Integrating Biochar with Solar Drip Irrigation Technology for Smallholder Vegetable Farming in South-eastern Ghana Yields Profitable Returns

Ghana's agricultural sector faces significant challenges, characterized by low productivity and a heavy reliance on unpredictable rainfall and outdated farming practices, with limited use of modern agricultural inputs. This research investigates the potential profitability of integrating biochar and solar drip irrigation technologies for smallholder vegetable farming in Ghana, a country with sub-Saharan African agricultural conditions. The study employs gross margin and net farm income approaches to estimate profitability, providing a robust financial analysis of the proposed agricultural innovations. The results reveal a substantial mean gross margin of GHȼ35,021.25 and a net farm income of GHȼ48,786.50 per ha across the study area during the dry season from 2017-2020. These findings underscore the economic viability of biochar and solar drip irrigation, demonstrating significant financial benefits for smallholder farmers. The study concludes that adopting these technologies can markedly enhance agricultural productivity and profitability. It is recommended that smallholder farmers adopt biochar and solar drip irrigation to improve their farming outcomes, thereby contributing to sustainable agricultural development in the region

Cross-sectional assessment of infants’ exposure to toxic metals through breast milk in a prospective cohort study of mining communities in Ghana

Abstract Background Although breastfeeding of infants is recommended globally, the fact that maternal toxic metal stores are mobilised into breast milk implies infants, whose mothers live and work in mining communities, are at risk of multiple exposure to mining related toxic metals, such as Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Cadmium (Cd) and Arsenic (As), through breast milk intake, in addition to in utero exposure. Method A total of 114 mother-baby pairs, recruited from two community hospitals servicing mining communities in two different regions in Ghana (57 each), were involved in this study. When the babies were 3 months old, the amount of breast milk intake, concentrations of selected toxic metals in the breast milk and therefore the amount of toxic metals exposure through breast milk were determined. The study also, determined the amount of these toxic metals in the hair and urine of each mother-baby pair at 3 months postpartum. Results Based on the amounts of milk intake and non-milk oral intakes (geometric mean of 0.701 (95% CL 0.59–0.81) Kg/day and median of 0.22 Kg/day respectively), 90% of the babies were determined to have been exclusively breastfed. The amounts of most of the toxic metals in breast milk were higher than the WHO set limits and for 46.4%, 33.3% and 4.4% of the babies, their intake of As, Hg and Pb respectively were above the WHO provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI) values. Conclusion An appreciable proportion of babies living within the communities served by the Mangoasi Community Hospital in the Obuasi Municipality of the Ashanti Region and the Dompime Health Centre in the Tarkwa Municipality of the Western Region were exposed to Hg, As and Pb through breast milk in excess of what they should and these may have health implication for the infants and therefore calls for interventions