at Source: Very difficult to do that. But started clubs
at schools to teach kids (ZoomKids?) about such things.

Collaboration: Regarding capacity building for governmental

agencies…ZoomLine helps government to develop capacity, collaborates
a lot with academic institutions.

Other: Apparently there’s a subsidy for ZoomLion to be doing the CSR stuff?

Planning and Coordinating Unit/Mayor

The shops are implemented between IWMI and MoFA and another
stakeholder. Planning on building recycling plant to generate energy.

6. About Water
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MoFA
Using potable water for urban ag isn’t the issue – affordability is the key
issue. However, potable water isn’t available. MoFA didn’t know submetro
was saying you can’t use the tap water

SubMetro
Says the water is fine, “adequate water”. Farmers are advised to use the
water in drains. Don’t allow them to use household water. Don’t use drain
water
Can use tap water, borehole. The main water supply is from Pao. It had
been tampered with awhile ago by farmers wanting to use the water for
farming.
The farmers should use non-treated water

EPA
Using wastewater to water vegetables (EPA comes from a food safety
perspective)
So in that situation, they would monitor the quality of the water. They do
work with MoFA when it comes to say if the water quality is bad. Water for
farming, EPA doesn’t do any analysis. Water Resources Commission is in
charge of monitoring water quality (for surface and groundwater). Water
Resource Institute also does the monitoring of water (an independent
institution within the Council for National Science Research). But if there’s
an accident (ex. Cyanide spill) EPA gets involved.

Meeting with GIDA:

Ghana Agriculture and Irrigation Policy (just some parts that may be
relevant to us): Depends on the economic policies. (1)Medium term policy
(1991-2000). In region with reliable rainfall, they will focus on rain-fed
agriculture; in region with unreliable rainfall, they will focus on low-cost
supplement irrigation, and now they are introducing cost recovery sheme.
(2) Long term (SDEPI): improvement of infrastructure (this is one of their
national development strategies.). National Irrigation policy includes
supporting water for food security policy. Problems: low agriculture
productivity, slow rate of growth, constrained by socio-economic
development, etc.

Policy objectives includes responsible production (env. awareness), as

well as enhancement of cost efficiency and demand driven irrigation
services. Policy goal: sustainable growth. Policy target: national food
security, benefit to the economic as whole. Policy structure: (1) informal
(smallholder) irrigation; (2) Formal irrigation; (3) large scale commercial
irrigation. Guiding principles: awareness, sanitation, to create demand
driven policy. Policy path: alternatives to formal irrigation: small/micro-
scale irrigation and drainage skemes (benefit to 16,380 communities with 5
year in 10 regions).

78
How to plan to deal with area with land tenure problems?
It is a trouble in PUA areas. There is little the government can do because it
is waste land. IWMI has done a lot of test on water quality.

Constraints to irrigation policies of what kind of water can be used by

irrigation?
Pipe water is not recommended (or illegal) especially during the water
shortage, when priorities should first go to more important sectors. They
are trying to enhance pipe raw water from outside city into Accra to
irrigate crops.

Sustainable irrigation system? Ghana is not at that level of water scarcity.

They tried springer irrigation and drip irrigation, but the latter does not
catch up well because the filters have to be replaced regularly. Now they
are thinking about re-introduce drip irrigation to deal with water shortage.
However, it’s affordability and profit is an important constraint ($10,000
per hector).

Some other issues in a chat after the meeting: Water tariff is different
according to region, and collecting is a problem because sometimes
farmers don’t pay. Sometimes they use farmers’ association to collection,
or offer discount to farmers if they pay on time. However, there is no good
function to ensure they pay the money.

GIDA is looking for water saving devices. There is no water severe scarcity
outside, but in Acrra, there is water shortage. When short of water, the
water company doesn’t raise the tariff.

Hydro company is responsible to monitoring the stream, amount. Quality is

monitored by IWMI. EPA for illegal discharge and situation is OK. They are
cooperating well.

GIDA is not in charge of purifying water, IWMI with Water Resources

Commission in charge of that.

7. About Finances for UA

MoFA
AWGUPA saw loans/credit assistance were a problem…farmers were
reluctant to repay loans. MoFA is currently not providing funds – just
looking at options, partnerships with banks, etc

SubMetro
Once farmers are organized it’s easy for them to get microcredit.

Planning and Coordinating Unit/Mayor

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The social investment fund is open for anyone involved in any economic
activity. The conditions are the same as the normal banking system. But
must be able to pay the interest rate

8. About Low-Income Farmers (and Other People)

MoFA
Other agencies provide complementary services and low-income people
are supposed to work with the other agencies.

Planning and Coordinating Unit/Mayor

Accra has been adopted as a Millennium City. To forge partnerships that
would enable development/achievement of Millennium Development
Goals. Main areas they want to intervene: Deprived areas (we asked for
the poverty map). They don’t define Old Fadama as a slum. Squatter
settlements aren’t slums. For Old Fadama. Relocating to Ga West? They
also want to relocate the wholesale markets. Ga West is a new district.
Percentage of people who live in poverty in AMA (extreme poverty 5%,
poverty 10%) using the poverty line. Agriculture hasn’t featured too much
in the Millennium City program.

Urban Poverty Reduction Project (currently in phase 3). That project is a

national project, implemented in 12 cities, one of which is Accra. There are
four components. 1) Building capacity for building urban management. 2)
Development of small-scale enterprises. 3) Development of physical
projects (Construction of health/education facilities) 4) Social inclusion
transfer (targeting extreme poverty, given both cash and non-cash
assistance) Social Investment Fund will give about 75% of budget for first
year. But it’s not moving as fast as they want. Local project implementation
agency

Interventions for the Poorest of the Poor: Livelihood Empowerment Against

Poverty (LEAP) – a social protection program to identify very poor people
in communities, are given a small amount of land to meet their basic needs.
It’s being implemented by the Social Welfare Department. The rent was
8GHC then increased to 15 GHC)

8. Youth in UA

SubMetro
Provide training for people 18 and over without a secondary education for
employment in animal husbandry.

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 Field Trip Information Database (C)
Transact Walk

Roman Ridge
Background
• There are 35 farmers in this site and it has a combination of young
and elderly farmers
• The farmers have worked in the farm for over 40yrs
• There is knowledge sharing amongst the farmers
• The farmers are aware that the use of fertilizer is harmful to the
health
Land
• The land belongs to the government but a portion of it belongs to
the plans commission and the other part belongs to the railway
commission ie those close to the railway
• The farmers do not have any formal recognition but the owners of
the land are aware that agricultural activities are taking place in the
sites. The secretary of the association believes that farmers are not
recognized and as such, the chances of getting land tenure are
limited.
• They are asked to carry out their activities 20 feet away so they
would not be affected by planned engineering works
Waste
• They know that soil degradation is contributed by chemical fertilizer.
• The pastoralists are already buying food waste from market women
and as such, the composting of kitchen waste is not very feasible and
demands high labour input and on the other hand, animal manure is
cheaper
• They use ash to fertilize sometime. They know that a combination of
fertilizer and composting can improve production and reduce
chemical fertilizer use (they have beds to test combination of
different alternatives of fertilizer and different combination of
fertilizer)
• It is difficult to get mammal drop sometimes
Water
• Some of the farmers believe that waste water is good for plants
• The farmers have ponds where they store water and some of them
plant water lettuce in the pond to ensure that the pathogens in the
water get settled
• They are using river water as main source of irrigation. In dry
season they may use drain water. Water is a problem as some land
is destroyed due to water shortage.
• They use ponds to clean river water but some use river water
directly. When water is contaminated they don’t use until it get
cleaner.
FA/collaboration/institution

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 • They share information, such as technology to improve production,
with other community but not meet them

Plant Pool
Background
• 30, all men, each with individual bed about 1 or 2 aces;
• They grow cucumber, otro, spring onion, white radish(not native),
Chinese cabbage(not native), cauliflower, spinach, pepper, beans,
carrot, etc. We could see some intercropping on site (pepper with
Chinese cabbage). Farmers prefer to grow foreign vegetables. The
crops planted are influenced by demand.
• They have been working for long time. Some family and friends also
work here.
• Harvest in the last year was not good due to the sun.
• Some have second job.
• They get support from family during harvest or busy time but not
much
Water
• Those close to the pipes use pipe water. GWCL supplies pipe water
to FA here, about 70% coverage (same quality as domestic water),
farmers use pond to keep the water on site. The group pay together
with a collective tariff; it can be used regularly, but some time in dry
season without frequent water supply, and they will use drain water
instead.
• One the other side of the farming land, farmers who close to the
drain mainly use the wastewater. In dry season, farmers on the other
side pump water from the drain to their beds.
• We see the water tank besides the livestock area. They do not use it
for irrigation, but for livestock (salty water)
• No problem with water as they are using both tape water and other
sources of water.
• 80 to 90 ponds in total. Everyone has 2 to 3 ponds
• Pipe water with 70% reliable coverage. They pump water from the
drain then use watering can to irrigate (not into soil but on plants)
• They know it is dangerous to use polluted water for irrigation, and
will protect themselves and apply the waste water to the root instead
of the leaves, but face difficulties to improve (salty ground water, no
money). We can see on site, farmers fetch water without protection,
and water the vegetables simply. They also use some non-treatment
measure, like sand bags (filtering the water with seeve before use),
cover the pipe to protect the water.
Waste
• We see poultry manure, spray pesticides;
• We see the Plant Pool Company next to the site, but now it belongs
to Zoomlion. Zoomlion is burning waste.
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 • No one has livestock. They buy cow dropping and poultry, but not
pig staff since they are Muslims.
• They use poultry manure for composting, and try to avoid chemical
fertilizers. They have integrated pest control.
• They do composting on site by collecting manual drops all by
themselves
Land
• VRA provides the land to them with an informal agreement. No legal
contract. They can get from or give their land to their relatives. It is
challenging. When they come to the portion they weed belongs to
them.
Market
• Market route ： market, some to retailer, also individuals from
communities
• FA/collaboration/institution
• They sent their concerns to AGWUPA. The farmers collaborate with
Mofa, Enerprise Work.

Dzorwulu
Waste/manure
• The farmers use mostly buy poultry and other animal droppings for
compost which is prepared for their own consumption on site.
• The farmers cannot sell compost because there is no market for it
• They do not also buy due to the cost but complain that composting is
tedious and demands labor and as such, they would organizations
like enterprise works t prepare compost and sell to them at a
reduced price.
• They Water
• To reduce fatigue, some of the farmers use pipes to pump water
from the river and those who cannot afford this system use watering
cans.
Land
• Some of the farmers inherited the land from parents, etc., been here
for 40 years.
• No agreement for the land, but they are thinking of formalizing land
agreements so that they can be fully protected.
• there is an increase in farmers and all areas of the farm are now
being cultivated
• They grow native African vegetable such as maize and foreign crops
such as lettuce, radish, Chinese cabbage, parsley, coriander and
bay leaf.
• use a combination of compost and chemical fertilizer for the soil
• market
• They sell the vegetables to retailers from the central market who
inturn sell their vegetable to other retailers. Members of the
surrounding communities also purchase vegetables from the

83
 farmers.
• The farmers educate the consumers to wash the vegetables before
consumption and the media also helps create awareness on the
issue.
• Due to media exposure of wastewater irrigation in Dzorwulu, people
used to talk about it. The reputation does have some impact on price
and marketing when they sell to traders and other customers.
However, there is not so much concern on this now. So the farmers’
worries about reputation was fifty-fifty. Raising reputation is one of
the incentives for farmers to adopt technologies. They also said that
if the customers know how to wash vegetables (using vinegar) and
cook, there will be no health risks. ‘No clean vegetables unless you
make it clean’
Water
• Water lettuce/duck weed is used to purify water and the leaves are
then feed to the animals
• Water is a problem as authority are not happy to let farmers use
domestic water. They are using some facilities to clean water
(stabilizing ponds). It is not easy to use filtering methods to clean the
water as filtering takes time. They also know that if stop irrigating
vegetables in the three days before harvesting the harmful
substance in vegetables will be less.
FA/ collaboration/ institution
• They are supposed to work with PP as they are in the same level
they can do something together
• The number of farmers are increasing as more people come to the
site. The new farmer assist the inhabitant farmer and get a piece of
land it they are doing well.

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 Field Trip Information Database (D)

Information from Farmers Interviews

Roman Ridge

Farmers Interviewed (All Male)

1 Muslim, 39 farmers for 19 years. Live about 30 minutes walk from the
portion.
2 Muslim, 42 as farmers for about 11 years
3 29 year-old-• Twi language
male • He started the Farmer’s Association (1 year ago). He grew
up on the farm, his father was always on the farm farming.
Farming 6 years. Farming is his main job. He went to both
primary and secondary schools.
4 60yrs old started working on site since1979

5 Age- 45 Started farming since 1990

6 Age- mixed farmer- rears pigs and plants crops. Has been
35years farming for 20years
7 50 year old farming for about 25 years. Langauges: Twi, English, Aanata
male Mosamba? His father farmed here, taught him how to plant
and water. He used to have a job, now he doesn’t (said the
job “wasn’t there”). He eats the vegetables himself as well
as selling them.
8 60 year old farming for 31 years. Language: Bisa. Used to work for the
male land commission, worked for the Ag department. Lives in
Morguli he takes a car to go home.

1. About Land

General
1 He has 115 beds with 6 ponds. Land belong to Aggred (Sound). So agreement.
Maybe good to have a contract, but he has been working here for 19 years, and
no people drive him away. It may be possible one day he has to leave, but he
don't know.
8 The soil is good here and the crops are good for the soil. He doesn’t think the
soil can be improved. This is better quality than other farms.
2 The soil is of good and stable quality
As he does not own the land (owned by railway), he foresee himself to be evicted
as there will be higher income people come to buy the land for housing. All the
farmers here will lose their land. The government did not give any support
though they said there would be subsidies and other support.
He heard that there will be people (Azooma, a boxer) come to buy the land for
building concrete house and fill the streams with concrete. Then there will no
water for farming and the farm land can be sold and blocked.
He admits that they can get land in peri-urban area. But he does not

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 want to leave and live that far away from the place he is familiar.
3o Customers determine the types of crops grown. The crops haven’t changed
much, but the demand changes based on the weather. For example, if the
weather is favorable, the crop demand decreases. It also depends on the season.
For example, for Christmas and Easter, the demand for vegetables increases.
Also, the number of people who have produced a particular item affects all of
this. It is difficult for farmers to gauge the market because the market –
everything – is informal.
o They started a nursery for other people but they couldn’t give a good yield. For
example, Indian hops – doesn’t grow. Meethi and rooka don’t really grow well
either (they only really grow in the rainy season).

Land Ownership
o The railway says they own either 30 or 50 feet by the railway. The Lands
Commission manage the land for the Osu, but the farmers were told that the land
had been sold illegally to a developer. Sometimes the land commission surveys
the area.
o They had a formal talk with the Land Commission regarding land tenure, but if
the farmers receive formal recognition then it’s difficult for the Land Commission
to kick them off the land.
o The government acquires land by consulting the traditional authority and then
the traditional authority doesn’t have much say – they’re just compensated. But if
the government doesn’t use the land for the intended purpose, the Osu can take
it back. Sometimes the traditional authority says, ok, the government can hold it
in trust for us.
o For the last election, the government made a promise to give the land back to the
traditional authority.
• The Roman Ridge site is a floodplain, so the likelihood of the government
building on it is low. (But must also consider the likelihood of the Osu building
on the land).
• The land was sold during the Third Republic.
• The farmers are prepared to pay rent to the government.
• They were demolishing people’s houses at Sakaama (sp?)
4• Practices the fallow system
• Authorities plan on converting the land to residential area
• Land tenure is insecure
• Land-use for agric has reduced over time
5• Doesn’t have any family connected to the land…acquired it himself
• Was farming across the bridge before real estate encroachment on the site
5• Land belongs to the govt
• Tenure is insecure
• Constraints to development encroaching the land/real estate encroachment, land
is in accessible
• NGOs try to intervene for land
• Believes soil quality is deteriorating
• Land is too small for adequate preservative systems such as bush fallowing and
inter-cropping to take place
5• Farmland is water-logged and gets flooded depending on the amount of rainfall
6• On his own plot across the rail which has been sold out for real estate
7• Needs more land
Crops

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 1 He grows cauliflowers, Passol (Baduna), coreand, carrot, nana (mit).
2 I grow cucumber, Ayuyu (a local plant), Kasibra. I prefer to grow plants
according to market demand. There is little difference between the ways I grow
local plant and foreign-introduced plants. Harvest is highly dependent on the
rain and sun. This year the harvest can’t be good.
7 Cauliflower, nana, spinach, bay leaf, silla,
He grows these crops because people like them.
Yes, the crops have changed – he used to grow cabbage and carrot but they
don’t always want it, so now he grows salad, Chinese cabbage, aalayfo. He will
plant corn and mint in July.
8 Cabbage, coriander, spring onions , lettuce, mint, sweet pepper, sila.
Used to grow Chinese cabbage but not anymore. The Korean people liked it but
not anymore.
The cabbage seed is not good quality (6 GHC).
4 Plants lettuce, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, exotic vegetables
Says Seasons affect crop yield
Has problems with seed quality
Buys seeds by himself
Willing to pay more for better quality seeds
5 Farmer’s most important crop- parsley, others are tesibra, cauliflower, lettuce,
beet root, Chinese cabbage
The market/soil determines the types of crops grown
Pest is not a problem because of the use of pesticide
3 Cauliflower, spinach, amaranthis, Greek marrow, lettuce, spring onion, basil.
6 Plants lettuce, cucumber, cauliflower, based on demand at the market
Farming Practices
7 Crop rotation
Leaves beds fallow sometimes for about 3-4 weeks to let the ground change
Intercrops to some extent (observation by VCS: doesn’t intercrop in the same
sense as three sister approach…he plants different plants around the outsides of
the beds or plants in bunches, not as integrated) Soil isn’t good. The soil on
different parts of the site is different (ex. Some parts have more clay, some are
saltier).
8 He sometimes leaves the beds empty for about 3 weeks.
Practices crop rotation.
Encroachment
7 In the 1980s there was more land…the red house is on what used to be a farm.

2. About Finance
General
1 Farmer is his only choice. He hires 2 workers
2 Farmer is his only choice since no other proper jobs for him.
3• Has one person helping him farm, he pays him 180 GHC/month.
3• Ishmael went for a seminar on banks, there were a lot of banks and organizations
there. He brought the information back to the group.
• But the banks say they need regular sales (monthly or weekly) and the farmers at
Roman Ridge don’t have that.
• So they started to go for credit, organized by IWMI
• He works about 8 hours on the farm, every day of the week (54 hours/week). He
estimates he made 36,000 GHC for last year’s sales. His expenditures last year
were 30,000 GHC.
4• Has other jobs
4• Fertilizer takes about 55cedis off his income
• Profit is unstable and therefore reduces farmer’s resilience
5• Crops produced are sometimes not sold and there can be losses that month but

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 at the end of the year there is always profit (1.5-2.5)
• Used to coach before farming
• Time range of working is between
6• Farms daily for a maximum of 6hrs
• Spends a lot on quality seeds Price rise of seeds and chemicals
• Profit is about 1m Ghana cedis
7• Doesn’t get financial help, but he wants it. It’s difficult to plan for the future, and
he is waiting for improvements to come.
• He works every day but he can’t save. The money goes straight to food, school
for his kids, hospital bills, etc.
• He earns about 300 GHC each week.

3. About Farmers’ Association

General
1 A member. Regular meetings twice every month on Saturdays.
2 Not a member. FA was established last year. Since it is only one year, he still
needs some time to see the real effect, because he doesn't want to have someone
who collect money from him for services. But in the future, he will join.
The FA may do some help in securing land tenure, as it can arrange lobby to the
government. He foresee that when eviction happen, farmers will be united to
secure land.
The association is good as they can bring seeds and we can then grow
vegetables and share knowledge about farming and medicine.
I want to join the association.
8 Joined to get help and link him with other farmers
3• He did this because he heard on the radio that farmers should organize to get
benefits such as buying in bulk, have to register.
o Farmers must pay an entrance fee of 5GHC.
o Needs lots of people to join.
o Goals of FA:
 Ensure cheap inputs
 Market produce (ex. In a bumper season they want their own place to market)
 Encourage savings and availability of credit facilities.
 Want to develop a sort of pension fund (ex. Investing in cooperative land or
buying new land)
o Last year 13 people collected 854 GHC and put them into the coiffers. They’ll use
that money to lend to individuals.
4o Has benefited from farmer’s association through access to credit
5o The farmer’s association has been helpful and has helped out with loans,
strengthened relationship with other farmers and cooperation as well
o The association started again last year
6o Farmer’s association has helped financially
7o He’s a member of the Farmer’s Association because he wants the benefits.
Before there wasn’t a group and so there weren’t any benefits.
o There had been a group before this but it didn’t work.
Collaboration
3o Right now they’re working with IWMI and MoFA, trying to introduce more
organic fertilizer to improve soil quality and projets to reduce contamination (for
example, water and poultry manure).
o Everyone, the producer, consumer, etc are worried about contamination.
They’ve asked the market women to put the vegetables directly in the sack
instead of putting them onto the ground, as well as changing the water that the

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 vegetables are washed in intermittently.
o The farmers have no formal relations with the Lands Commission but in general
the relations are good.
o If the farmer group is strong then formal recognition is good cuz all the banks
want land security.
o Group of stakeholders meet each quarter
7o Doesn’t get ideas from stakeholders, just other farmers.
o But there have been other people have come to learn how they grow crops…then
they go away and don’t come back (I think they were researchers, because we
asked if they were like us)
4o Doesn’t believe there’s a need to collaborate with other farmers

4. About Water

General
1 Use stream water, sharing pump with his friends around his land. Another water
problem is flood. A flood 6 years ago flooded all his beds. The stream is clean,
no health problems. But he worries since residents on the other side throw waste
in the stream.
2 Their main source of water is a stream nearby and drainage water, depending on
the location of plots. The farmers locating closer o the stream always share pump
machines (need to pay rent) to obtain water from that deep stream and transfer
water into a pond shared by 4 or 5 people. He then uses watering cans to
irrigate. Although he knows that pond can have stabilizing effect, he treats pond
mainly as the way to store water since it is not good to use pipe to water plants
directly especially when plants are small and fragile.
In dry season there will be some water In the stream and at least a quarter of
water in the storage pond. However, sometimes there is flooding and all the
crops along the stream can be destroyed.
He will be willing to pay for pipe water if there is any.
8 Water source: drain
They made a channel around his site and uses a pumping machine to bring the
water to his farm.
The amount of water is fine.
Sometimes they are worried about the quality of the water and test the water.
(We asked who but he wasn’t sure…we are wondering if that is MoFA?) He
checks the depths and says there’s no problem in terms of water quality.
They leave the water in the ponds for 2-3 days before they use it.
They use watering cans.
They have piped water from the sheds to wash themselves off.
3• They try to stabilize the water by putting sandbags by water to filter the water
and using water lettuce in the ponds.
• If the vegetables are ready for harvest, they stop watering about 2 days before.
• See contamination aspect under Collaboration
• They try to decrease contamination from poultry manure by doing the poultry
manure in the same way as they do in Plant Pool (check Plant Pool notes and
Roman Ridge) in order to kill bacteria.
• Ishmael was irrigating the fields with a hose while we interviewed him. The hose
draws water from the river. The quality is not good, but the water is better than
in other areas.
• The source never dries up.
• He uses a water pump to bring the water from the river to the farm.

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 • He uses a watering can to irrigate the plants when they are young.
• The site does not have piped water. The only piped water is in the sheds, which
they use to wash themselves off at the end of the day.
• I asked about any issues with evaporation…he said if they plant corn, they will
plant it under the other vegetables. Also, sometimes they put grass clippings
down, but that can be hard to get.
• The government (MoFA’s Irrigation Development Authority) once had money for
a borehole but then it stopped. It was supposed to be two boreholes at each site
(Plant Pool, Dzorwulu, and Roman Ridge) but it ended up 1 ½ at Plant Pool, 1 at
Dzorwulu, but then they didn’t do Roman Ridge because they said the water is
too salty, so they abandoned the project. The farmers said, ok, so give us the
money you had to do the boreholes to implement water pumps, but the
government didn’t like that suggestion. There had apparently been a fight
between the Ag department and the Water and Waste Department.

4 Water is pumped from the stream to the farm ponds

• Feels there is no problem with water access
7• Uses watering cans to take the water from the channel he dug around the site,
blocked the channel.
• At times wastewater is good, when you look at the wastewater farms v piped
water farms, the wastewater farm looks better.
5• Government promised farmers piped-borne water but did not fulfill it
• Real estate encroachment is contaminating the water that used to be very clean
• NGO raised awareness for farmers about the use of waste water and funds
pumping of water into pond… water used for irrigation is left for 3days as debris
settles at the base of the pond before use for irrigation (has two ponds to be able
to practice this system)
6• Water used for irrigation is pipe-borne
• Pays for the water

5. About Waste

2 I apply chemical fertilizer once a year and cattle droppings and poultry
droppings according to the needs. I apply poultry and cattle droppings directly
to the plant without composting. Using droppings is cheaper than chemical
fertilizer. (He has heard that composting is good but does not clear about how to
do.)
He’s living close to the farm land. He knows people living around. They are not
covered by waste management service. So their waste is left there without
treatment.
He does not quiet care about the health risks due to chemical and pesticide as
his farther did the same thing. He did not cover himself in using the chemical.
8 • They use a little fertilizer and some poultry manure
• They only use poultry manure on lettuce.
• Everyone likes using poultry manure as compost. You add water and
cover it.
• There’s no sickness or problems at that time.
• He uses goat and cow manure.
• He goes far away to buy it.
• It’s about 1 GHC per one bag, which lasts for ¾ months.
3• They usually apply poultry manure and don’t apply too chemical fertilizers.
• They apply chemical pesticides some weeks before harvest.

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 • The soil quality isn’t necessarily good in the whole area, but each farmer has a
way to enrich the soil.
• Soil quality isn’t good for the whole area but each farmer has a way to enrich the
soil. The soil has a high salinity because it’s close to the soil, so the rain carries
the salt inland and gets into the soil.
• See market category regarding quality of produce (related to use of manure).
He pays 1 GHC for a bag of poultry manure (so about 30 GHC a month), and
about 20 GHC per month for chemical fertilizer. If the compost is better and
cheaper than the chemical fertilizers, then they’d buy it. However, it’s also
important to consider the yield.
4 Uses poultry compost manure
Uses fertilizers as it supports and is best used in the dry season
6 Uses manure/animal dropping for enhancing soil quality
Feels composting is better than fertilizer because that’s what he uses as crops
look healthier
7 Has been using poultry manure for 15 years.
He doesn’t use fertilizer much because the quality of the product decreases. For
example, if you cook the spinach that has been grown using fertilizer, the leaves
become somewhat sudsy similar to soap.
If he has some compost that would be good.
He uses ½ a bag of fertilizer a month and 5 or 6 bags of poultry manure a month.
Health: Sometimes he uses his hands to spread the fertilizer, then washes his
hands. There are also problems with spraying fertilizers because it gets into his
eyes and face.
1 He mainly use manure and fertilizer. He has a big composting site, but just
buries manure there for several days and then use it.
5 Composting is not feasible on site…as farmers don’t have time to wait for
compost to be ready for use
Financial constraint is an issue as compost is more expensive than poultry
manure
Farmers prefer composting because produce are healthier but fertilizer speed
up production and is therefore best for use
Farmer believes organic composting is not feasible because of the time
constraint

6. About Market

1 Prices change according to the time. Now it is dry season, and the price is higher,
but it will be lower in rain season.
2 He grows the same plants every year.
He’s selling only to the market women not restaurant or individuals.
There is no loyal customers come to the land though he does know some market
women. Anyone give a good price can buy his products.
The price of products is variable according to the market demand and season.
8 Market women don’t give a very good price.
There is a problem with (over) supply so prices aren’t good.
Consumer demand drives produce
3 Everyone is a buyer.
The market and restaurants use middlemen.
No specific day is a market day, but the most active day is Wednesday and
Tuesday is the lowest).
The market women usually give information regarding their interests…she’s
reactive in determining the crops.
Loyalty is based on price.
Quality is important. You can use your eyes to differentiate quality. The quality is
different due to manure. Also, the good ones are heavier, even if the size may be

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 smaller.
Most of the vegetables consumed are from these areas.
7 He has some regular customers. For example, some people came and brought
the seed for him to grow.
4 FSTT project allows 3weeks of crop growing before transplanting
Wants to sell directly to hotels
Marketing is a problem because of the farmer’s location
• Willing to sell products directly to consumers
5 Farmer wants direct contact with consumer without middle women
Projects like FSTT has really helped farmers
Best external stake-holder of farmer are the market women who tell them
crops/products in high demand
6 Market women sell farm products for farmers

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Farmers Interviewed (All Male)
1 28 Muslim, Accra,
Originally Hausaah
2 45 muslin
Accra
3 45,Christian
15years’farming
Accra
4 28
5years’farming
Christian Accra
5 50 Christian Accra
6 62 30 years’ farming
Plant Pool
He learned to be farmer from farther and relatives. He’s
working along without help.
He’s been farming for 15 years.
This is his only job.
He’s growing cabbage, carrots, radish, lettuce, Chinese
cabbage, cucumber.
He’s earning 100dollar/month.
This is his only job.
He’s growing cabbage, carrots, radish, lettuce, Chinese
cabbage, cucumber.
I have my family to help during free time and harvest time.
He was suffering from loss of crops in the last year as a
result of insect problem. It’s 3 months ago all crops went
for nothing.
He grows lettuce cabbage and herbs. He does mix-
cropping of lettuce and herbs.
This is his only source of income

7 28, Muslim, Hausah He learned to farming from his father.

Tribe, born in Accra, He’s living in home about 45 minutes’ walk to the farming
15years’ farming portion.
He has 32 beds in total
now growing lettuce, cucumber, carrot, spring onion All
family income is from farming, not quite, but he manages
the money.
8 33 but he looked like He got into UA because he dad was a farmer and believes
he was in his 50’s that he is helping the government and himself by using the
land.
He grows lettuce, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, spring
onions and radish.
He has two workers whom he pays 1cedis per day
He lives 10mins away from the his farm
9 Age 51
10 Around 40 o
11 Accra, farming for 16 Now He has a restaurant and provides food to University of
years Ghana. He lives in the neighbourhood area close to Plant
Pool. He has 15 beds of land and now he grows Chinese
Cabbage Completely. He uses his own vegetable in his
restaurant.
12 Born Accra, Salif has got the land for 6 years from his father. His family
Originally Togo, lived in neighbouring community. Salif is not a member of
Farming for 6years FA and he did not know what kinds of benefits he can get
from FA. He said he may join FA if FA can provide aid to
him.
13 33 He works alone.
14 Aged 53 He is a farmer and a night security man
His family is not involved in agriculture
He has three pieces of farmland in plant pool and works for
himself
He grows cabbage, radish, carrot, green pepper, lettuce,
cucumber
He does not grow local plants

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 15 30 years He likes farming and hopes to be a big farmer on day
He grows cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, radish, cucumber
and spring onions.
He doesn’t grow and local crop because he does not have
enough land and local produce take a longer time
He is the only member of his family into agriculture
He is also a barber and says he does not need help with
his farm work
He lives very close to the farm
16 29, 5 years as a farmer; 5 mins walk from home

1. About Land
1 I got land from VRA. There’s no land security for the long-term. No agreement with
the VRA. Many people looking for land in other places.
The soil is too salty at the moment as there has been too much farming on the land.
Production continues without reset.
Mix-cropping is used sometimes in order to prevent diseases such as fungus.
Usually mix lettuce and herbs for cooking.
4 The land is very salty. It needs rest. But I have no ability as it is my only source of
income. I have to always produce, which makes me use chemical fertilizer to keep
land productive.
5 The land is very salty. It needs rest. But I have no ability as it is my only source of
income. I have to always produce, which makes me use chemical fertilizer to keep
land productive.
7 Get his portion from his brother, who got it from their father. Safe land tenure
although no formal agreement. VRA needs farmers to keep the land in high voltage
cable are green.
But they do have problems. When VRA maintains and repairs the cable, sometimes
with notice about one or two weeks in advance, but most of the time they will come
and work directly on beds, destroy the vegetables. For example, when they dig a
hole about half square metre, they will throw all the soil directly on the vegetables.
Farmers used to argue with VRA, but it is useless because VRA put them on court
and they had no legal support. He still thinks the loss is affordable, and not
necessary to have formal contract.
The soil quality is good, but they need manure and fertilizer to make the vegetables
grow better.
8 He is aware that fertilizers and pesticides are harmful to the land and his health so
he practices what he has been taught by protecting himself before using chemicals
This farmer feels relatively secure on the land because of the location of the land.
He does not think that the government would need the land for anything
He attends farmers day and exhibits his produce in the hopes of winning a price but
he has never won
9 He believes his land is no man’s land since he came in to the land, cleared a portion
and started farming.
He is not worried that the land would be taken away from him
He does not have enough land for local crops because the local crops take a longer
time than the foreign crops to be ready and he cannot wait for long time since he
has limited land.
The demand for local crops is low and he only grows what the market women have
requested.
He uses chemical fertilizer ......ammonia and NPK
Since the land has been used for a long time, they have to add fertilizers of else the
plants would not grow well. They add compost to enrich the soil
1 His grown vegetables were a little different compared to other farmers. He grew
0 Irish Potato in his land and he said the price for this was good. He explained the one
reason for growing Chinese cabbage at this time of the year was that Chinese

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 cabbage grew very fast in the hot weather and he would grow lettuce if the weather
was cooler.
1 There is no agreement of land tenure for his land. David said he was not so worried
1 about the taken of his land because he already had a second job. But it would be
good for him to get a formal agreement. David also mentioned the shrink of the
farmland that 15 years ago the land behind the wall (now it is Plant Pool Limited)
was farmland and when the company emerged the farmland was taken. He used
chemical fertilizer MPK 1515 in his land and he was aware he needed protection
when spreading the chemical fertilizer. He did not think this will harm the land soil.
There was one piece of land next the David’s land was uncultivated and crops were
drying to death without irrigation. David said that piece of land was farmed by a old
man and he was away for two weeks so there was no one irrigate his land.
1 he did not have formal agreement with VRA, but his family had worked on the site
2 for 30 years. He grew Chinese Cabbage, Lettuce and spring onion in his site and
the areas had over 30 beds. He thought the land is safe but he had no idea if his
land was taken by VRA.
1 He had no formal contract with VRA.
3
1 “i manage the land and i am not worried about tenure”
4
1 The land was passed on to him by his master
5 He is worried that the land can be taken from him in future for other projects and
feels like there is nothing they can do to secure the land.
The VRA people do not care about their vegetables and sometimes destroy their
vegetable in the course of engineering works
He practices crop rotation on his land and feels that the land is of good quality
1 VRA need the farmers to stay here since they could keep the area green and help
6 erase grass.
1
7
1
8

2. About Water

1 We sometimes use drain water as the NGOs (IWMI) told us using pipe water is legal
but not encouraged because of the water scarcity in the city. Sometimes when there
is complete water shortage, we use water machine to get water from the drain.
No regular supply of pipe water. During 2 weeks there was no water, we had to use
pond water. In some cases there’s also no sanitation water or pipe water as the city
was in water scarcity.
They filled the pond with pipe water. There used to be cases that the pond was
almost empty.
We do not use any stabilizing pond to purify the water. I love to find way to improve
water quality.
2 Irrigate at least once a day. The sun is too hot that’s why we need to irrigate more
frequently. I start working at 6 or 7. I want to irrigation system to be improved.
There are pump machines but not all the farmer own one. There are springers but
too expensive. Irrigation is one of the heaviest work in the farmland.
3 In the last year we irrigated a bit more than usual. Sometimes 3 time/day. As the
sun was too hot. We’re using pipe water mostly. Only in cases when there is not
water in the pipe then we have to use drain water to irrigate. Things are
complicated. On one hand we’ve been asked not to use pipe water as city is in
water scarcity, on the other hand we’ve been asked not to use waste water as it’s
illegal and risky. The pipe water is legal. We’re stuck in the middle and have to
cope with the different policies.
I’m sharing a big pond with the other farmers.

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 For irrigation, as it is a difficult job, I sometimes use child labour or relatives like
my kids to help me. They usually come at weekend to help me. I have to do
irrigation in the early morning and 2/day.

4 We have problems with water. Many times the city close to the pipe line water
supplier. Sometimes we have no water for irrigation and no ability to pump drain
water so usually store pipe water in pond. If there is no water in the pond, you must
go to collect water from the drainage. Sometimes there is not enough wastewater as
people are not using the water to supply the domestic use, we then use pump
machine to get water from drainage. I borrow the pump machine from my friend in
many cases and pay rent and petrol.
Water is not clean in drainage. Once in a year, usually December, there is a
Farmers day they give prize to the best farmer. It is important for me to get the
prize which is an agriculture input. One of my friends had won once.
We do not use any technic to purify the water. We pay water tariff 400-500 every 3
month together with 6 people in my group.
5 In consistency with pipe water supply. I’m using main pipe for irrigation to fill my
pond. One pond can last for one week. Sometimes there is no water in pipe; I’ve no
choice rather than using drainage water. I have no pump machine. I need to rent
from my friend. There are 5 farmers owing water machine for irrigation as it is
expensive. Watering is time-consuming.
6 Workers’ come every morning and help me to irrigate and work in the land and
filling the pond. I’m using pumping machine I own. It helps me to irrigate easily as
I’m quite old. It cost me 3 million CDs.
7 He uses pipe water, and pays 30 cedi per month in rain season, and 30.5 cedi per
month in dry season, and paid directly to the water authority. He has two ponds for
storage the water, and use watering cans for irrigation. The pipe line system is built
by VRA. When short of water, water authority will cut off all water supplies including
commercial and domestic usage. Normally there is no serious problem with pipe
water supply.
8 He uses piped borne water and stores some in ponds in case of scarcity and uses
watering cans to water the crops from the pond
When the taps are running, he waters his vegetables straight from the pipe.
He does not use waste water and believes that piped water is very good
Him and some 3-4 farmers around him contribute and pay 60 cedis per month to the
Ghana water company for the piped water they share
Previously, Some people use waste water but now they all have pipes. Even when
there is scarcity, he cannot use waste water because of the distance to it
9 He uses pipe borne water
Ghana Water Company brings the bill every 2moths and the pay collectively in a
group of 5 farmers who pay about 20 cedis each. The price is not fixed
“The water is not cheap and sometimes we find it difficult to pay especially when
the market is not good” (that is when the crop yield is not so good)
Water is stored in the ponds. When the water is finished and the taps are not
running and there are no rains, he waits for the rain to come or the taps to start
running. At these times, the crops could die.
This does not happen regularly.
11 David said his irrigation water is pipe water. He needs to pay 30 Cedis per month
and he pays this share of water fees with other farmers. He had a long and big pond
just beside his land and it is convenient for him irrigate his land from his pond. He
said the pipe water sometimes was cut temporarily and he store water in his pond.
He has shown me the pipe water and the water runs smoothly.
10 he used pipe water to irrigate his land and he needed to pay 20 Cedis per month
for using the water. Normally, there was 3 months every year that need the pipe
water to irrigate. He said there was no metering for the water they had used. He

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 thought Water Company gave them a stable water tariff as one reason that their
farming activities had contributed to the country. The water amount they had used
for irrigation is much higher than the amount they had paid. He said these years the
frequency of stopping water supply had become more frequent and they did face
water shortage sometimes. He did not say he would use waste water to irrigate his
land.
12 He used pipe water to irrigate his land and he got three ponds to store water. But
currently, his pond was empty since the pipe was closed by the water company
because of pipe breaking. He said the water company would send people to repair
the pipe but now he can just take water from stream to irrigate. His pipe water is not
the same pipeline with David’s. He also need to pay for the water fees 30 Cedis per
month.
13 He said he use pipe water mainly for irrigation.
14 He uses piped water which he pays for every two months when the bill comes
15 of the farmers contribute towards the water bill which come up to roughly 200
cedis
He dug the pond for the storage of water
15 The land was passed on to him by his master
He is worried that the land can be taken from him in future for other projects and
feels like there is nothing they can do to secure the land.
The VRA people do not care about their vegetables and sometimes destroy their
vegetable in the course of engineering works
He practices crop rotation on his land and feels that the land is of good quality
Sometimes, the taps stop flowing and he uses waste water to irrigate
People say the water is not good but he thinks it is good
People throw waste into the drains and he hope the government can cover the
drains to reduce contamination
16 They get pipe water from GWCL before the FStT.
18

3. About Market

1 We don’t have a good marketing system. We sell crops at low price. It needs to be
increased. The market women are not paying money immediately even no
payment. I have no regular customers to trust. There’s always uncertainty with
regards to selling crops. There has been case when crops are not sold.
2 I’m selling products by my wife as she’s working in the market.
3 There are individuals who come to my field to buy crops from close neighborhood.
I have no regular customers.
5 Market women are tough. In the negotiation, the women are in a better position
than us. It is difficult to bargain with them to get a good price
7 Types of vegetables depend on the market. When market traders come, they will
choose the vegetables they want to buy, and then he will know what to grow. His
relation with them is nice, and this way of selling vegetables is to help each other.
He doesn't want to sell vegetables by himself directly.
8 The weather is not very supportive and as such the produces sometimes does not
do very well and when that happens, the crops do not do very well and as such, the
market women do not pay for the vegetable.
Women from various markets come to buy his vegetables but he sometimes sells to
the members of the community and sets it at a lower price than he would to the
market women.
He has his specific customers and what he grows is determined by the needs of his
customers.
“if you plant what you customers didn’t ask for, it will not sell”
When his vegetables are ready, he calls his customers to come for them
They type of water used does not affect the price of the vegetable and as such

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 cannot be used as a bargaining chip.
Sometimes when market women refuse to pay for vegetables, they can complain it
to the market in order to find the women.
9 He only sells to market women who sell at Agubishi market and Nima markets and
he negotiate with the market women before the crops are fully grown
They feel like charging more for the products but are not able to because if they
decide not to sell to the crops for the prices the market women have placed, they
women an easily go to the next farmer since they all grow the same type of crops.
The competition for the market women makes the price less
1 his earning from selling vegetables was depend on the market demand, if the
0 market demand was high, he can earn 500 Cedis per month and 200 to 300 Cedis if
the market demand is low. Wahab said the quality of vegetables depended on the
quality of irrigated water and fertilizer. He can identify the quality of vegetables by
experience and he said the vegetables using different irrigated water and fertilizer
were quite different. The market women would like to pay higher price for good
quality vegetables. Wahab also said he sold his vegetables to hotels and restaurant
with a higher price. His customers come to check his land, water and fertilizer and
paid higher price than other farmers using chemical fertilizer and waste water.
The market women have some skills such as understanding when is a better season
for cultivating and the price differences in different season and situation.
He knows he should make sure the quality of products. So he should not use too
much fertilizer and use more compose and in rain season fertilizer is of little help as
it is washed away.
1 He used his vegetables in his restaurant and he also sold them to trade women. On
1 average, he can earn 80 Cedis per bed every three month. He said the price is
higher if he sold his vegetables to institutions. In terms of vegetables, he said
Chinese cabbage is popular and there was a big demand for that. David said his
earning is enough for supporting his family.
1 He said he sold his vegetables to trade women. He thought his earning is enough
2 for supporting family.
1 He sells to market women from different market such as Tema, Abubloshi....etc
4 He has a relationship with these women
He negotiates the prices with them and calls them when the produce are ready
He sells the produce for a higher price when there is a scarcity of certain products
Water does not influence price
1 The women bargain for the beds and collect them in bulk when they are ready for
5 harvest
He also sells to in pieces to individuals
He also sells to the restaurants but at a more expensive rate
Market women sometimes say that some of the vegetables are bad and do not pay

4. About Waste

1 I’m using composting from poultry dropping I buy from poultry house. It costs
2CD/bag. Domestic composting is used sometimes but you can’t rely on it as my
people voluntarily bring it to me. Sometimes they do composting using left overs
in the bed.
3 I’m using 50/50 as chemical fertilizer I bought from a company called Aco in
central Accra. It’s not very expensive. 32CD/bag. Half a bag is enough for 1
month. I use it very carefully. I don’t have any health problems. Chemicals have
an important impact on reducing insects. I’m buying my material for composting
from poultry house. I don’t do any domestic composting by myself as it’s too
time-consuming and complicated. You need to have big amount of left-overs to
do domestic composting. The domestic waste from my own house is not enough
for composting. I don’t have ability to go in collect domestic waste by myself for
composting.

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4 I’m buying my compost material from a poultry house. I sometimes do
composting using left-overs from my land and house but it’s not enough. That’s
why I buy dropping.
5 I’m doing composting using poultry dropping from poultry house. I’m not using
domestic compost as I have no material or time to do that. I use fertilizer
twice/week. I think it’s safe to use fertilizer according to the instruction. I’m using
gloves to cover myself so I don’t have any health problems.
The crops are lettuce carrot spring onions.
6 I’m using fertilizers and chemical. I pay 530 CDs for fertilizer of one bed.
7 The soil quality is good, but they need manure and fertilizer to make the
vegetables grow better. They buy their fertilizer in Agri Mat (fertilizer market).
They buy manure from the livestock farmers (quite cheap, just the transportation
cost). He has a small composting site on land about 2 square metres, which is
enough for 16 beds. He normally do the composting by himself, and it is
convenient.
8 He uses animal manure to prepare compost and applies it to the soil mostly in the
dry season because it does not work during the raining season so, during the
raining season he uses fertilizer.
He said “ you cannot use fertilizer alone because it will destroy the soil and you
also can not use the manure alone if you want the crops to be ready for harvest
early”
Both inputs complement each other but the manure gotten from animal dropping
is more compulsory than the fertilizer because it replenishes the soil.
Fertilizer is more expensive (1 cedi per bag) than animal droppings (50 peswers
per sack)
It is convenient for him to compost in his farm.
Livestock rearing is banned in the residential areas of Accra, so one needs to
have a licence to keep livestock or get charged to court.
9 He uses poultry manure which he buys composts and puts in the soil
Does his composting by himself to save cost
The compost is covered by the roadside
He would like it if someone could make the compost for him
He uses compost at the early stages of growth and latter on applies fertilizer
Has never used compost alone before and as such does not know how it works.
10 so aware about the benefits of composting. He knew composting was important
to keep the land quality. He said he used remaining leaves to keep the soil
quality and he explained the reason why others did not do that. He thought other
farmers may be lack of this kind of information. At other hand, he thought using
composting should be more. He put his composting on site.
11 he also used composting to fertilize his land and he bought them from the site
since there was someone taking the composting to Plant Pool and the price is 1
cedi per bag. He used 1 bag per bed and 24 bags per month. He was aware that
the composting is good for the soil and the vegetable quality is also higher. He
said vegetables with clean irrigation water and organic fertilizer can be sold at a
higher price than the vegetables compared to the vegetables grown in Roman
Ridge using wastewater.
12 he composting in his land, and he put his composting close to his farmland. He
bought the composting for 1 Cedi per bag which was carried by traders to Plant
Pool.
13 he used composting in his land. He said sometimes he can get free composting
from poultry farm if he went the farm to get it. He can also get composting for 1
Cedi per bag when someone send it to Plant Pool site.
15 He uses animal droppings which he composts by himself very close to his farm
and he is happy to do this to save cost
He buys a bag of the fresh manure for about 1cedi
Animal droppings is constantly available
Fertilizer is very expensive
He is aware of the health implication of chemical fertilizer and uses protection

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 Zoomlion does not collect waste from his neighbourhood so they dig the ground
and burry the waste
Manure compost is difficult.....you need to live it to cool
He will like it if someone could help him do it

5. About FA/Collaboration

1 We’re sharing knowledge about how to improve production and solve problems
of UA by getting tips from the others. Meet once in a while, which gives them
security and confidence. I’m very satisfied with FA. They have come to replace
you in case of illness. In case of emergency, such as crop loss, you can get loans
from FA. They also give tips and training. support
Many people did not join the FA, about 20. They are quiet conservative and don’t
understand the value of being a part of association. They believe they can make
it all by themselves. I feel confident and secured for being a part of the
association.
3 Special officers from Ministry of agriculture give instruction about use of fertilizer
and compost and water. They visit us 2/month in average but not regular. The FA
is ranging meeting regularly and when there are emergency cases we feel that
FA help us to raise voice of our own. FA is helping us to solve any problem
araising in Agriculture. There is a feeling of being one united group.
5 I’m in the FA. I pay 5cd/month to FA. We are one organization. We do need to
extend the organization to collaborate with other association like those in RR and
Dzorwulu. FA teach use how to work and improve techniques. I think that the FA
should help us to improve the irrigation system and to help for achieving land
security. They can help us to get a formal agreement to secure land.
Environmental NGOs are helping us by teaching us how to use fertilizer and
pesticide properly. Officers of MoFA also trained us. I’m very satisfied with the
coordination and support of FA.
7 A member of FA, meeting twice every month. He likes to be a member, since
they could work together when solving problems.
8 He has extended family farming in other sites in Accra whom he meets regularly
to discuss and exchange ideas.
He consults with members of his association as well as that of Dzorwulu and
roman ridge for practices that can improve his crop yield and land.
He is a member of the farmers association. He pays dues every month and the
funds generated are used to help farmers in need. He is satisfied with the farmers
association feels like a member of something meaningful in the society.
Enterprise works is the only stakeholder he identifies as having helped them with
training on safe agricultural practices, and other practices aimed at increasing
crop yield.
The association is very good, started last year
The need help and the association tries for instance with the provision of coupons
to subsidies the price of fertilizer and ammonia

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9 He is a member of the farmers association and says he has received assistance
from the association but that the association helps educate the farmers on the
best ways to grow crops and explore possibilities of selling at a higher price.
He believes that collaboration will help the farmers get what they want faster.
Generally he is okay with the association considering that that are still young.
He would love to receive financial assistance to enable him expand his farm.
He goes for the farmers day but has not won an award but would like to
There is a share of knowledge amongst the farmers concerning procedures and
activities for better produce
Enterprise works educates them on safe farming practices for instance they
taught them to nurse their beds and get more from each bed
10 Some people haven’t joined the FA because they haven’t accepted the new idea.
He believes that they will join later.
11 He is a member of FA. He did not think FA had helped him a lot. His joining of FA
is to get help in opening business and farming.
Association used to be one, due to the different local affairs, the FA is naturally
divided and then it divided into three separate FA.
14 He is a member of the plant pool farmer association
The association supports them
He is happy with the performance of the farmers association especially
considering that the association started recently and hopes the association would
grow stronger.
He wants to be able to get loans from the association
There is a transfer of knowledge and best practices in agriculture between the
farmers in the site and also those of roman ridge and Dzorwulu
He goes for farmers day, has never won any awards, his friends have and he
hopes to win
He is happy with the help rendered by enterprise works
o The farmers hope to get loan from the farmers association
15 He is a member of the farmers association and pays 5cedis every month as dues
He has received training from the farmers association
He is satisfied with the association and enterprise works trains and helps them
with the marketing of their goods
He attends farmers day, and would like to win an award
He has relations with the other farmers association members in the other sites
The association is nice, it has taught them how to plant and apply manure
They association started not too long ago
16 He is responsible for helping the chair and vice chair for daily issues, setting
agendas and writing minutes for meetings, writing letters, or as spokesman if
chair and vice chair is not available. Now he is studying for an undergraduate
degree of natural engineering.
FA’s role: 5 cedi per month per farmer
There are still a lot of challenges since FA was just established one year ago. FA
can have easy access to credits, easy to save as a group.
FA leaders meet every Monday for all issues discussion. Group meeting will be
once a month.
17 The FA has collective beds for group money.
FA uses the group money to go to the poultry farm and buy manure, and
transport back and do the composting. Individuals can also buy manure
themselves.
In the whole Dzorwulu area, there used to be a whole FA but failed, and many
NOGs came and tried to help establish new FA, but they died shortly. However,
this time it should work, because FStT people are serious, and are willing to
continue.
18 The role of FA is to organize farmers to learn from Enterprise Work.
The farmers of FA decided to follow what they have been told even after EW
leave.
The farmers in FA will persuade the others who participated in the project but not

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 do the right things. If that farmer insists the wrong practice, they will let him go
out of the FA.
He said the FA members won’t hesitate to persuade such farmer because this is
for the benefit of all the members. He mentioned an example that when a bed of
vegetable get disease, the surrounding beds will all get disease. So they are
willing to stop it.

6. About Labour

1 For irrigation, as it is a difficult job, I sometimes use child labour or relatives like
my kids to help me. They usually come at weekend to help me. I have to do
irrigation in the early morning and 2/day.
3 For irrigation, as it is a difficult job, I sometimes use child labour or relatives like
my kids to help me. They usually come at weekend to help me. I have to do
irrigation in the early morning and 2/day.
4 I’m hiring labor to help me irrigate and do farming work. They are coming from a
place called Bukima Faso Togo. My children are helping me with farming work
sometimes.
5 I’m using labours. I pay 1 CD/bed/day.
6 I’m using labours from Togo. It is legal they have permit. They are 16-18. They
come every morning and help me to irrigate and work in the land and filling the
pond.
The labour work is necessary for me. They are my regular basis.
7 When busy, he will hire people to work, about 2 cedi per bed.
10 he hire labour during harvest sometimes.
11 he hired labour working for him during the busy time and harvest time.
12 His two sons were there to help him carrying water during the current water
scarcity. he worked in his land every day and did not need to hire labours.

7. About FSTT
8 Thinks it is a good idea because the market women sometimes buy their beds of
vegetables and pays the half price with the promise to pay the rest latter but they
don’t complete them.
With the shop, they are likely to get the entire money for the crops
He would need someone to look after the shop since he has two jobs ( he does
not have extra time)
The can get someone from the association or an external person to work in the
shop
His wife sells in the market but she sells a different commodity and as such
cannot sell his vegetables
The likes the project for this year because it has taught them a lot of things such
as how to turn manure.....etc
He prefers this year because he has seen changes and hopes that more changes
would come
He does not know the site from the shop yet
He would like to have the shop close to the farm because it is a strategic location
very assessable to pedestrians and cars.
They can use bike to take vegetables to the shop.
The shop is better than market women as it allows more profit.
10 The Enterprise Work teaches the farmers how to pack vegetables and give a
label to it, make vegetables beautify. It finds marketing routes and also teaches
ways of producing products. They teach them what to grow in the field, so that
the competition of different beds producing same vegetables at same time can
be reduced. They also teach them what kind of fertilizer is better for farming and
they should use more compose

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 Enterprise Work taught them how to sell crops and vegetables.
It will teach farmers to package their vegetables and give a stamp on it. PP and
DZ and RR all have their stamp. The stamp is the label of PP allowing customers to
know that this is from PP.
He thinks the shop should not be managed by any outsiders. The farmers in the
FA can fix a timetable and take turns to manage the shop. In his bed, he can have
his children or hire some labour to allow himself time to manage the shop.
15 Heard the shop is very nice
Helps them sell faster and at a higher price
Everyone thinks the shop is okay because they all want more money for their
vegetables
MOFA helps them in the agric practices
16 Discussion of the shop has been carried on for one and half years. It all depends
on collective decision, and the place, the sellers, transportation etc. will all
depend on the shop management structure, which has been decided yet.
Their outlet in the health exhibition is very interesting, and many vegetables
from PP are sold there.
17 57, arrived there in 1987. Born in western region of Ghana. Lasted year elected as
chairman. Election occurs every 3 years.
Before all separated with each other. Now they can get trainings about nursing,
composting, etc.
FStT helps people to get together, and establish the FA.
FA will decide how to manage the shop and who should be the sellers(not
outsiders, they will vote to choose the sellers among the farmers).
It is important to follow the FStT process, because if you don’t follow, the crop
quality will not be good, and cannot be sold in the shop. FA is now trying to form
a committee made up by farmers to supervise the farmers to make sure they
follow the right process. They will check every week.
The shop: hope to sell by weight. The marketing team will go to the market and
check about the price.
They are now wondering what kind of person could run the shop. Rita suggested
it takes time. They can learn from the other people who has the experience. They
also need to know how to calculate the price, and also have their business plan.
18 The work of Enterprise Work/FSTT
• Seed: they teach the farmers not to broadcast seed but to sow them in line
in the bed
• Fertilizer: they teach them not to use too much chemical fertilizer and do
composting and use organic compose. (The composting is to mix manure
and water and …. The process takes one month.)
• Water: irrigate vegetables 2/day (The farmers got pipe water for a long
time. Since PP area has pipe water connection, the farmers went to the
water company and sign a form with it to use water with permit by paying
water bills.)
• Health: the farmers were taught to wear a set of covers before applying
fertilizer, pesticide and medicine. The Enterprise Work gave FA a set of
covers, then they use it when need.
The EW people come to see their farming 2/month. They will let farmers know
that they should do the right thing if they find the farmers do not.
The farmers are learning and taking the new production methods step by step,
until they can use all the new practices and abandon the old system.

About the shop:

Manager: The FA hasn’t decided who should be the manager of the shop, though
they had several meetings.
Transportation: The transportation cost issue is not discussed in the meetings. He
knows that petrol price can affect the price and profit of UA, he didn’t see
transportation as a problem in the project since it is within Accra city. (A bed of
lettuce cost about 6-10CD.)
He does not know the market price, only know the seasonal difference in price

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trend. But someone in the group goes to market to see price and get information.
Storage: He said they will keep vegetables in the bed and everyday harvest a
small amount for the shop so the shop have everyday fresh vegetables and little
storage problem.
The transportation cost for doing that is not so high.
Place of the shop: Know little about the location of the shop. But he said the shop
should locate in a busy area with people can afford their vegetables.
All the people can buy from the shop. They can provide different productions
(small and big) to different people (big to high-income, small to low-income). So
they can reach the high-income, middle-income and common people.
Moving to the outside: Transportation is a problem for them to move out.
Cleaning the bush for farming is another problem.

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 Field Trip Information Database (E)
Focus Group Activities

Roman Ridge

A timeline obtained from a focus group conducted at Roman Ridge.

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 Plant Pool
Time: 8 May 2010
Attendees: 16 farmers, Group facilitator, Pascale, as well as 4 members.
Purpose: To understand (1) the marketing history in Plant Pool, (2) How
Farmers Association works and farmers’ opinion; and (3) farmers’
reflections on FSTT

1. Timeline (In terms of the time when they came to the area)

A timeline obtined from a focus group conducted in Plant Pool.

Time Vegetables grown Selling Channel

1966 Local: leaf, auu, salad, carrot, etc. Market woman
1974 Local: leaf, auu, lettuce Market women and
Exotic: marro (looks like cucumber) Foreigners
1975 Green pepper, suger kin, cucumber, kasa, etc. Market woman
1980 Exotic: Chinese cabbage, radish, cucumber Market woman
Local: abuma
1981 Exotic: radish/Local: kuma Market woman and
Foreigners
1983 Local: Ocro, boma Market women and
Exotic: cucumber, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, Foreigners
radish
1987 Chinese cabbage, radish, salad Suppliers from Tima
Local: grew by themselves
1993 Local: more/ Exotic: Lettuce Market women
1996 Lettuce, auu, Market women
Exotic: cauliflower, cabbage, pepper
1998 Chinese cabbage, spring onion, cabbage, Market women
lettuce, cauliflowers, cucumber

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 2000 Beet root (like Irish potato), carrot / Local: brich Market women and
Foreigners
2006 Lettuce, spring onion / Local: some Market women and
Foreigners
2009 Cucumber Suppliers and Market
women

2. Farmers’ Association
The current FA was established in 2009, meeting once a month, but the FA
officers meet every Monday, 5 cedi per farmer per month. FA has some
common beds for group money.
Benefits:
Learn from each other (before they work individually)
Sharing technologies in meetings, e.g. poultry manure composting, grow
in line (before just grew randomly), etc. MoFA helps a lot.
Sharing problems also: discuss about how to deal with disease (before if
one bed got insects or disease, owner didn’t want the others know, but the
disease then would spread.)
Avoid internal competition (before they grew the same thing)
More resilience in marketing. Before market women only paid 50% in
advance, and finally the farmers could not get the 2nd half very little (10%),
because the market women would say the vegetables not good, etc. FA
negotiates and tries to improve the situation.

3. Reflections on FSTT
What FSTT has done?
Bring all farmers together, help with seed preparation and planting.
Trainings: manure composting, to grow in lines, to choose vegetables to
plant to avoid internal competition, to fight disease, how to spray, apply
fertilizer and manure, how to use water before and after fertilizer
The shop? (discussion)
Discussion focused on who to manage the shop. Some think they should
hire somebody with marking knowledge and experience to run the shop,
some want to select among themselves to manage the shop. Some think
there should be more shops in one group.
But the FA already made a decision to select farmers within the group to
run the shop. But some said when making decisions, some farmers were
not there.
Criteria for selecting the shop:
They said should be a good market area, concentration of people, etc.
some thought transportation was not an issue as long as the place was good.
Criteria for selecting people working in the shop:
Read and write, keep records, but should be a member of the FA.

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