Solidaridad West Africa

20/08/2026

𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐦 𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝

For every tonne of crude palm oil produced in Ghana, approximately 2.5 tonnes of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME), the nutrient-rich wastewater generated during palm oil processing, is produced. When poorly managed, POME can pollute soil and water bodies and release methane as it decomposes.

A research study led by Solidaridad West Africa, in collaboration with experts from the University of Ghana, is exploring whether residual oils from POME could provide a local alternative to imported fish oil used in aquaculture feed.

The findings were recently discussed at a stakeholder consultation held under the theme, “Bridging the Lipid Gap: Localising Fish Feed Production through Sustainable POME Upcycling.” Stakeholders from the and sectors, academia and government reviewed the findings, shared their perspectives and discussed what would be needed to take the opportunity further.

Eric Amoako Agyare, Country Representative for Solidaridad in Ghana, noted that the research reflects Solidaridad’s approach to sustainability.

“As an organization, we believe that sustainability is ensuring that the economic activities we undertake do not come at the expense of the environment. That is why we are exploring ways to transform Palm Oil Mill Effluent from a waste product into a valuable resource,” he said.

The discussions provided an opportunity to look beyond the research findings and consider the practical steps needed to further develop and commercialise the approach. The potential benefits extend beyond managing POME as a waste product. The approach could also create value from palm oil processing, reduce reliance on expensive imported fish oil and create additional income opportunities for artisanal palm oil processors and millers.

This initiative forms part of activities under the National Initiative for Sustainable and Climate-Smart Oil Palm Smallholders (NISCOPS), funded by Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken (Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

18/08/2026

Fruit and vegetable farmers under the Acting Now Project Extension in Nigeria are adopting organic manure to improve soil fertility and reduce farming costs. The project is building farmers’ capacity to prepare and use organic manure from locally available plant and animal residues, providing an environmentally friendly alternative to inorganic fertilizers.

In Miga and Taura Local Government Areas of Jigawa State, 45 fruit and vegetable farmers, including women and youth, now rely on organic manure produced from plant and animal residues available within their communities.

“We are happy that plant and animal residues have become useful to us. Almost every compound has constructed a compost pit where plant and animal residues are dumped and processed into organic manure. This is saving us a lot of money that we would have spent on inorganic fertilizer,” said Aminu Ibrahim, a farmer.

The Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) of the Kingdom of the Netherlands supports the Acting Now Project Extension in Nigeria. The project is improving market systems, strengthening buyer linkages and providing practical agricultural support to help farmers increase the value of their produce, improve their incomes and reduce food waste.

17/08/2026

To ensure that fruit and vegetable farmers under the Acting Now Project extension in Nigeria can operate the aggregation centres efficiently, Solidaridad West Africa is supporting them with knowledge and skills in proper record-keeping.

Proper record-keeping helps aggregation centre operators maintain accurate inventories. It enables them to track the quantity of fruits and vegetables brought into the centre, the quantity sold, the price, who supplied the produce and which off-taker purchased it. This information will help operators determine whether the centre is making a profit or incurring losses. Also, it will support market decisions, especially future price adjustments that will benefit the farmers.

The aggregation centres are designed to create efficient market hubs by bringing together produce from hundreds of smallholder farmers. This approach reduces post-harvest losses and dependence on middlemen, lowers transportation costs, improves price transparency and creates reliable market linkages that benefit both farmers and off-takers.

So far, Solidaridad West Africa has initiated 10 crop aggregation centres in different communities across Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa and Plateau, the four states participating in the Acting Now Project extension.

The Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) of the Kingdom of the Netherlands supports the Acting Now project extension in Nigeria.

14/08/2026

The Acting Now project extension in Nigeria is supporting women in rural communities to reduce waste through food processing and value addition.

Recently, in the Miga and Taura Local Government Areas of Jigawa State, Solidaridad West Africa, under the project, built the capacity of 125 women farmers in processing, drying and preservation techniques for agricultural commodities, including tomatoes, maize, pepper, onions, cabbage and okra.

The women have also received training in packaging and branding to improve the market value of their processed food products.
The target is to reduce the waste of unsold and by enabling women farmers to preserve surplus produce for the off-season, while creating opportunities to increase incomes.
The project extension is also supporting smallholder farmers in Kano, Kaduna and Plateau states, helping farming communities reduce losses, strengthen market opportunities and improve their resilience.

The Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) of the Kingdom of the Netherlands supports the Acting Now project extension in Nigeria. The project is improving market systems, strengthening buyer linkages and providing practical agricultural support, helping farmers turn more of their produce into income while reducing food waste.

13/08/2026

Moving Ghana’s sector forward will require collaboration across the value chain.

At yesterday’s National Oil Palm Multi-Stakeholder Roundtable, organized by the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), Country Representative for Solidaridad in Ghana, Eric Amoako Agyare, highlighted the need for stronger partnerships, investment and practical action to move the sector forward and deliver better outcomes for people whose depend on it.

He shared examples from Solidaridad West Africa’s work in the sector, including supporting improved farm management and processing practices, establishing youth-led farm service enterprises, supporting the development of the National Pricing Mechanism and introducing digital solutions such as Harvest Alert, which connects farmers to service providers and supports more efficient agricultural service delivery.

“The challenge before us is no longer simply to demonstrate what can work. It is to determine how successful approaches can be sustainably financed, institutionalised and taken to scale,” he said.

Eric also stressed the importance of protecting Ghana’s productive landscapes, noting that the future of oil palm is closely linked to the health of the land, water and ecosystems on which the sector depends.

As a strategic partner to TCDA, Solidaridad remains committed to working with government and stakeholders across the value chain to strengthen Ghana’s oil palm sector. These efforts are supported through the Pathways to Prosperity programme, funded by Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken (Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

13/08/2026

Meet Batu Munda, a member of the Gbotima Group in Sembehun Kokofele, Tinkonko Chiefdom, Bo District.

She and her fellow women farmers are all smiles as they harvest the groundnuts they planted several months ago.

The Gbotima Group is one of 75 beneficiary groups supported through Solidaridad’s Resilient Food and Nutrition Security (RFaNS) Project, supported by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Batu and her colleagues planted more than 100 kg of groundnut seeds across two hectares and are now expecting to harvest more than 20 bags of 50 kg.

For Batu, the harvest is more than just food—it is a celebration of hard work, resilience and the opportunities created through support from Solidaridad.

As a result of the support from Solidaridad, the women now have the tools and seeds that they need to increase production.

“We are excited, and our next plan is to increase production by planting more,” Batu Munda.

She said that part of the income generated from the harvest will be saved through their Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA), giving members access to savings and loans while enabling them to purchase more seeds and invest in future production.

Through the RFaNS Project, Solidaridad has supported more than 2,000 farmers in Bo, Kenema and Moyamba districts to improve food production and nutrition security, with a particular focus on pregnant women, lactating mothers and caregivers of children under five.

12/08/2026

Solidaridad West Africa: We are excited when farmers harvest better yields! 🌱🥜

Group Project
Kokofele, Tinkonko Chiefdom, Bo District

12/08/2026

Happening Now!

The National Oil Palm Multi-Stakeholder Roundtable is taking place at the Ghana Chartered Institute of Bankers in Accra.

Stakeholders from across the value chain are discussing the current state of Ghana’s oil palm industry, policy implementation challenges and practical solutions to strengthen the sector.

Solidaridad West Africa remains committed to working with stakeholders to build a stronger, more sustainable oil palm sector in Ghana.

11/08/2026

For over 15 years, Rabiu Abubakar, like many other and farmers in Nigeria, has faced a major challenge in getting his produce to market before it spoils.

Every year, thousands of metric tonnes of fruits and vegetables produced by never reach consumers. Poor storage, long distances to markets and limited access to reliable buyers lead to significant post-harvest losses, affecting farmers’ incomes and the supply of nutritious food.

The Acting Now project is helping address this challenge through the establishment of aggregation centres in communities, creating more efficient market hubs that connect smallholder farmers with buyers.

Today, instead of travelling 25 kilometres to the market, Rabiu transports his tomatoes less than two kilometres to his community aggregation centre, saving him time and reducing his transport costs.

With buyers available at the centre, more of his harvest reaches the market, and Rabiu has seen an increase in his income.

The Acting Now project is funded by Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zakenn (Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Read the full story here:

The establishment of aggregation centres is proving beneficial in Kano State, Nigeria, where thousands of farmers depend on tomato production for their livelihoods.

11/08/2026

🌱 Harvest Time! 🥜

After three months of planting, members of the Gbotima Group, one of the 75 beneficiary groups under the Resilient Food and Nutrition Security (RFaNS) Project, implemented by Solidaridad West Africa are harvesting their groundnuts.

Based in Sembehun Kokofele, Tinkonko Chiefdom, Bo District, the women celebrated the fruits of their labour with smiles, songs, and excitement as they harvested their groundnuts on a two-hectare piece of land.

The beneficiaries expressed their appreciation to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for supporting the RFaNS Project, which is helping smallholder farmers strengthen food and nutrition security and improve their livelihoods.

Through the RFaNS programme, Solidaridad has supported over 2,000 farmers in Bo, Kenema, and Moyamba districts to enhance food production and improve nutrition security, especially among pregnant women, lactating mothers, and caregivers of children under five.

From planting to harvest—together, we are growing a more resilient food system in Sierra Leone🌾💚