The University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) has launched a bold campaign to redefine Ghana’s approach to agricultural waste management, advocating innovative technologies and circular economy solutions to transform agro-waste into economic opportunities while tackling environmental degradation and youth unemployment.
Leading the call, the Education and Agro-Waste Lead for the Nkabom Collaborative at UESD, Professor Richard Amfo-Otu, urged policymakers, development partners, research institutions, and private investors to prioritize modern agro-waste management systems capable of reducing post-harvest losses, protecting the environment, and creating thousands of sustainable jobs across the agricultural value chain.
According to the renowned academic, Ghana continues to generate enormous volumes of agricultural waste every year from crop production, food processing, and post-harvest activities. Unfortunately, much of this waste is either burnt in the open or abandoned to rot on farms, practices that not only contribute to environmental pollution, but also represent a significant loss of valuable economic resources.
He made the remarks at a two-day training workshop organized here in Koforidua by the Nkabom Collaborative of the UESD for about 50 journalists drawn from the Eastern region and was on the theme “Reporting Green Innovation, Strengthening Media Engagement for Sustainable Development.”
Professor Amfo-Otu noted that what many perceive as waste should instead be regarded as an untapped national asset capable of driving industrial growth, renewable energy production, and climate resilience if managed properly.
“Ghana possesses immense agricultural potential, yet we continue to treat valuable agricultural residues as useless waste. This linear approach to production is denying the country enormous economic opportunities while worsening environmental challenges,” he observed.
He explained that agricultural residues such as maize stalks, rice husks, cocoa pods, cassava peels, palm kernel shells, coconut husks, and fruit waste can be converted into a wide range of commercially valuable products, including organic fertilizers, livestock feed, biogas, biochar, biomass fuel, biodegradable packaging materials, and other industrial raw materials.
According to him, adopting a circular economy model, where agricultural by-products are recycled and reintegrated into production systems, would significantly minimize waste, increase farmers’ incomes, and stimulate the emergence of green industries across the country.
Professor Amfo-Otu stressed that countries that have embraced circular agricultural systems have successfully reduced production costs, improved food security, and created new employment opportunities, particularly for young people.
He lamented that Ghana continues to lose more than 40 percent of its agricultural produce after harvest, describing the situation as a major threat to national food security and economic development.
The losses, he explained, occur because of inadequate storage facilities, poor transportation systems, insufficient processing capacity, and the limited application of modern post-harvest technologies.
“These losses translate into billions of cedis in wasted investments every year. Farmers work tirelessly to produce food, only for a significant portion to perish before reaching consumers. This is neither economically sustainable nor environmentally responsible,” he stated.
He warned that beyond the economic implications, indiscriminate disposal and open burning of agricultural waste contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, deteriorating air quality, soil degradation, and various public health concerns.
Professor Amfo-Otu, therefore, called on the government to formulate comprehensive national policies that encourage investment in agro-waste recycling industries while providing incentives for entrepreneurs willing to venture into waste-to-wealth enterprises.
He also appealed to development partners and financial institutions to support research, innovation, and technology transfer aimed at commercializing agro-waste processing technologies.
The professor further encouraged stronger collaboration among universities, research institutions, local assemblies, farmer-based organizations, and the private sector to establish integrated agro-processing and waste management centres across the country.
He noted that universities have a critical responsibility to generate practical solutions through research and innovation, adding that UESD, through the Nkabom Collaborative, remains committed to developing sustainable technologies and educating communities on environmentally responsible agricultural practices.
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