The Executive Director of Eco-Restore Limited, Senyo Kpelly, is championing a climate change mitigation measure that seeks to revolutionize how farming is done in the country.
The call for Regenerative Agriculture comes at a time when countries are devising bold, practical, and innovative solutions to combat the menace that threatens the habitability of the Earth and also threatens economies.
Speaking at the Transparency International Ghana Multistakeholder Dialogue on Climate Governance, Kpelly called on the government, especially the Ministry of Agriculture to adopt regenerative agriculture as a national policy, particularly in the savannah ecological zones.
His justification for the shift is that Ghana’s current farming methods are harming the soil, killing the trees, and weakening our climate resilience. But there’s a better way.
What Is Regenerative Agriculture?
Regenerative agriculture is more than just planting crops. It’s a method of farming that improves the land the more you farm on it, rather than degrading it. The technique focuses on building up organic matter in the soil, which naturally captures and stores carbon from the atmosphere, a key weapon in the fight against global warming.
He explained that soil rich in organic matter becomes a carbon sink, locking away emissions that would otherwise heat up the planet. That same soil also becomes more fertile, retains more water, and increases yields for farmers.
“Currently, the way we use land for agriculture doesn’t support carbon sequestration. We would rather farm the land, and after a few years, it loses its nutrients and carbon. A lot of countries all over the world are now adopting regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture is a process of farming on a piece of land permanently, but the more you farm, the more it sequesters carbon,” he stated.
He added that, “Because you will intentionally build organic matter into the soil, which decomposes into soil organic carbon. And so the carbon that is captured from the environment, and the carbon that is produced through the decomposition of organic matter by microbial activity in the soil, gives us soil organic carbon. Then we sequester the maximum carbon.”
Why It Matters for Ghana
Senyo Kpelly argues that in Ghana, over 70% of the land is privately owned, and much of it is used for agriculture. But in areas like the northern savannah, commercial farming often begins with bulldozers clearing the land, removing century-old topsoil and native trees, only to leave it barren after failed harvests.
Kpelly, whose organization restores indigenous trees such as shea, dawadawa, baobab, and tamarind, has seen firsthand the damage this causes, and the promise of a better approach.
He believes that if the country could adopt a compulsory regenerative agroforestry policy in the savannah, it would be a win-win for the country’s climate fight and agriculture. He says the regenerative agriculture will result in more fertile soils, more trees to capture carbon, and more rainfall for our farms.”
He further noted that without trees, rainfall disappears, a growing concern in northern Ghana, where rain falls only five months out of the year, compared to the dual rainy seasons in the south.
Socio-Economic Benefits for Farmers
Beyond climate impact, the economic benefits of regenerative agriculture could be transformative. The Executive Director of Eco Restore says it will lead to healthier soils, means better harvests, which improve food security.
He adds that it will lead to perennial trees like shea and baobab provide long-term income for women and smallholder farmers.
Moreover, there could be access to the growing global carbon credit market could mean new income streams for rural communities and reduced reliance on synthetic fertilizers cuts costs and boosts soil health.
Eco-Restore Ltd. is already linking smallholder farmers to carbon credit systems, where farmers can earn money for planting and protecting trees that capture carbon.
A Call for Change
Mr. Kpelly’s call to action was directed squarely at policymakers: stop clearing lands with graders, stop stripping the soil, and stop treating the land like it’s disposable.
He believes the country must stop farming as if the land is endless. He is calling for the establishment of a system that protects nature, feeds people, and fights climate change, all at once.
For Ghana, the opportunity is clear. By shifting from destructive farming to regenerative practices, the country can lead Africa in sustainable agriculture, boost rural incomes, and build resilience against the harsh realities of climate change.
