Against all odds: A new look at dry season farming

The people of Adedetsekope have always been told that it was impossible to harvest enough crops to turn a profit. Korleki Drah, a local farmer, proved this wrong. Not only was she successful, but was selected the best tomato farmer in the Dangme East District in 2004.

Adedetsekope is a seashore community in Ghana 's dry coastal savanna. The farmers struggle with harsh environmental conditions: sandy and infertile soil, and very low rainfall. Credit to farmers was dominated by "market queens" who controlled and determined the price of food crops, thus limiting the opportunities of Korleki and other farmers to make a profit.

In 2001, USAID partnered with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) to assist poor farmers to increase their crop yields and raise incomes. ADRA provided Korleki and other farmers with improved and early maturing seeds, and taught them new farming methods. Korleki started to apply cow dung and poultry manure, which are abundant in the area to increase soil fertility. She dug shallow wells on her farm from which she draws 6 liters of water at a time to irrigate her crops.

Through this labor intensive irrigation, the 58-year-old woman now plants and harvests corn, tomato, okra and pepper out of season when the supply is lowest. For instance, she plants corn with the last rains of the major farming season and harvests fresh corn at the start of the minor season. She has expanded her farm from less than a hectare to two hectares. Korleki and other USAID-supported farmers have adopted many of the improved farm practices and have formed a cooperative to negotiate better prices with traders.

Since joining the program, her corn and vegetable yields have improved by over 50%, increasing her income from less than $200 to over $2,500 annually. Korleki, the sole bread winner of a family of ten, can now afford the medical treatment for her sick husband and meeting the basic school needs of her children.

For Korleki, the impact of the USAID initiative is clear: "With my new skills in dry season farming and my knowledge about when to get the best prices, I farm with greater confidence."