Capacity building on agricultural insurance for aggregators in Northern Ghana

Farming is a risky business. Shocks such as drought, flood, pests or disease can make it difficult for farmers to invest in new productive options, such as seeds or fertilizer. These shocks are often regional, reverberating past the level of the individual smallholder. This makes it equally difficult for aggregators such as seed companies, input providers, agri-shops, seed growers and for commercial farmers, all of whom rely on the yields of a large number of smallholders or out-growers. Agricultural insurance is one way to mitigate this risk, unlocking new markets and making existing markets more profitable Most training on insurance is either designed for poor smallholder farmers, or for very large aggregators (e.g. a country-wide fertilizer company). Less attention has been paid to small and medium level aggregators, who might have tens or hundreds of acres, or have a relationship with a smaller number of out growers (tens to thousands). However, connecting with these stakeholders is one method of scaling insurance in a sustainable fashion. The local nature of many of the aggregators allows insurance to reach smallholders without personally visiting every village. The aggregators are also typically from the local communities and can act as champions for new initiatives. These same incentives for connecting with aggregators also hold true for other CCAFS and rural development initiatives. The aim of this workshop was to reach a group of local aggregators in rural Ghana with tailored insurance capacity building material, detailed in this report. A secondary aim was to gather their feedback about their experiences with agricultural insurance, along with jointly designed ideas about how insurance could more easily fit in with their practices

Integrating Biochar and Inorganic Fertilizer Improves Productivity and Profitability of Irrigated Rice in Ghana, West Africa

The efficiency of mineral fertilizer use in most soils in Sub-saharan Africa is low. Prominent among the reasons for this is low soil carbon stock. In this study, we hypothesized that in the short term, combined use of biochar and inorganic fertilizer in irrigated rice (Oryza sativa var KRC Baika) cropping systems will increase soil organic carbon storage, N recovery and agronomic efficiency of N use (above world average of 55% and 20 kg grain·kg−1·N respectively) and improved economic returns compared to the sole use of inorganic fertilizer. A two-year (4‒cropping cycles) field trial was, thus, conducted on a Vertisol. The experiments were designed as split–plot with two (0 and 10 t·ha−1) biochar and four (0, 45, 90, 120 kg·ha−1·N) nitrogen application rates. Additionally, the effect of biochar on the chemical properties of the soil was investigated using standard protocols. Biochar application improved the soil organic carbon storage in the topsoil. There were significant interactions between the application of biochar and nitrogen fertilizer on yield parameters. Introducing biochar significantly increased root volume and nutrient (N, P and K) uptake, resulting in increased grain and straw yield. Grain yields under biochar amended plots were higher than sole fertilizer amended plots in 14 out of 16 instances (cropping cycles × N rates). The increase in grain yield was between 12 to 29% across N rates. Biochar amendment also enhanced agronomic N use and apparent N recovery efficiencies in 3 out of the 4 cropping cycles. Gross margin indicated that biochar application under irrigated rice cropping systems is economically feasible in all cropping cycles and N rates. However, the value cost ratio of biochar application was higher than for sole inorganic fertilizer in three out of the four cropping cycles (each cropping cycle has three N rates). The soil organic carbon storage of biochar amended soil increased by 17% under unfertilized condition and by 32% under fertilized condition. To enable the promotion and efficient use of the biochar technology in enhancing productivity and profitability in irrigated rice, extension officers and farmers will need to be trained on how to char the rice husk to reduce emissions prior to upscaling the technology to farmers