On March 19th- the day following our arrival at the Ghana Permaculture Institute- we were given a thorough visit of the NGO’s various sites, where all of the activities take place. Kala Grace, Ben, Cosmos and Mark from GPI kindly accompanied us throughout this tour.

 

The first site we visited was GPI’s 24 hectare permaculture farm at Baafi, which is where we were accommodated during our stay. Thanks to this introductory tour, we were able to  discover the autonomous system on which the site’s running relies: most of the operations conducted at the farm employ sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices. These sustainable methods are used in the design and construction of habitats, water management, husbandry, as well as energy production. Indeed, the Baafi site solely runs from solar power, water wells, biogas and human power.

 

For instance, connected pipes on site supply natural gas, that can be used for cooking, and two wells, as well as three cylinders that collect rainwater, ensure the supply of water through taps. Furthermore, some of the site’s buildings are entirely made of natural materials, such as  bamboo, and recycled materials such as tires/cement and plastic bottles.

 

As for the consumption of food on the farm, it  mainly comes from their own, diversified, production. Indeed, the GPI staff on the site cultivate cashews, mangos, pineapples, moringa, honey, coconuts, bananas, plantains, mushrooms, nonis, jam and other crops. They also raise rabbits, chickens and goats.

 

Moreover, during this first visit, we also had the chance to learn more about the fabrication processes of GPI’s natural cosmetics: we went to the site’s distillation center and saw how oil is extracted from lemongrass to make soap and other products. The NGO also fabricates various cosmetic products out of moringa, which is one of their most profitable crops.

 

During this same day, we also visited the Ghana Permaculture Institute’s second site at Nkwaeso. There, we met with other staff members who kindly showed us their daily activities including the processing of moringa leaves and seeds, the production of mushrooms and the running of an alternative medical center which relies on medicinal plants and other natural methods. Our tour then ended with the visit of GPI’s headquarters, where all of the decisions are made!

 

It was truly enriching to obtain an overview of GPI’s various operations before beginning our activities on field. We were impressed by the extent of the organization’s activities and by its ability to conduct these operations in a sustainable way. These visits allowed us to better grasp the benefits of such sustainable methods and the concrete results they entail.