Ripples in Africa supports women farmers as they grow and care for harvests in a sustainable way.
- Organic farming is a system of integrated farming that strives for sustainability and uses no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.
- Charity Game teaches women farmers in Ghana how to farm organically.
- Women farmers prepare the land and select their seeds from a certified organic seed provider.
Consider donating today to help care for the earth and the women farmers who work it.
What sets Ripples in Africa apart is its work with women farmers in West Africa as they grow and care for harvests in a sustainable way. These women farmers care for the land using organic farming techniques. But what exactly is organic farming? In this blog post, we’ll explore what organic farming is, how crop rotation plays a role, and the overall logistics of teaching women how to farm organically.
We’ll start with a definition. Organic farming is a system of integrated farming that strives for sustainability and uses no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides (Wikipedia, Environmental Protection Agency). The women in Nigeria and Ghana practice organic farming when they plant and grow their crops.
Director of organic production Charity Game organizes the women in Ghana and trains them on how to farm using organic techniques.
“We’ve introduced organic farming practices in Africa, precisely in our area in Ghana, here in our area. So, we’ve introduced them to what it means to practice organic farm practices and how to prepare your land to grow organically,” Charity says.
That includes caring for soil so that it’s healthy. After preparing the land, the women can select their seeds from a certified organic seed provider. The seeds are then planted with no use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.
The group of women Charity works with practices crop rotation, preserving the productive capacity of the soil.
“So, we try to let them understand what are organic practices when it comes to farming, what it really means, what it entails, how you monitor your farm. So, we’ve been showing them some pictures and then we ourselves have also grown some plants in containers,” Charity says.
The farming season in Ghana starts in early April, meaning that some of the women have already prepared their lands and they are getting ready to get their seeds for nursing. The whole process is taught to groups of women at a time.
The number of women Charity trains varies based on the community she’s serving.
“It depends on the community. In some of the communities we have about 90 women; from other communities we have 70 or 30,” Charity says.
These women farmers practice organic farming with the help of Charity. They are taught the techniques of crop rotation and other organic practices, which they use to build a more sustainable future. Each crop planted and grown organically makes a positive difference. Consider donating today to help care for the earth and the women farmers who work it.