The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) has begun testing a Japanese seed-treatment bio-stimulant as a potential tool for helping farmers in northern Ghana improve crop performance while reducing production costs.
The field trials are assessing KANEKA, a bio-stimulant developed by KANEKA Corporation of Japan, to determine whether the technology can improve crop establishment, nutrient uptake and resilience to environmental stress under Ghanaian growing conditions.
The trials cover maize, soybean and groundnut and are being conducted at the CSIR-SARI experimental field at Nyankpala near Tamale.
About 60 farmers from Kpalsogu, Tingoli and Cheshegu participated in a field day at the site, where they inspected the crops and received practical demonstrations on how to treat and coat seeds with the product before planting.
The activity was organised by Tachibana International Ghana Company Limited (TBIG), the importer and distributor of the product, in partnership with KANEKA and CSIR-SARI.
Dr Michael Asante, a Soil Scientist at CSIR-SARI, said the trials were necessary because the product’s performance had not yet been sufficiently evaluated under local soil and climatic conditions.
Although the manufacturer had provided recommendations on its use, he said independent local testing was required to determine whether the technology could deliver meaningful benefits to Ghanaian farmers.
“We want to test it and see if it will help the farmers improve their yields,” Dr Asante said.
Testing whether farmers can use less fertiliser
The trials are being conducted on maize variety Sanzal-sima, groundnut variety SARINUT-2 and soybean variety Favor, with harvesting expected in October.
A major focus of the research is whether the bio-stimulant can help farmers maintain yields while using less conventional fertiliser.
Dr Asante explained that some trial treatments combine the bio-stimulant with half of the recommended fertiliser rate to determine whether crop yields can approach those achieved under full fertiliser application.
Such an outcome, he said, could help farmers reduce input costs while maintaining productivity.
The Nyankpala site was selected partly because of its known soil characteristics and low fertility, which reflect one of the major constraints to agricultural production in northern Ghana.
Dr Asante noted that low organic carbon remains a significant challenge for farmers in the northern part of the country.
The involvement of farmers in the field assessment is also intended to give them first-hand experience with the technology before they make decisions about adoption.
Technology targeted at drought-prone areas
Mr Kekeli Klu, Sales and Marketing Manager for KANEKA products, said the demonstration formed part of efforts to establish whether the bio-stimulant was commercially viable and suitable for Ghanaian farming conditions.
He explained that the product does not directly provide nutrients to crops but is designed to enhance plants’ responses to environmental stress.
He said this could make the technology particularly relevant to drought-prone areas of northern Ghana, where farmers frequently face weather-related production challenges.
According to Mr Klu, the product can also be stored for up to one and a half years without refrigeration, potentially making it easier to distribute and store in farming communities.
He added that the product had already been tested at irrigation centres in the Greater Accra Region, where it had recorded encouraging results.
Farmers seek affordability
For farmers participating in the demonstration, affordability and availability will be critical if the technology proves effective.
Mr Ibrahim Shaibu, a farmer from Cheshegu, said he was encouraged by what he saw during the field day and expressed interest in testing the product on his own farm during the next farming season.
He, however, appealed to the manufacturer and distributors to ensure that the product is readily available and affordable to farmers.
The CSIR-SARI trials will continue until harvest, when researchers are expected to assess the performance of the different treatments and determine whether the bio-stimulant can offer practical benefits to farmers under local conditions.
