Abstract

Abstract.

Agriculture continues to play its role as the backbone of the Ghanaian economy despite that its contribution to GDP has declined by seven-percentage points between 2007 and 2013. The relationship between agricultural practices and environmental sustainability poses serious challenges, yet it has attracted less attention in many developing countries particularly in Ghana. This paper presents a review of the impact of agricultural practices on environmental sustainability in Ghana.

The findings of the study reveal that some of the country’s agricultural practices such as deforestation, slash-and-burn agriculture, negative soil nutrients balance, increased dependence on agro-chemicals for both crop and animal production – chemical fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, vaccines and antibiotics, antimicrobial drugs, biotechnology, etc threaten our environmental sustainability and need to be altered. Besides, degrading the soil, water, air and biodiversity as well as posing health risks to both famers and consumers, the practices also contribute to high carbon-emissions into the atmosphere facilitating climate change. The effects of climate on agricultural production and productivity are devastating and negate farmers’ income and livelihoods, health and the environment in general. These agricultural practices are not sustainable; as they degrade the environment and reduce the effective functioning of the essential ecosystem services; and ultimately, undermine the nutritional and health value of foods.

The study recommended sustainable agricultural practices to enhance environmental sustainability through developing resilient/adaptive and low-carbon economy technologies that aim to cope with the vagaries of climate change and reduce the emissions of carbon compounds thereby, protecting the natural resource base of the environment for both present and future generations.

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