KWAME ANANE

Crops: maize, cocoa, cassava, plantain, tomato, cabbage and pepper

Kwame Anane lives and farms in a hot, frequently drought-impacted climate. For more than a decade, he has utilized conservation agriculture (CA) principles including no-tillage and cover crops to produce yields year-round. 

Kwame’s fields rely on rain-fed irrigation; this is a system that uses buckets for water collection and manually-dug rivulets that help control water flow. These methods help reduce water and crop loss in an effort to sustain water conservation. “There is no irrigation facility here; we just rely on rain water. The mulch cover protects the topsoil from direct sunlight and helps keep the soil moist. When you take off the mulch, you always see that the surface of the soil is moist.”

Conservation agriculture retains moisture at a rate of 45-60% greater than traditional slash and burn practices.*

Having moist, productive soils provides Kwame with a competitive advantage and a reliable livelihood.

“I can produce crops even in times of drought or harsh conditions when produce is scarce, and there is more need in the market. Due to the mulch, I am able to plant and conserve soil water even before the rains come. I am able to plant early when other farmers in the community are waiting for the rains in order to plant.” 

Kwame reinvested his profits from selling goods in the market to diversify his crop choices, increase his land base and purchase a taxi business as a second stream of income for his family.

*Based on HGBF | CNTA Data, 2016