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8tt18 ANNUAL

AG;RICUL TURE

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CONFERENCE ACCRA

Apr i I 10-11-12

1967

GHANA

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UNITED

~I

USA ID/GHANA

AGRICULTURE

CONFERENCE STA TES OF AM!IJRICA

I' PROCEEDINGS of the Bth. Annual USAID/GHANA Agriculture Conference held in Accra Ghana

April 1u1112a 1967

sponsored by

United States AID Mission to Ghana in cooperation with the agnculture agencies of the Government

of Ghana

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Washington, D. C. 20523

jharoldRectangle

iii

Contents

Preface 1

Excerpts of Press Reports of Mr. Nunoo 's Remarks 4

Address by Mr. Nunoo - National Liberation Council Member Responsible for the ll/iinistry of Agrioulture and Forestry 6

Address by 1Ir. ,/illard A. De Pree - Chief Poli tioal Officer, Americ~n Embassy, Accra, Ghana 10

Remarks by ~tr. A.K. Asam - Frincipal Seoretary, Ministry of Agriculture 21

"Rebuilding Ghana's Agricul turA-1 ~oonor.ly - Present and future Challenges" - Dr. R.I. Jackson 25

Soil Survey and '.)lansific~tion: Their Contributions to Agricultur.s.l Development in Ghana - Henry Gbeng 32

Panel Discu::;sion on the Paper "Soil Survey and Classification - Their Contributions to Agricultural Development in Ghana - tfr. Laurent and 1Jr.3ivarajasing- 67 ham

Credit in Agricultural Development - F.K. Tettey 73

Agricultural Education and Training - T.B. Biney 80

Seed Multiplication - D.R. Goodrich 84

The Role of Uarketina in Present-Day Ghanaian

Agriculture - Dr. s. LaAnyane 89 Current Policies to Stabilize Prices and Methods of Keeping up Farmer Incentives - H. E. Thompson 95

Current Plans to Utilize the 10, 000 Tons of Maize Brought in Under the World Food Program - M. Hansen 101

Ghana's Present Crash Program to Increase Food Production - S.B. Nyame-Adu 107

iv

Remarks - "Present Crash Program to Inorease Food Produotion - Dr. ?/illiam K. Agble 112

Remarks - .P.A.C. Moore 119

Remarks - "Shell Agricultural Chemioale" - C.A. Christian 121

Remarks - Professor S.T. Quaneah 124

Raw Materials for Canneries in Ghana - B.L. Lartey 130

The future Outlook Regarding Agriculture '!'raining and Resear~h in Ghana - Professor A.A. Kwapong 145

A New Look at Publication and Resource Information -:.Irs. Herta D. Fischer 151

A New Look at Publication and Resouroe Information -J.B. Wills 160

The Future of Ghana's Agriculture - A.K. Asem 170

Conference Participants 176 Photoa-raphs 187

v

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

KONDAY, APRIL 10, 1967

Chairman

Mr. Frank E. Pinder Direotor USAID

9a00 - 9a30 Remarks

930 - lOaOO WelOOll8 Address

10100 - lOa 30 Address

OQtf ee

10a45 - llalS Remarks

11115 - lla45 Conferenoe Themes

REBJILDING GHANA'S AGRICUL'IURAL ECO-NOMY - PRESENT AND PU'lURE CHALLENGES

lunoh

Chairman Mr. Jaok Walker Livestook Advisor

USA ID

2100 - 2al5 Soil survey and Clasaifioa-

Ur. Frank E. Pinder Direotor USA ID

Mr. Willard De Pree Politioal Oftioer United States Embassy

)Ir, J.E.O. Nunoo N.L.c. Member Responsible for Ministry of 4gr1oulture

Jlr, A.K. Aeem Prinoipal Seoreta.17 Ministry of Agrioulture

Dr. Robert I. Jaokaon Pood and Agrioulture Offioer USAID

tion - Thoir Contributiona1 Mr. Henr1 B. Obeng to Agrioultural Develop- Prinoipal Reeearoh Offioer ment Soil Researob Institute

vi

2115 - 2130 (Questions and Answer) - Jlr. s. Sivarajasingham Regional Soil Survey Offioer FAO

2130 - 2145 Credit in Agriculture Development

2145 - 3100 (Questions and Anawers)

Coffe&

3115 - 3130 Agrioulture Education and Training

Jlr. Garvey Laurent Deputy Regional Representative l'AO

- Kr. F.K. Tettey Managing Director Agrioul ture Credit a11d Cooperative Bank

- Kr. Millard J. Hatten Agriculture Extension Advisor USAID

Mr. R.X::. Ryan USAID Consultant Agrioulture Credit and Cooper.ative Bank

Mr. E.N. Aftul Development Service Institute National Investment Bank

- Mr. T.B. Biney Chief Training and Manpower Division Ministry of Agriculture

3130 - 3145 (Questions and Answers) - Mr. J.P. Buffington Agriou..-T-l=tU~r~a;---cm~au=--o=a~t1~o~n;;-JiA~a'-v~1=so~r=-~~

3145 - 4100 Seed Multiplioation

USA ID

Mr. H. Mead.a Off ioer-in-Charge Asuansi Farm Institute

Mr. D.R. Ooodrioh Agriculture Advisor Agriculture Training Sohool Damon go

vii

4100 - 4115 (Quastio~s and )

1UISDAY, APRIL 11, 1967

Chairman

!Ir. Nathaniel Farris

Mr. W.A. Bloodworth Agriculture EdJJ.oation Advisor USAID

:Mr. T. Andoh Seed llu.ltiplioation Offioer Agriuulture Extension Division

Deputy Food and Agriou 1 ture Offioar USA ID

9100 - 9115 The Role of ?ia.rketing in -Present .Day Ghanaian Agriou 1 ture

9115 - 9140 (Questions and Answers)

9140 - 9155 Current Polioies to Stabilize Prioee and Ket!iods of Keeping up Farmer Inoentivee

955 - 10115 (Questions and Answers)

Coffee

Dr. Seth LaAnyane Dean Paoulty of Agrioulture University of Ghana

)(r, Emmanue 1 Anda.h Agriculture Eoonomist Faoulty of Agrioulture University of Ghana

Dr. J.w.s. daGraft-Johnson Direotor Road Building ResearoL Institu1 Ghana Aoademy of Soienoes

Mr. H.E. Thompson Chief Animal Husb&ndry Division Ministry of Agriculture

Mr. J .M .A. Otoo Chief Agrioulture Eoonomios and Statistios Division Ministry of AgTioulture

)(r, N. L. U leaker Agrioulture Boonomist USAID

10130 - 10145

10145 - lls 15

viii

Current Plans to Utilize the 10,000 Tone of Maize Brought in Under the World Food ProgZ'am

(Questions and Answers)

11115 - 11130 Ghana's Present Crash Program to Inorease Food Production

11130 - 11145

11145 - lls 50

11150 - lls 55

11155 - 12100

12100 - 12110

12110 - 12s30 (Questions and Answers)

lAlnoh

- Mr. M. Hanaen Managing Director Ghana Food Marketing Corporation

- !Ir. L.w. HolMa.n Agrioulture Education Advisor USA ID

Mr. John R. Rawneley Crop Storage Expert FAO

- Mr. Seth B Nyame-Adu Chief Agriculture Extension Division

- Dr. W.K. Agble Director Crops Resc~roh Institute

- Mr. P.A.c. Moore Representative r.c.r.

- Mr. C.A. Christian Agriculture Chemioale Executive Shell Ghana, Ltd.

- Professor S.T. Quansah Agrioulture Chemioals Consultant Hoeks(Ghana) Ltd.

- Mr. B.L. Lartey Reeearoh Off ioer Food Research Institute

- Mr. W.H. Taylor Agrioulture Extension Advisor USAID

Dr. O.F. Rauha Project Manager Food Researoh Institute Ghana Aoademy of Soienoee

ix

2100 - 2120 The Future Outlook Regarding -Agrioulture Training and Researoh in Ghana

Professor A.A. Kwapong Vioe Chanoellor University of Ghana

2120 - 2140

2140 - 3115 (Questions and Answers)

Coffee

3130 - 3150 A New Look at Publioation and Resouroe Information

350 - 415 (QJ.estions and Answers)

- ProfeBsor K. Twum-Barima Vioe Chancellor University of Soionce and Teohnology

- Ur. F.N. Ghartey Prinoipal Agriculture Offioer Ministry of Agriculture

Mr. E .M. Ds tsa Senior Agriculture Offioer Training and Manpower Division Ministry of Agrioulture

- Mrs. H.D. J:l'isoher Librarian UNESCO Ghana Academy of Soienoes

Mr. J.B. Wills, Editor Crop Research Institute Ghana Aoaderny of Soienoes

- Mr. B.A.A. Williams Principal Agriculture Oftioer Agriculture Extension Division

Mr. C.L. Nelson Agriculture Education Advisor USAID

WllllESDAY, APRIL 12, 1967

Chairman Dr. Robert I. Jaokson

Pood and Agrioulture Ottioer USA ID

9100 - 91 30 The Future of Ghanaian Agriou 1 ture

9130 - 10130 (Questions and Answers)

Coffee

10145 - 11115 Closing Renarke

11145

1100

1130

4100

Depart by Bue for Winneba Junotion

IAlnoh on tour site

T o u r

Return to Aoora

Kr. A.K. Aeem Prinoipal Secretary llinistry of Agrioul ture

.Mr. C.A. Dadey Prinoipal Seoretary Ministry of Eoonomio Affairs

Mr. J. Obuobi Registrar of Cooperatives Department of Cooperatives Ministry of Labor and Sooial Welfare

Dr. E.J.A. Asomaning Direotor Coooa Researoh Institute Ghana Aoademy of Soienoee

Mr. H.K. Quartey-Papatio Prinoipal Agriculture Offioer Ministry of Agrioul ture

:Mr .Frank E. Pinder Direotor USA ID

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PREFACE

Mr. Frank E. Pinder Director

u.s. AID Mission to Ghana

The E:i..ghth .Annual USAID-sponsored Agrioultur&l Conferenoe

we.a held at the Ambassador Hotel, Acora, Ghana, April 10-12,1967 Some 350 participants represented the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Eoonomio Affairs, ~ood and Agrioulture Organisation

of the United Nations, WFP, Food for Freedom/AID/W, Peaoe Corpe,

Ghana, Peaoe Corps/TuAkegee, U.S.A., Food Marketing Corporation,

Ghana Aoademy of Sciences, Industry, University of Ghana, Kumaei

University of Soienoe and Technology, National Investment Bank,

Food and Nutrition Board, National Liberation Council, Agricultural

Credit and Cooperative Bank, Cocoa Research Institute, Department

of Cooperatives, Israeli Technical Assistance Program, C&llaiian

Technical Assistance Program, United Kingdom Technical Aesi1tance

Program, and USAID/Sierra Leone. Aleo, the private farming sector

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was well represented by a half dozen delegates.

The theme of this year's oonferenoe was "Rebuilding

Ghana.' a Agrioul tural Eoonomy - Present and Future Challenges."

Diaouaaione and papers presented highlighted the present agri-

cultural ~ituation facing Ghana, in addition to short and long-

range praotioal recommenqations for its solution. Much stress

was laid on increasing food produotion, o~~P diversification,

soil survey and olaseifioation, 01ed.it, agrJoultura.l eduoation,

marketing, prioe stabilization, u tilizE.-t'lon of WFP oommodi ties,

training and reeearoh, publications anii. ":'!iB

-3-

'l'o Dr. Fred R. M:&~ii, Chairman of the Program Committee

a.nd USAID Agrioulture Eoonomio Advisor, Dr. Robert I. Jackson,

Food and Agriculture Officer, Mr. Nathaniel Farris, Deputy

Food and Agriaul ture Officer, Mr. Jack Walker, USAID Lives took

Advisor, Mrs. Ceoelia o. Mi~keleon, USAID P&A Seoretary and Anthony A. Iwuamadi, Administrative Assistant, go many thanks

for a progre.m well planned and well exeouted.

April 25, 1967

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Mr. J .,3.0.Nunoo

N.L.c. Member Responsible for the Ministry of .A.grioul ture

Excerpts of press reports of Mr. Nunoo's remarks were printed by the three Ghana daily newspapers. The newspapers expressed in their editorial columns, the importanoe of the conference and. the significance of the proposals made by Mr. Nunoo.

The Ghanrd.P..n Times commented that, "the good intentions of tho present regime to revolutionize agriculture and revitalize interest in it are ampJ;r reflected in Mr. Nunoo' s address, and with the assist-ance of USAID, success is assured." The adi torial went on to say that., t1 already, the U SAID has endeared itself to many farmers in the country, and that the varied programs sponsored by USAID throughout the country to up5rade agrioul ture "have come through the instrumental! ty of USAlD and its ab le experts. 11

The Dail~ Graphic, in oommenting on the plans proposed by Mr. Nunoo, said that the proposal to establish 5,000 meohanized farms with trained agrioulturiste to run them av~~ the next ten years would eerve 11as the spearhead of the new revolution in agrioulture in this oountry. t1 The editorial also emphasized the need for oooperation of

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"the farmers and the hard work of extension officers and

a.griaultural technical officers already in the field 1 11 :tt

the plans were to succeed.

The need for looally-produoed food at reasonable prices

was emphasized by the Evening News editorial. ''For too long

a time,the Ghanaian farmer had concentrated nearly all his

efforts on cash crops to the detriment of producing food to

feed his family and others," the ed.i torial said. The comment

went on to make the point t~at it was time now to aot on re-

lieving the country of having to import food, when through the

application of new agricultural techniques, the country oould

produce the food it needed.

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ADDRESS

by + :Mr. J.E.O. Nunoo

Mr. Chairman, Mr. De Pree, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen&

AJJ the National Liberation Council has so often explained, the popular 24th. February revolution was deaigned to oreate the right climate for sound eoonomio growth through careful realiatio planning and judicious Government spending. In the field of agriculture, therefore, effective measures have been taken in conformity with this objec;.ive, the results of' whioh will become more eloquent with the passage of time.

All non-"t"iable state agricultural enterprises are being '!round up. All superfluous labor are being redeployed. Every effort ie being made to staff the Ministry of Agrioul ture and its agencies with tre.ined a.nd qualified peraonne 1. The polioy and organs of the Minis try have themsel .. ree been cri tioally re-vfowed. We are, therefore, already living according to the theme of this year's USAID Conference, which is "Rebuilding Ghana's Agricultural Economy."

Everywhere on this continent of ours, the production of food l~gs behind population increase. Africa, therefore, with its abun-dant lands and increasing unemployed persona has, paradoxioally, thus b~come a great importer of food and agricultural raw materials which it oould have eoonomically grown. It has been so for a de-cade 1 and this is due mainly to two causes - the failure of our traditional methods of farming, and the drift of trained men from agriou 1 ture.

+ Mr. J.E.O. Nunoo, N.L.c. Member responsible for the Minis try of Agr.ioul ture and P,."\restry.

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To meet this challenge, the Government has decided to

revolutionize our agriculture in two major ways. Firstly,

it will attract trained agrioulturists into farming, and

secondly, it will ohange the present system of farming.

Since 98 percent of the total agrioultural production in Ghana is by sms.11-soale peasant private farmers, our first care

is to conoentrate leadership and help on both the private in-

dividual and the cooperative sectors. A revitalized Agrioultural

Extension Sdrvice is being installed to do this. It will organize,

plan with, teach and lead farme~s in production. IPour energetio

and experienced officers have been seleoted to take over at the

national level, eight uffioers due for promotion to Principal

Agricultural Officers have or are ta.lcing their positions at the

regional offioaa and 40 Agrioultural and Senior Technical Officers

have taken chargt1 of each of the 40 districts into which the country

has been divided. Farmers and ad.miniatrative officers of Ghana

should regard the agricultural extension officers as the accredited

representatives of my Ministry at their various levels. It is to

them all people should turn for help and advice in agriculture.

To support the effort of these extension officers, a Farm .

Supplies Division is also being established to supply at oout to

the farmers, aee

- 8 -

Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, we llllSt admit that the Ghana farmer oannot by any devioe known to man inorease

produotion suddenly overnight to meet this new situation of

an almost exoessive demand oreated by unooordinated aoonomio

expansion. He oan inorease effioienoy and produotivity through

the adoption of new methods and teohniques but not so miraoul-

ously fast. As a short time measure, therefore, the total number

of farmers should first of all be immediately inoreased, so that

their output, even at this low rate of produotion, oan meet the

present demand. As part of this exaroi~e and also as a. seoond

step, trained agrioulturists shall be drawn into farming, by

the offer of more attraotive oonditions of training, servioe

and finanoing.

A Fazm Settlement Division whioh is being established will

promote the adoption of settled or permanent agriculture. This

Division will guide aud finanoe a new type of farmer in Ghana,

the eduoated, trained agrioulturiet, who is proud of his own

mechanized oommeroial farm in preference to a white oollar job

and al.so prcud of being a pioneer in the break away from tradi-

tional farming.

It a new acheme whioh I am formulating is approved, eaoh

trained agriculturist or sohJol leaver who wishes to go into

farming an.d is prepared to settle down with &.n approved group

will be given both teohnioal and finanoial help to take up a pro-

jeot of N1,ooo, N2,ooo, N6,ooo or N10,ooo aooord.ing to his ability, and finanoad from a Government l~an in a supervised oredit

system. In all, nearly 5,000 projeots of this kind will be launohed. It is oaloulated that if these 5,000 people do eventually own their own modern meohanized farms, the revolution whioh we seek in agri-

oul ture will oome.

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Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemans As far as agrioul ture

is oonoerned, the right steps for rebuilding of Ghana's eoonomy

are being taken. Steps have been tak9n to relieve our iromediate

food situation. Steps have been taken to redefine our polioy.

Steps have been taken to prune and put into good shape the ma.ohineL"Y

by whioh Government will assist farmers. Sohemas are afoot t1J in-

orease the number of farmers inmediately in order to inorease our

produotion quiokly to meet demand. We are, therefore, doing e~ery

thing possible to bring in the Iigh t talents and traineQ people

into our agriculture, and to provide the best leadership whioh our

nation oan afford beoause we are oonvinoed that the a.grioulture of

any nation oan never rise above the level of those who are direotly

engaged in 1 t.

Thank you.

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WELCOME ADDRESS

by

Mr. Willard A. De Pree+

The oooperative programs oarriad on between the Govemments

of Ghana and the United States inolude both grants for teohnioal

assistanoe and loans for capital assiatanoe. Dlring the fisoal

year 1965/66, the United States provided teohnical aseistanoe ooeting N641,ooo. To present, the USAID has authorized two loans totaling N58 million fo~ capital projeote.

The technical assistance program now is conoentrated ohiefly

in the vital field of agriou ltural development. Examples may be

found. throughout the length and breadth of Ghana. The objeotives

of these projects include greater and more diversified orop yields,

improved strains of livestook and poultry, and improved vo.oational

agricultural education.

We are oooperating in the following teohnioal aesistanoe pro-

jeota in the field of agrioultures

A. Agricultural .Extension and Produotion

The two major goals of this projeot are to assist the Ministry

of Agriculture in 1

1. Developing an effective and well organized Agri-

oul ture Extension Servioe, from the national level

down to and through that at the sub-distriot.

2. Assist in training and advising the agrioulture

extension staff on the improved methods and teoh-

niqu~s rJquired to increase agrioultural produo-

tion. By applying this knowledge ana using

fertilizer, insectioide, improved farm equipment

+ Mr. Willard A. De Pree is the Chief Politioal Offioer, United States Embassy, Aoora, Ghana.

- 11 -

and hand tools the farmers of Ghana can in-

oreasa their production by five peroent per

year.

B. Agriculture Eduoaticn

The aim of this project is to assist the Training and

Manpower Division of the Ministry of Agriculture in develop-

ing a.nd executing a training program for eight vocational

agrioultul'e schools looated throughout Ghana. The majority

ot the trainees from these schools are employed by the Ministry;

others will return to their lands as private farmers. The better

students of tha graduates from the Kwadaso School are now eligible

to enter the Faculty of Agrioul ture of the University of Gho.na.

This is possible as a. result of a reoent ohange in admission re-

quirements and is a great boon to expanding university training.

U.$. &ssiotanoe provided under this project is directed

primarily toward training Field Assistants, Agrioultural Instruc-

tors and Agrioultura.l Assistants, as well as private farmers, in

skills whioh are directly applioabla to the programs for agricultural

development and increased produotion. More important, there will be

a shift in the frame of reference to viable 100-aore production units

for private grower&.

c. Livestock and Poultry Development This Program has the following goalaa

1. To assist in training personnel in apeoifio skills

required to establish the national livestook pro-

gram.

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2. '1'o organize and plan a program tor the nation-wide distribution of the breeds and eybrids ot livestook and poultry whioh beat satisfy the oountry's requirements of produotion.

3. To assist in establishing a food produotion program in connection with all pri-vate, cooperative and government livestock onterprises.

4. To organize and/or oomplete programs of major West Afrioan animal diseases, reduoing the present high rates of in!eotion to a minillllm or even elimination in some inetano~s.

D. Agricultural Economics and Karketi~, has these objeotivesa

1. To assist in the training of personnel in the Division of the speoialized phases of agricultural eoonomios.

2. To advise in the oompilation and analysis ot data required by the Ministry and other agencies for developing overall plans for increased production of agrioul tural oomrnodi ties.

3. To aid in establishing a system for making va-rious surveys on produotion, aoreage, marketing andprioing.

B. Agrioul tural Credit and Cooperative Bank The purpose of this project is to assist the re-

cently-established Agriculture Credit and Cooperative Bank to improve its organization and operations and, thus, enable it to extend credit to farmers in all the major agriaultural produoing areas of Ghana.

New projects to be implemented in the field of agri-aulture include the employment of u.s. professors.

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P. raoulty of Agrioul!!:!.!:!, - Univarait;r o:t Ghana

The Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ghana, will

be strengthened over the next three years by providing four

American professors of agriculture to assist the Faoulty in

meeting the following three targetss

1. Establishment of progressive agricultural

education program baaed upon improved research

and administrative skills.

2. Refinement of the ex:i.sting ourriculum in order

to more closely ooordinate teaching, research

and axtenaion~ It is hopod the new ourriculum

will introduce those aspects of the U.S. Land

Grant College system which have relevance to

Ghana.

3. More intensive and extensive planning and im-

plementation of practical, sound research. The

scientists must be able to serve the needs of the

farmer by establishing a good working relationship

with extension workers and research workers in

complementary research institutions.

c. There is currently under recruitment, an Aquatic Biologist for the Volta Lake Technical Assistance Programs The purpose of

this project is to assist tho Goveinment of Ghana (GOO), principally

through the Ministry of Agrioul ture, and secondarily, through the

University of Ghana and the Volta River Authority (VRA), ins

1. Praparing a program for the geners.l development

of a freshwater fishing industry within Lake Volta.

2. Outlining a contingency program for aquatic weed

oontrol. This project will be phased out in n1971.

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The program of ooopera ti on between Ghana and the United States extends beyond the field of agrioulture and oovers these important areasa

I. National Water Supply Development

The aims of this program are as follows&

1. To f'urnish consulting servioes to the Chief Engineer of the Water Supplies Division on problems of water works operations, design and oonstruotion.

2. To assist tha Water Supplies Divieion in establish-ing a Water and Sewerage Technical Sohcol eo that all operating employees of the Division oan be given the necessary training to enable them to become teohnically competent in their respeotive jobs.

3. To f'urnish technical advioe to the Drilling Sec-tion of the Water Supplies Division and to provide on-the-job training for drilling crews.

4. To enable a sizeable gro..:.p of Ghanais.n partioipants ~o receive specialized traini~g in the U.S. in such fields as water ohemistry and bacteriology, pump and engine maintenance, water works operation and sswage treatment plant operation.

II. Rural Publio Works

The AID activity targets, insofar as the Rural Pllblio Works program is oonoerne~, are as followsa 1. Ina ti tution Buil~

i. To assist the Technical Services Section of the Department of Sooial Welfare and Community Development in developing a more effeotive organization.

- 15 -

11. To assist the MiniBtry of Local Government in establishment of an organization for the main-tenance and construction of feeder roads.

2. TrainiDB: 1. To assist the Department of Social Welfare and

Community Developtnent, the Ministry of Local Government and the Local Counoils in training

and upgrading personnel to the point where they are capable of performing all duties required

by the rural development program.

3. Planning i. To advise on tne design of buildings, roads,

bridges and utility systems. This will inolude

the tor1In.1lation of long-range plans.

4. Construction i. ~o assist with the programming and supervision

of construction for all types of rural develop-

ment work.

5. Research and Developmen~ i. To coordinate research with universities and

technical sohoois for the purpose of making improvements in design, materials and construo-

tion methods which oan be used in rural develop-ment work.

III. National Investment Bank

The objectives of the National Investment Bank follows

1. To encourage and assist in transformation of the exist-ing government-controlled National Investment Bank into a privately-controlled development bank.

2. To develop and improve the Development Service Insti-

tute of the National Investment Bank as a semi-autonomous

- 16 -

self-supporting but non-profit institution for

tinanoial and economic analysis and management

oonsultation, for the Bank as well as for other

clients, inoluding GOG agenoies.

3. To encourage a favorable climate for extension of private investment and private enterprise.

IV. Self-help Projects

USAID has provided building materials and equipment to

numerous community self-help projeots throughout Ghana. The

goals of these projects insofar as USAID is oonoerned, are as

follows&

1. To assist in furnishing materials for the comple-

tion of previously started primary, midd.'.1a 11chool

buildings, and other publio buildings whioh are

being oonatruoted by local village residents on a

self-help basis.

2. To furnish materials to enable the installation of

piped water supplies and !lush-type latrines in

certain selected primary, middle and secondary

sohoola. This will be a pilot projeot whioh will

be used on an example after which the GOG oan pattern

a full scale program.

3. To expand the program of one-acre gardens initiated during FY 1966 in the primary and middle sohools ot the Upper Region.

4. To prooure eleotrioal generating equipment for cer-tain teaoher's training faoilities in Ghana.

5. To procure outlasses and other hand tools to be pre-sented by the A111erican Ambassador to paramount

Chiefs in certain traditional areas.

- 17 -

Joint Ghana Ministry of Health-USAID operations began

at the Trade Fair in February and, during the first year,

will oover the greater Acora-Tema area and the Ga.-Adangbe

Looal Counoil, an area of about 600,000 people. IAlring the

sucoeeding two years, the entire population will be vacoinated

against small pox and the ohildren between the ages of six

months and four years will be vaccinated against measles.

During the seoond and third years of the projeot, the remainder

of Ghana will be oovered by mobile teams. The vaooine, in-

jection equipment, and two experts will be supplied by USAID

with the cooperation of the United States Publio Health Service.

The Government of Ghana will provide the staff for the mobile

teams as well as for the necessary advanoe preparations.

An important project on the Government of Ghana planning

boards is a soheme for a widespread system of feeder roads to

be reconstructed throughout Ghana. Several of the pilot

studies have been completed with USAID staff participation. The improved roads will permit cheaper and more rapid transportation

of foodstuffs to market.

One of the most dramatio projects in which the United States

has pa.rtioipated in Ghana -- as well as all of Afrioa -- is the

great Volta River hydroelectric complex. The u.s. Agenoy tor Inte:rn~tional Development and other Amarioan agenoies supported

oonstruotion of the Akosombo dam, which is providing reliable

eleotrio power to much of Ghana, with loans totalling approximately

one-fifth of the ooat. USAID and the U .s. Export-Import :Bank to-gether are providing approyimately NP78 million in loans to two Amerioan aluminum companies to construct the Valco Aluminum smelter

at Tema.

- 18 -

The Publio La.w 480 Agrioul tural Commodity support pro-gra.m ie an imrortant program !or Ghana. While some foods a.re made available free for distribution through voluntary agencies and through the world Food Program, the major portion of this program consists of commodities 1 sales for Ghanaian currency, 75 peroent of whioh USAID baa agreed to lend through the Ghana Government for lllltually agreeable projeots. The Ghana Govern-ment and we have agreed in principle to allocate these funds to projecta for the following usee1 feeder roads, agricultural train-ing and manpower, animal health, agricultural extension services, small dams clean-out, Tama Development Corporation houeine, water supply, rural training centers, self-help projects, Agrioultural Credit and Coope1ative Bank, and the National Investment Bank:.

Also, there are currently two groups representing American investment interests under USAID auepioes ., One group represents the Mid-American International Development Association of Chicago and consists of Mr. Robert Fleming and Mr. John J.mman. The other group is the Pan African Development Corpor~tion and is represented by Mr.Richard Guy.

In support of these many operations, there are more than 30 American advisory staff members in Ghana. Of these, one-third are in the Aocra area whil~ the majority are posted in other parts of the country.

These advisors are predominantly engaged in agricultural exten-sion and vocational agricultural education activities. Others, however, are providing assistance in livestock and poultry develop-ment, agricultural credit, development banking, rural public works, and agricultural economics.

v.

- 19 -

USAID has f inanoed the training for over 200 par-

tioipan ta who have returnad to Ghana. Currently, there

are some 60 Ghanaians studying in the United States~ who

are being sponsored by the U .s. Government. Over half of tbeae participants were or are being trained in some

field of agrioulture.

VI. Looking into the future, Ghana must build and er-

pand her fertilizer produotivo oapaoi ty. Here, Ghane.

bas an opportunity through regional and l!llltilateral

arrangemants to supply agricultural inputs to other coun-

tries as well as her own. Full utilization of tho op-

portuni ties offered by tl1e 'Vo 1 ta Lake should be developed.

With the huna.n and natural resources Ghana bas, she is in

a etrategio situation to become one of the leading de-

veloped countries in the world.

VI!. In hie Sta ta of the Union message, President Johnaon

stated, "Next to the puraui t of peaoa, the really greatest

ohallenge to the human family is the raoe between food aupply

and population increase."

The world's population ia now increasing at the rate of

over 70 million per year 200,000 more people to feed eaoh

day. Before 1930, world population increased at a rate of about 10 million per year. The rate today is seven times

greater and is speeding up all the time. But not only are

there more and more people in tho world. At the same time,

people are demanding more and more food. Every step forward

by a developing 00untry - every inoraaso in its standard of

living - produooa a greater per oapita demand for food.

The population expoleion will not be easily or quickly

oontained, though I believe ita oontainment to be a nuat.

- 20 -

.f-.lloouragement of family planning ia now the offiaial

polio7 of many governments. Progress is slow. :But,

this effort must suooeed in the long run. We may begin

to see some marked deorease in the birth rate by the 1980s. We should work aggressively un the other side of the equa-

tion, the problem of food production whioh is not an easy

one. In 1966, world food produotion stood still. It was at the same leval aa the previous year.

The less-dev~loped countries of the free world alone

now have a food deficit of about 16 million IMtrio tons of grain a year. Unless we find soma answers, this deficit will

probably mount to 42 million tons by 1975 It will more than double to 88 million tons by 1985.

"Should the United States alone try to feed the world's

hungry millions?" We can't feed the world and we shouldn't

try. 'It.ere are no longer any surplus of food.stuffs in the

United Stat$s. President Johnson has made it olear that what is

needed instead, is "an-all-out effort to enable the developing oountries to supply their own food needs through their own pro-

duction or through improved oa.paoity to buy in world markets." As a result of this situation, this oonferenoe becomes very

significant in disoua~ing w&ys and means to increase Ghana's agri-cultural production and, thus, save for other uses the valuable foreign exchange that is ourrently being spent to import food-

stuffs into Ghana.

- 21 -

RBW.RICS

b;y

Mr. A.K. A.eem

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gen tlemena

The present ohallenges of our agriculture ~ . few. How

it oan produoe enough to stop the importation of those things

whioh oould have been more profitably and eoonomioally grown

in this oountry is one. How it oan inorease in efficienoy

until one farmer oan produo.e enough to meet the needs of ten

or more people in Ghana, how it oan diversify its production

and eave the oountry from building its eoonomy on one orop,

and how it can offer employment opportunities whioh are equally

attractive as white oollar jobs, are the others.

Ae Mr. J .E.O. Nunoo, the NJJC Member for Agrioulture and

Forestry has just told you, we are firmly oonvin~ed in the

Ministry of Agriculture that the traditional method ct farming

oan no longer meet the present day demands beoause it is the

lowest level o f production. Ways III.let, therefore, be found

whereby our present and future ohallengee oan be met.

The Goveniment in its approach to this problem is also

oonvinoed that the agrioulture of Ghana oan never rise above

the level of those who are directly engaged in it, nor above

the level of investment in the industry.

+ Mr. A.K. A.sem, Prinoipal Seoretar,r, inistry ot Agriculture.

- 22 -

The Ministry of Agriculture has, therefore, rerlsed its policies and streamlined the struoturg and organization of the State organs under it, in order to be able to raise the level of its farmers, ~he level of agricultural production and the level of investment in agrioul~ire.

The new Agricultural Extension Service whioh WI~ are now putting in the field is different from all others whioh this country has ever known. Within a y~ar of its inauguration, i'li llllst produce results. It will soon ba officially launohed by the N.L.C.Member for Agriculture. Its officers will be the aooredited advisors in agriculture in every District and Region; and all other DiviAions of the Ministry will work closely with it. The N.L.C. Member will, I hope, be able to visit frequently the front rank of this Division of Extension Services later on, nome time after the reorganization whioh is now going on in the Jlinistry itself h~s been completed.

The job of the Agrioultural Extension Service is to raise the level of farmers. It will tench them how to increase the national output, how to increase their effioienoy and how to di-versify our agriculture.

Two of the Divisions of the Ministry whioh will work extremely olosely with the Agricultural Extension Service will be the Farm Supplies Division and the Farm Mechanization and Transport Division. Both will be dedicated solely to the supply of almost all the pro-duction requisites whioh farmers are likely to need. The work of these three Divisions is directed jointly towards increasing total production within the present set up.

The other thing whioh is not fully explained in the speeoh of the N.L.c. Member for Agriculture is that the present generation of farmers is reducing in numbers because our ohild.l~n who now have

-23-

free education do not return to the land after schooling

because they do net find attraotive employment there. Partly

beoause of this decrease of farmers, partly because of the

proliferation of agro-allied industries in Ghana, and partly

because of our rapidly inareaeing population, the demand for

agrioultural raw materials greatly exceeds the production.

The only way by which this challenge can be met is to increaso

the total nu.mber of farmers; for production itself cannot be

otherwise increased very fast to meet this situation over night.

Thie increase in the number of farmers, however, is a short-term

measure. What is needed is a new typo of farmer who is oapable

of increasing output to meet the situation.

Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen: The agriculh1ral Settle-

ment Division has been oreated to in~roduoe this new type of

Ghana farmer into our industry. The Division's job is to select

the beat people who are prepared to farm in the modern way, train

them, plan with them, give thorn both the technical advice and the

financial help they need and introduce them straight into mode1n

commercial mechanized farming. Each candidate aust show proof

that he is entitled to land under long lea1:5e or outright owner-

ship, and that he is preparAd to eettle on that land and fann it

first under muparvieicn, and lstar, on his own. In oase of groups,

the Government will help them acquire land where possible. Eaoh

case will be tran.ted as a project. Government will assist eaob with

loanable funds up to Nlo, 000. This ie to promote investment i.n

small and m9dium-eized agricultural projects. It will lay the

foundatione for modern oommarcial farming and generate s momentum

in agrioul~~ral investment the like of whioh this country ha.e never

seen before, as it will surely have a tremendous llllltiplying eftaot.

- 24 -

This sohame is essentially meant to attract educated

and trained man especially the youth into agriculture and

so raise both the level of farming and the levelof invest-

ment in agriculture in Ghana. For it is int6nded to make the

income of those who work in this scheme higher than that of

their colleagues who do white collar jobs. We believe that

as soon as about 5,000 people are helped in this way, the

agricultural revolution which we seek shall oome. The scheme

will oost only Nplo,000,000, and it may be spread over about

3 to 5 years, depending on the rate at which project planning, management, and oredit supervising experts can b& recruitede

As you may see from the program, it is not intended

that I should deliver an address but to make remarks which

will pave the way for the discussion of the full implications

of the policy speech of the N.L.c. Member for Agriculture and Forestry. I shall, therefore, now take my seat and leave the

rest to you. Thank you.

- 25 -

11REBJ ILDillG GHANA'S AGRICUL'IURAL ECONOMY -PRESENT AND FU'IURE CHALLENGES"

by

Dr. Robert I.Jackson+

lA.lring the recent months there have been many artiolee

in the newspapers and magazines about rebuilding Ghana's

economy. We all reali~e that Ghana's economy is largely de-

pendent upon agriculture, so naturally most of these articles

were oonoerned more speoifioally with agriculture.

Looking over the events of the past Jear whioh are directly

related to agriculture, one oan see that muoh attention has been

paid to plans for improving the agriculture of the oountry.

Perhaps, one of the moat significant steps has been the one taken

by thei Agrioul ture Cormni ttee in preparing a Report for the national

Liberation Council. I feel confident that this Report will serve

as a basis for any immediate reorganization and planning for the

agricultural development in Ghana. Planning a sound agricultural

program is a difficult task, yet one which 11Ust be accomplished in

an extremely satisfactory manner if agricultural produotion is

going to keep abrea,et and more important, ahead, of the requirements

of the country.

A neoeseary oondition of eoonomio deTelopment is to provide

more than man's minimum food requirements. Ghana ms t seek an

agricultural development polioy whioh will not only meet man's food

requirements, but will also meet hie food deairee a.nd oontribute to

converting a nation with static per capita inoomes into a prosperous,

eoonomioally dynamic nation with oontinuoua growth in per oapita in-

oomes.

+ Dr. Robert I. Jackson is the USAID Pood and Agrioul ture Of'fioer, Ghana.

- 26 -

Ghana like some developing nations, is able more or less to maintain its agricultural production to matoh its

population growth. This is being done in large part without

any major changes in the traditional agricultural systems and

methods. Only a few n~tions have been able to o~ate agri-cultural development programs whioh not only meet food re-

quirements of an expanding population but also oontribute more broadly to economic growth.

Agrioultural production lll.!Bt increase in a way whioh increases per capita national income if ag~ioultural develop-

ment is to make a net contribution to eoonomio development.

I.a a trad.i tional agriou 1 ture, it is normal for inoreasad pro-duction to be accompanied by decreasing returns to greater

labor and capital input. One approach to agrioultural develop-ment is technological ohange which raises resource produotivity not only of land but of capital and labor as well. With teohno-logioal change, ugriaultural production may be increased with rising per capita income; more labor may well be absorbed in

agriculture at higher rather than lower levels of productivity. Increases in the p1~duotivity agricultural labor r~duces, at least somewhat, the pressure !or expansion of the non-agricultural seotor at the same time that it makes suoh expansion easier through the increased incomes whiob provide increased potential for capitGl formation. Advanoes in the biological and agrioul tural soienoes continue to increase the potential for economioally desirable

teohnologioal ohange in agricu 1 ture. Agrioul tural polioy should be in aocord with these new ciroumstanoea.

In Ghana, most of the agricultural oommoditiee are produced

on relatively small farms which oooupy a high proportion of the country's population. Thus, if we want to significantly affect the total population of Ghana, programs for teohnologioal change in

- 27 -

agrioul ture llllst work through large numbers of persona and

thereby provide wide dispersion of benefits. The di~eot

benefits of inoreased farm inoo~s go to the relatively lovi.-

inoome rural eeotor.

T'a.6 pl'Od.uction response and effeot on net income from new

teohnology depends on the underlying phyeioal oonditions as

well as on the eoonomic and oultural oonditions of the farmers.

Some individual farmers and even whole areas of farms will not

find new teohnology profitable to them and will be left behind

in welfare improvement unless speoial effort is made to adapt

teohnology to their situation or to oompensate them in some

manner. Polioy makers need research results so that they will

know where teohnology will increase incomes and where the in-

oreaee may be only marginal.

If agrioultural development is to oome about aa a result

of teohnologioal ohange, the production prooese~s of an extremely

large number of fa!'mers Dllst be ohanged or modified. Eventually,

these farmers DUst be given the knowledge and means for them to

make their own decisions. This is a part of farm development

planning and is a condition of agricultural development polioy.

This polioy should deal with the slow proossses of education.

Polioy for technologioal change must be ooncerned first with

the question of what kinds of stimuli f~rmera respond to and aeoond,

how to make those etillllli more effective. The Ghanaian farmers,

like other farmers in the world, respond to monetary profits. It

is possible to make teohnological innovation profitable to the

farmer~ ainoe it is oonsistent with the general aspeots of agri-

oultural development polioy and mors speoifioally with the objeotive

of increasing thd farmers' inoomes and effioiently making use of

the inputs.

- 28 -

The profi tabili t;y of teohnologioal ohange depends upon

three things s

1. The division of inoome between the farmer and

mone;y lender or between the farmer and owner

of equipment rented to the farmer.

2. The ph;ysioal produotivit;y of inputs whioh the

farmer uses, suoh as improved seed, fertilizer,

pestioidea, tools and equipment.

3. The prioe differential between those items which the farmer bu;ys and those oommoditiee whioh he

sells.

The seoond point, the phy1ioal produotivit;y of inputs is no

doubt the most important faotor for bringing about teohnologioal

ohange.

If this phyaioal productivity of inputs is to be constantly

inoreased, two vary imper tan t oondi tions mst be mets

1. There Ill.let be a researoh program whioh is oapable

of oonstantly supplying innovations and infor-

mation whioh is oontinuously inoreasing resource

prod.uctivi ty.

2. There must be an extension servioe whioh oan edu-

oate the farmers by using the results of the re-

searoh whioh has direot applioation to new and

improved prod.uotion praotioes.

It ie oommonly thought that the teohnology for agricultural

development is readily available and all that is needed is a good

agricultural extension program to eduoate the farmers. Unfortunately,

this is not generally the oase and V8I7 often there is a dearth of

results from sound agrioultural researoh. Thus, the policy makers

must see to it that there is a suitable institutional framework

for conducting researoh if progress is to be made in agricultural development,,

- 29 -

There are times when only simple changes in farm praotices will provide substantial increases in farm produotion. Un-fortunately, this is not true in moat cases. In order to obtain major increases, it is often neoessary to introd.uoe a whole set of changes in practices; these oha.nges, however,many oi whioh are closely interrelated and are dependent upon aaoh another. For example, improved plant varieties sometimes requira a higher rate of fertilizer application, better inseot and disease oontrol methods, and better agronomic practioes than the unimproved va-rieties. To make the most use of these benefits, the agrioultural extension service rm.1st be qualified to train the farmers in these matters and agrioultural polioy must support the extension program.

I seriously doubt whether the fixing of agricultural prices, both for inputs and outputs, is likely to be an effective measure for increasing traditional agrioul tural production. In urban areas where food makes up a large proportion of the coat of living of lower income workers, inoreased prices may oonflict witb wel-fare and political goals. These high prices also conflict with the capital formation in the non-agricultural seotor. Perhaps tho moat important, higher prices in a traditional agrioulture, may only bring added resouroes into production at decreasing levels of productivity and therefore the oombined impact on the level of agrioultural production is likely to be small.

On the other hand, agricultural prices may be a very valuable tool of agrioultura.l policy when used in oombination with teohno-logical change. If the research neoessa.ry for inoreaaed produo-tion has been oarried out, if' the physioal inputs are readily available to the farmers and 1! the extension servioe is training the farmers in the improved teohniques, then agrioultural prioe policy may be used in suoh a way as to inorease the rate of acoep-tanoe of taohnological ohange. Suoh a prioe policy may reduoe the

- 30 -

risk to farmers when the prices of agricultural oomnoditiea

are declining after the farmers have pu.t relatively large

investments into fertilizer, pesticides and other inputs.

One very essential piece of information is lacking to guide

the polioy makers in price relntionebips and that io the

knowledge concerning what rates of return under what condi-

tions are necessary to accept innovations of various types.

For a favorable input-output prioe relationship, it is

necessary that the farmers have ready acoesa to the physical

inputs. Agricultural policy 1IUst take into aooount the nee~

for these inputs if there is going to be a signiticant increase

in agricultural production.

We cannot substitute the inoreaaed quantity of inputs tor

new technology whioh increases the produotivity ot inputs. Th

increased produotivity of the physical inputs inorease tne profit-

ability of using substantially increased quantities of inputs.

Fertilizer, pestioides and improved seeds are some of the inputs

whioh oust be increased to the farmer if large inoreasee in pro-

duction and national income are to be generated in the agricultural

aoctor. Tnoo~ paoplo ma.king agricultural policy DI.1st see that

foreign exchange and logistic ,;upport are available for providing

sufficient quantities of the inputs needed by the farmers. The

quantities of these inputs needed is dependent upon the estimate

of the effectiveness of technological change in increasing the

return and demand for these inputs.

Agricultural development must be executed through large numbers

of farmers who farm under varying conditions and on the other hand,

it requires a complex set of integrated institutions which farmers

cannot provide for themselves on an individual basis. The first

of these two calls for the decentralization of decision-making and

- 31 -

great flexibility in the planning prooass. The seoond requires

effeotive oentral planning.

An important part of planning is the organization of an

experiment station system, an extension servioe, the fertilizer

distribution system and the q~antities of money available to

farmers. In faot the manner in whioh all of these are organized

is at least as important if not more important than paying too

lllloh attention to allocation of physioal inputs and resouroes.

Those pla.Ming polioy nust be able to predict to what er-

tent teohnologioal ohange will increase returns from epeoifio

inputs and in 'd'hioh locations. For developing agrioulture, one

must be able to fornulate a plan whioh will&

1. determine the organizational and institutional

needs for oriating technologionl ohange;

2. determine the quantity of physioal inputs needed

for these organizations and institutions and to

oomplament the application of teohnology of th

farmers.

I am sure that the many of the papers presented at this Con-

ferenoe and the diaouasione whioh follow will be oonoerned with

polioia as they relato to teohnologioal ohange in agrioulture.

From the contents of the papers whioh I have already seen, there is

a very good indioation that muoh valuable :J.nforma.tion will be gleaned

by all of you pa.rtioipants.

- 32 -

SOIL flJR:vEY AND CLASSIFICATIONs THEIR CONTRiaTTIONS !l'O AGRIOOL'lURAL DEVELOIKENT IN GHA.!U.

I. DlTRODJCTIClf

No one oonversant with the history of the aohieve-ments in agricultural produotion in most of the devoloped nations of the western world oan dispute the truth in the following words first expr~ssed by the notable American Agrioul turist, Henry L. Ahlgren in 19481 "The soil oomes first. It is the basis, the foundation of farming. Without it nothingJ with poor soil, poor farming, poor living; with good soil, good farming and living. An understanding of good farming begins with an understanding of the soil. 11 No wonder, therefore, that the sponsors of this oonferenoe, with the theme "Rebuilding Ghana's Agrioultural Eoonomy -Present and Future Challenges" hA.ving been born and bred in ona of the most advanced agricultural nations of the world deoided to start off the program with a treatise on the oon-tributions of soil survey and olaesifioation to the agrioul-tural development of Ghana.

Agrioulture oontributas immensely to the eoonomy of Ghana. It is definitely not far fetohed to state that in-oreased agrioultural production is indispensable to the eoonomio progress of Ghana. In order, therefore to restore strength and stability to the oountry's woefully mismanaeed eoonomy at the shortest possible time, it will be essential

+ Mr. Henry B. Obeng ie a Prinoipal Reeea.roh Officer at the Soil Reeearoh Institute(Ghana Aoadellcy' of Soicmoes), Kwadaso-Kumaai.

- 33 -

to develop a sound, crash agricultural program aimed at

significantly increasing the production of arable, pasture

and tree crops on existing small, cooperative and large-soale

farms as well as the immediate development of virgin lands

oonsidered capable of eoonomio crop and livestock production.

Such a sustained, increased agricultural production

oannot be achieved at the shortest possible time without re-

vitalizing existing organized institutions responaible1 firstly,

tor taking an inventory of the soil resources of the country

with a view to quiokly supplying needed information on potential

arable, irrigable, pasture and forestry lands; secondly, for

providing high yielding seeds and imp:"< 'd breeds of livestook

and finally, for ~dvising on proper management praotioes inolud-

ing especially, ways and means of raising the fertility level

of our soils, oounteracting soil erosion and controlling peats

and diseases.

Since this paper is intended to deal with the first of

the three essentials stated abov, I shall proceed to give a

brief account of the contributions of soil survey and classifica-

tion to Ghana's agrioultural development and the crash program

which has been mounted after the coup to quickly meet with the

numerous requests for selection of suitable areas across the oountry

for increased orop and livestock production.

II. THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOIL SURVEY AND CLASSIFICATION lN GHANA

The development of soil survey and classification in Ghana

with a view to collaoting data on the soil resources of the coun-

try began some twenty-two years ago. This was in 1945 when the ooooa industry was first threatened by the swollen shoot disease

and oapsid attack and it became naoessary to find out whether or

- 34 -

not soil faotors affeot the development and distribution of

euoh virus and pest infestations. Although no useful re-

sults were obtained from such surveys of ooooa growing areas

so far as the infestations were conoarned, valuable data were

obtained on the distribution of soils within the semi-deciduous rainfall belt and their general suitability for various forest

oropa. In 1951, therefore, it was deoided to organize a oountry-wide program of mapping th& soils of the oountry with a view to

eventually Aupplying information on their suitability for orop

and livestock production. This wa.s at a time when very little syetematio soil surveying had been carried out in the tropios.

It beoame neoeaaary, therefore, to devise methods by which the

soils of the oountry oould be surveyed as quickly an~ effioiantl7 as possible.

In pureuanoe of the above objeotive, two types of soil sur-

veys were organized. Firstly, Regional Soil Surveys aimed at

oolleoting data on the general distribution of the soils of the

country in relation to geology, vegetation and pres6nt land-use

and to delineating on maps of suitable soale, broad soil areas

oonsidered suitable for agrioultur4l developm$nt. Seoondly,

Special Project Soil Surveys were organized with a view to oolleot-

ing detailed information on the various types of soils occurring

within areas earmarked for immediate agrioultural development so

as to evaluate the suitability of suoh soils for the type of farming envisaged.

Regional Soil Surveys

As shown on th~ progreoe of soil survey map at the oover of

this paper the oountry has been divided into 36 soil survey re-gions, the boundaries of whioh more or leas ooinoid with erist ing drainage basins. Tb.us, for example, there are the Nasia and

Kulpawn basins in the Interior Savannah Zone, the Tain and the Sena-

Obosum basins in the Transition Zone, the Pr& and the Bia basins in

- 35 -

the Sami-deciduoua Rainforest Belt, the Upper Tano and the

Ankobra b~sine in the High Rainforest Belt and the Accra

and Ho-Kata Plaine in The Coastal Savannah Zone. Such soil

survey regions are surveyed using the Datailed-Reoonnaissance

method. This involves the use of existing roads, footpaths,

trails and specially out lines as traverses in euoh a way as

to allow an interval of 100 Gunther's ohains (6,6oO feet) be-

tween them. Soils are then recorded at points along the

traverses saleoted according to changes in relief and drainage,

vegetation, geology and soil morphology as eY.posed by road

cuttings. Since the level of mapping is very general only

broad soil areas are delineated on maps usually on the soale

of 11250,000.

Up to date twenty-three of tha thirty-six regional soil

surveys have been completed (see Appendix I). We have, avail-

able, therefore, considerable soil information oovering approxi-

mately two-thirds of the country. Suoh data have been made

available to various developmont projects like the large scale

irrigation of the Accra Plains ar.d the Nasia flats by the Nippon

Koei Japanese team, the Kaiser Company of U.S.A. and the F.A.O.

Irrigation Pro jeots in the northern and upper regions.

Special Project Soil Surveys

Special Project soil surveys are undertaken within areas

eurmarked for immediate agricultural development. Such areas in-

clude agrioultural stations, cooperative farms, state farms,

Volta River Resettlement areas and private a.nd large-scale farms.

Such surveys, unlike, the Region Soil Surveys, involve detailed

traversing of the project areas with a view to obtaining a more

detaibd informa tio:1 on existing soil types and their suitability

- 36 -

for various types of crops under varied farming systems. Aside from detailed soil maps, maps showing vegetation, geology, relief and drainage, land oapability and miscel-laneous information are produced on a scale varying from 117,920 to 116,250. Up to dah over 200 of suoh special project areas have been suryeyed, most important of whioh are Sugar Products Corporation farms near Airu.tuare and Ko-menda, the Volta River Resettlement areas, F.A.0. Lower Volta Flood Plains irrigation project, Kpong Pilot irriga-tion project and the detailed survey of areas within Ejura distriot for large-scale cultivation of fibe1 orops to teed the factory at Kumasi, (Appendix II and III).

Soil Analysis

Field mapping of soils mainly supply data on th mol'-phologioal oharaoteristios of soils. These are not enough if soils are to be properly classified and interpreted in terms of their overall use and management. Laboratory analysis ot soil s,.mples oolleoted from the variou'3 field bases across th3 country is necessary in order to obtain quantitative data necessary to permit a more reliable evaluation of the soils in terma of their suitability for ino~oased crop and livestock production. Recent trends in soil olassifioation have stressed the need for basing the criteria on soil properties that oan be proved quantitatively. In Ghana, efforts are being made to base the olassitioatio~ of our soils both on internal and external attributes.

In the routine analysis of soils brought in from the field, determinations are made on relative proportions of clay, silt and sand, moisture equivalent, pH (measure of the degree of aci-dity or alkalinity of a soil), OaC03 paroent, total nitrogen, cation-exchange oapaoity, exchangeable oatione e.g. Ca, Mg, K, Na a.nd Mn, total phospho?Ua and free iron oxide. The laborato~y

- 37 -

seotion is also engaged on various research projeots to

develop batter methods for an&lyaing tropioal soils, to

identify clay minerals by th9 use of X-rays, to determine

the amount and distribution of pqosphorus, nitrogen and

sulphur in our soils and to study the soil-water relation-

ship of indigenous soils.

Such analyses are essential since they provide data for

a more precise olaseitication of our soils in terms of their

suitability for various sg-ricultural projects.

Clas sir ioa ti on of the Soila of Ghana - Taxonomio System

By 1954, approximately ten years after the oommenoement

of so5.l surveys in Ghana., oonsiderable data had been accunru.lated

to allow an attempt to be ma.de on a taxonomic classification

(a natur~l system) of the soils of the oountry based on one or

more of the five factors of soil formation. Since the classifi-

cation system was based on information obtained from external

soil oha.jaoteristics, it was very difficult to interpret maps

based on this grouping in terms of orop and livestock produotion.

In 1960, therefor~, at the introduction of the United States oom-

pr9hensive system of soil classification in which the criteria

were based ms.inly on quantitative data, efforts were made in

Ghana to work out a more reliable classification syE1tem on similar

lines. 'l1his involved re description of a considerable number of

soil samples oolleoted sinoe J.945 after further analytical determina-

tions have been conducted on them. Although this task was enormous

and thus time consuming it was tackled with zeal and enthusiasm

with the result that we are now able in Ghana not only to easily

oorrelate our soils with those of the more advanoed countries but

also to precisely interpret them in terms of their capability for

increased crop and livestook produotion.

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Teohnioal System - Land Capability Clasai!ioation

Along with the baaio taxonomio system, attempts have also been made with a great deal of euocess to aveluate the soils ot Ghana in terms of their suitability for various types of agri-oulture with a view to inauring proper land-use and effioient orop and liveatcck production. The first suoh attempt was made by Obeng "nd Smith ( 13) in 1963. In this a~ ternpt 1 the soils of Ghana were, in brief. al~aaified under seven general capability olasses and four subclasses baned on the limitation of the soils to mechanized and hand cultivation of crops, and for forage and tree orop production. New findings, however, warranted the classes being extended to eight. These were reported upon in a paper pre-sented by Obeng (14) in December 1965 at the Second Annual Conferenoe of the Soil Science Sooiety of Ghana at CRIG, Tafo.

In determining the particular class or aubolass to which a soil belongs, a oritioal evaluation is made of the depth, drainage, texture, water holding oapaoity, permeability, slope (erosion h~ zard) and inherent fertility status of that partioular soil. The degree of limitation of one or more of the above soil oharacteris-tios and properties to meohanized and hand cultivation of olima-tioally suitable orops beoomes progressively greater from Class I to Class VIII.

Classes I to TV oonsist of soilo oonsidered suitable for meohanized and hand cul ti va tion of olima tioally sui tad orope, pas-ture, tree crop production and for wild life purposes. Class V and Class VI soils are unsuitable for mechanized cultivation but suitable for limited band cultivation, livestock grazing and tree orop production and for forestry and wild life purposes. Class VII and Class VIII soils are unsliitable fer aoy type of cultivation. They a~~ best suited for tree crops, foJ:est ~eserves and watershed protection purposes.

- 39 -

The aub-olaee designation refers to the predominant limit-

ing factor of that particular soil to oultivation. Thie may be

shallow depth to oonoretionary layers, pan or bed.rook, heavy

textures or light textures and low inherent fertility. Suoh

limitations are denoted by a suffix 'a'. Other limitations are

wetness and erosion ha~ard whioh are denoted by 'w' and 'e', respectively. A fourth eub-olase refers to a olimatio limitation,

denoted by 'o'.

The foregoing Land Capability System bas been euooessfully

uaed to evaluate detailed soil survey areas where the mapping unit

is on the series level. The need, however, arose about two years

ago in oonneotion with tho selection of areas for resettlement

under the Volta River Authority Scheme, for a generali$ed Land Capa-

bility System which could be employed to quiokly interpret. broad

soil groupings in terms of the suitability of majority of the in-

dividual soils for various types of agriculture. Obeng (12), there-

fore, introduoed a modified system of the original olassifioation

based on a general grouping of land capability olassee and sub-

classes into A, B and C, depending upon the degree of limitation of

majority of the soils within eaoh group to ID8ohanized and/or hand

cultivation of orops or for forestry, woodland and water shed pro-

teotion purposes.

Group A refers to a land area where majority of the soils

(more than 50 peroent) fall w1 thin classes I to IV and are thus con-

sidered sui tabla for both meohanized and hand oul tiva.tion of arable

crops as well as for tree orops, pasture, forestry and wild life

purposes. Group B land is a land area where majority of the soils

fall mainly into classes V and VI, and are thus oonaidered unsuitable

for mechanized oultivation but suitable for bullook farming and hand

cultivation of orops. Suoh an area is, however, bes+. Rnit.Qd f0r

pasture grazing and/or tree orop produotion. Group C land oonsists

ma.inly of olasses VII and VIII soils and ie thus oonsiderad unsuitable

for any type of oultivation. It is ooneidered best suited for tree

- 40 -

orope, forest reserves and wild life purposes.

Eaoh group is further divided into four sub-groups depend-

ing upon the predominating limiting factor to oultivation. '!his

may be due to the limiting faotor 's' (sub-groups AI, BI, CI) or 'e' A2, B2, C2) or a oombination of 's' and 'w' or 's' and 'e' (sub-groups A3, B3, C3) and finally, 'w' (sub-groups A4, B4, 04) This modified system has been employed with great euooess to

evaluate large areas earmarked for agrioultural development in

many parts of the oountry.

III. RE&JLTS OF THE SOIL SORVEY AND CLASSIFICATION PROGRAM IN GHANA SINCE 1945

As indioated in earlier seotions of this paper,oonsiderable

field work has been oompleted in the oourse of the Regional and

Speoial Project Soil Surveys sinoe 1945 The Soil Research Institute is, therefore, in a position to offer neoeasary help in the seleo-

tion of suitable areas in the oountry for the large-scale oultiva-

tion of a wida variety of olimatioally suited arable and tree crops.

With the enormous data. available, the Institute has been able

to establish a relationship between the eoologioal zones and the

various soil groups oocurring in Ghana. Such an information is being

oompiled in the form of an up-to-date Great Soil Group Map of Ghana.

This will be the fourth in a aeries of efforts to draw up a generalized

soil map of Ghana to serve aa a basis for planning eff ioient crop and

liveatook produotion in Ghana. Eaoh of the maps in the series is

meant to reflect the knowledge gained on soil surveys in the country

at the time of its preparation. It is hoped that this fourth map

will be available on the soale of' lsl,000,000 before the end of 1967.

The first attempt to draw a generalized soil great map of' Ghana

wu~ iM.Qa oy L~a lata C.F. Ch~ri~~ 1n 1954 (4) when vu~y little Boil

mapping had been oarriad out in Ghana. The second by H. Brammer (5)

was prepared in 1958 when almost the whole of southern Ghana had been surveyed and only about one-tenth of the north oompleted. Most of

- 41 -

the boundaries on that map especially within the Interior

Savannah Zone, were, therefore, drawn in by extrapolation

from known areas, usually using geological boundaries and

isohyets as a guide. The third map in this series, prepared

by H.B. Obeng (15) in 1965 was based on information oolleoted from completed Regional and Special Project Soil Surveys

covering almost two-thirds of the country. The legends aooom-

panying the first two maps in the series were based on looal

olaesifioation system. The legend on the third, however,

included in addition, equivalent soil groups in other world

claseifioatory systems. Thie ha.a greatly faoili tated cor-

relation of Ghana soils with those from other more advanced

countries with similar conditions where we oan, therefore, easily

draw from their e:x:perienoe in the practical utilizati.on of our

soils. The current map in preparation will offer a great im-

provement on the third einoe it will provide a more detailed

information on the distribution or various soil groups in the country. In addition, it will be aooompanied by a generalized

Land Capability map of Ghana which will indicate broad areas of

which 50 percent or more of the soils are considered suitable or

unsuitable for various types of crops under varied farming systems.

Brief Aooount of the Soils of the Various Eoologioal Zones_~d of Their Suitability for Crop and Livestock Production

Soils are formed through the influence of olimate and living

organisma (vegetation and animals) on existing parent rooks under

different relief and drainage conditions within various periods

of time. The factors of soil formation are, therefore, climate,

living organisms, parent rook, relief and drainage and time. In

Ghana, climate and vegetation have been found to be the most im-

portant factors in the formation of indigenous soils. Thie is

retleoted in the distinct differences between Forest and Savannah

Soils.

- 42 -

Forest Zone

The soils of the forest zone of Ghana embracing the whole of the Western, Central, Ashanti and parts of Brong--Ahato,

Eastern and the Volta Regions are easily distinguished trom

those of the savannah sonee by the greater aooull1llation of or-

ganic matter in the surface horizon resulting from the more abun-

dant leaf-fall under forest vegetation and the slower rate at whioh humus ie oxidized. Suoh soils ooour within areas underlain

by various oryetalline, metamorphic and sedimontary rooks prin-

oipally eqidioritee, gneisses, granites, Birrimian phyllites,

schists and greywaohe, Tarkwaian quartzites, phyllites and sohista,

sandstones and shales. The texture of the soils varies aooord.ing

to the nature of the parent materials. Soils derived from sand-stone, granite and gneiss are more sandy than those derived from

shales, phyllites and sohists.

Two ecological zones are recognized within the forest zone.

These are the semi-deoiduous rain forest belt whioh oovers al.must

80 percent of the forest zone and the high rain forest belt found

on the extreme southwest corner of the country.

The semi-deciduous rainforest belt is predominantly gently undulating becoming steep and mountainous towards the east across the Volta with a rainfall regime of 45 to 65 inches per annum. The soils of this belt whioh are predominantly less acidic have been

found to be the beat suited for tree oash crops like oocoa, and coffee and for a wide variety of food orops.

The high rainforest belt on the other hand is oharaoterized by a topography mainly strongly rolling with aoid to very aoid soils

oontaining lass organic matter and more liable to be severely eroded. The annual average rainfall is around 70 to 80 inches. Such oondi-

tiou5 do not offer ideal oonditions for prolific large-scale cultiva-

tion of coooa and food orops. Oil palm, rubber, bananas and rioe

have been found to adapt themselves to suoh prevailing oonditions.

- 43 -

Oooonuta also grow beautifully on the deeply developed sandy soils

along the ooast.

Under natural oonditione forest soils especially those occurring

within the semi-deoiduoue rainforest belt oontain ad.equate nutrients

in the orgnnic top soil. When the forest is oleared for cultivation,

however, tho nutrient level is d.rastioally reduced. It is, therefore,

essential to maintain the fertility statue of the soils by lD.llohing,

manuring and the application of oommeroial fertilizers eepeoially,

nitrogen and phosphorus if yields of tree oash orops such as cocoa

and ooffee are to be eignifioantly inoreaeed. With food crops, in

addition to mulching and raising the fertility level of the soils,

oontour plowing, rotations whioh inolude legumes and long-term crops

like cassava and plantains will help to restore the fertility and

oounteraot erosion.

Savannah Zones

The savannah zones oover areas of Ghana with average annual

preoipitation generally from 25 to 50 inohes falling in one distinot rainy season and where grass is the dominant vegetation. The soils

within these zones are for the most part lower in organic matter oon-

tent within the top eoil than forest soils. Over extensive areas,

suoh soils have unfavorable moisture relationships and in addition,

the rainfall is lees reliable in ocourrenoe than in the forest zone.

There are two dietinot savannah zones in Ghana. These are the

Interior Savannah Zone and the Coastal Savannah Zone.

Interior Savannah Zone

The In tarior Savannah Zone oovers almost two-thirds of the

oountry and ie oharacterietioally level to gently undulating with

isolated ironpan, eandBtona or granite capped hills. The vegetation

Rainfall whioh is usually around an annual average of 44 - 50 inohes

is not well distributed e.nd as suoh, orops tend to suffer from drought

during the long dry s9ason whioh normally lasts for seven months of the

year.

- 44 -

The major soils are those developed over Voltaian sand-

stones and shales to the south and er - oovering almost two-

thirds of the zone. Exoept for the limited deep, well-drained,

medium textured, piedmont drift soils ocourring around Damongo

up to the Tamala area.e daveloped over sandstones and oonsidered

ideal for large-soale meohanized oultivation of crops, the bulk

of the area ia covered by very poor soils. Suoh soils have been

developed over Voltaian shales and are shallow to very shallow,

pale oolored, poorly drained sandy loams grading into incipient

pan underlain by impermeable weathered shales. Al though, ~he

topography i~ level to near-level, meohanized oultivation of arable

crops are not reoommended beoause of the shallow depth to inoipient

pan. Such soils are oonsidered best suited for livestook grazing.

To the west and northeast, the soils have been developed

over granites, phyllites and basic intrusive rooks whioh give rise

to generally better soils than the Voltaian belt. Suoh soils where

deep, can be developed for large-soale oultivation of arable crops

suoh as guinea oorn, groundnuts, tobaooo and fiber orops. Where

somewhat shallow, pasture grazing and/or the oultivation of tree

oash crops suoh as shea butter and silk ootton are reoommended.

Rioe is raoommended within the valley flats of the large rivers

like the Kulpawn and the Nasia.

Soils of the Interior Savannah Zone are generally infertile

and subject to sheet erosion. Water is also a major problem es-

peoially during the long dry season. Any development project can-

not, therefore, succeed without the improvement of the fertility

level and the moistur~ regime of the soils through !Illlohing, manur-

ing, applioation of oomrneroial fertilizers and the provision of water

for i~rigation purposes. Considerable soil data have been provided

to various organizations both foreign and looal, e.g. FAO, Nippon

Koei, and the Irrigation Division of the Ministry of Agrioulture to

- 45 -

aid in the agricultural development of the zone.

Coastal Savannah Zone

The oharaotc.1i,1tio soils of this zone are quite different from those of the Interior Savannah Zone. This appears to be due to the fact that these coastal areas were largely stripped of their former soil mantle during Quarternary fluctuatiors in the sea level and the present day soils, although developed on a gently undulating landscape similar to those in the Interior Savannah Zone, are much younger with weathering rook usually occurring at onl~ moderate depths in the profile.

The greater portion of this zone is occupied by dark and grey colored clays developed over basic and acidic gneisses. The most important of these are the dark colored clays which oover some 650 aquare miles within the Acorn, Ho-Keta and Winneba Plains. Such soils are alnx>st uncultivated at vresent, but similar soils in India, South Africa and the West Indies a.re known to be inten-sively oultivated to rice, vegetables and sugarcane. In Ghana, indigenous farmers have avoided cultivating such soils mainly be-oause of their heavy nature and difficult moisture rel&tionships. They require the use of heavy machinery, skilled management and irrigation (together with drainage). If an~ when the impending coastal savannah irrigation scheme is implemented so as to make use of water from the vast Volta Lake, the soils oan then be irrigated with a vi.::iw to producing high yield.e of vegetables, rice and sugal'-oane.

The development of the grey oolored olay pan soils on the other hand will be more difficult than their dark colored oountel'-parts since this will involve breaking up the hardpan so as to allow deeper rooting and improving the internal drainage to leaoh out the sodium. Investigatory work on these soils is in progress on th$ University College Agricultural Station at lfungua. It appears tha.t, with the treatment of the soils with gypsum and. the

- 46 -

a~plication of fertilizers under an irrigation system,

such soils can be developed for the aultivation of millata,

vegetables and for livestock grazing purposes.

IV. PRESENT AND FU'IURE son SURVEY PROGRAM JN GHANA

Sinoe after February 24, 1966, the Soil Research Institute

has been besieged with numerous requests for evaluation o f

various areas across the coun+.ry earmarked for agricultural

development (See A~pendioes III and IV). Most of these re-

quests are from indigenous farmers and farming groups who are

desirous of obtaining loans from the Naticnal Investment and

Agricultural Credit Banks. Both the human and financial re-

sources of the Ins ti tu te have been fully taxed by these requests

since there is an acute shortage of staff coupled with very

limited funds provided by government for this current financial

year. However, realizing the importance of basic soil informa-

tion in any agricultural development project, the Institute haa

developed a quick method of evaluating large areas in terms of

the suitability of the soils for orop and livestock production.

Instead of cutting lines and taking soil samples at regular inter-

vals with large number of technical staff, soils are now studied

on the spot with the auger, digging randomized holes and evaluat-

ing their physical conditions wi~h a view to providing a quiok

and generalized information on their suitability for the type of

farming envisaged. Suoh preliminary soil surveys take from a day

to two weeks depending upon the size of the area and the staff

involved which ranges from two to four technical officers. The

Institute is, however, unable to continue bearing all expenses

involved for suoh surveys and unfortunately has had to request those

seeking snoh fn.lrveys t-0 providl3 t.h13ir own l~bor and fn~ 1 to main ta.in

the Institute's vehicles during the oourae of the survey.

A considerable number of requests have also come from foreign

farming groups mainly for suitable areas for the large-scale culti-

vation of Tobacco, Fiber orops, Oil palm, Rubber and Sugarcane.

- 47 -

In order for the Institute to cope up with suoh nu:nerous

r~quests for soil information whioh will no doubt inorease in

the near future, it will have to expand and to be provided with

adequate funds. At present there is adequate general informa-

tion on the distribution of soils aoross the oountry. It is,

therefore, not intended at present and in tho near f\:.ture to

engage on any new regional soil surveys. Efforts will be oon-

oentrated on speoial projeot soil surveys with a view to provid-

ing at tha shortest poasinle time and at minimum oost, necessary

soil information needed by individual farmers and farming groups

to aid them in planning for the effioient management of their

farms.

Ghana is predominantly an agrioultural oountry. Her eoonoiey

is, therefore, dependent on agrioulture. She has vast undeveloped

areas. Suoh areas must be surveyed in suffioient detail with a

view to providing needed information on the suitability of the

soils for inoreaaed produotion of olimatically suitod orops not

only for proY:i.ding adequate food for the growing P'':"'Ulation but

also Ior making available muoh needed foreign e:xohange through the

export of oash crops and the provision of the required quantities

of raw ma. terb.ls to feed our looal industries. The necessary

finanoial and human resources needed by the Soil Research Institute

to undertake t~~ vast task ahead DI.let be provided. Government will

have to provide more money in &pite of the aoute finanoial situa-

tion. Help is also needed by way of technioal aid to procure ade-

quate research equipm~nt and experienced staff. Very few Ghanaians

have taken up soil soienoe as a profession. There is an urgent

need for more to study soil aoienoe if indigenous farmers are to

be adequately provided with the necessary basio soil data needed

for efficient development of our agrioulture- This is a challenge

to all of us.

- 48 -

REFERENCES

1. Brammer, H. 1956. C.F. Charter's Interim Soheme for the olass:Lf'ioation of' Tropioal Soila, Gold Coast, Dept. Of s.1.u.s., Kumasi.

2. Brammer, H. 1962. Soils of Ghana. Agrio. and Land-Use in Ghana. Ch. 6 PP 88-126. Ghana Min. of Food and Agrio. Oxford Univ. Press.

3. F.A.O. U.N. 1953 Soil Surveys for Land Development Agrioulturs,l Studies No.20, Rome.

4. Ghana Dept. of S.L.u.s. 1957 Report for the period June 1951 -Dao. 1955, Accra Govt. Printerft

5. Ghana Dept. of s.1.u.s. 1958. Report for the year 195