The Challenge

Poor soil quality and lack of access to affordable farming inputs have led to low yields, trapping farmers in a vicious cycle of poverty. Smallholder farmers in Ghana have resorted to using costly, imported chemical fertilizers that not only fail to produce high yields but also depreciate the quality of the soil.

The Innovation

Farmers Hope has created an organic fertilizer using locally available ingredients, such as poultry droppings and neem seeds, which provide crops with much needed nutrients and nourishes the soil as well. Farmers Hope fertilizer has been proven to produce 60 percent higher yields than regular chemical fertilizers and, to date, the company has sold more than 60,000 bags to 4,000 smallholder farmers across rural Ghana. The company’s fertilizer is priced at 50% less than competing products making it affordable to most smallholder farmers. As a result, farmers have more resources at their disposal to purchase better seeds and other high-quality inputs for their farms.

The Impact

Farmers Hope has impacted 4,000 farmers with plans to reach 25,200 in the next five years and the potential to reach more than 400,000 smallholder farmers in the long term. Additionally, farmers are expected to increase incomes as a result of improved crop performance. Farmers Hope sells to smallholder farmers in Ashanti, Eastern, Brong Ahafo and Northern regions, where 75 percent of farmers fall below $4 per day poverty line.