The four-day training, which ended in Tamale, was also to imbibe in participants the business concept of farming such that they produced what the market preferred.

The training was organized by Agri and Development Services Centre (ADSEC), a community-based development oriented organization, with support from the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC Fund) and its partners, United States Agency for International Development, European Union and DANIDA.

It was dubbed a training of trainers on organic farming for improved food, nutrition and income security of rural farmers through skills development, information sharing and training on organic farming methods.

The participants are expected to train other farmers in their communities including Jarigu, Wuvogu, Janyili, and Duunyin to adopt organic farming methods in crop production for the benefit of all.

Mr Joseph Pawin Sachi, Executive Director of ADSEC, said preference for organic produce was high hence the need to build the capacity of farmers to tap into new opportunities.

He said the application of inorganic inputs such as herbicides and fertilizer to boost crop production had environmental consequences including destroying micro-organisms in the soil, which affected soil fertility and agriculture production.

Mr Sachi urged farmers to make use of crop residue and household waste to supplement the nutrient requirement of soils to boost agricultural production.

He said some companies have expressed interest in organic produce such as soybeans adding farmers would be connected to such investors as part of the marketing strategy to sell their produce to them.

Ms Fuseini Suweiba Mantoso, a maize and poultry Farmer at Duunyin in the Tamale Metropolis, who was a participant, said she learned about organic ways of cultivating and storing produce to ensure safety for all as well as seeking market before cultivating particular crops to sell them quickly to improve her income.

Chief Dul-Lana Issahaku Haruna, a maize and soybean farmer, who was also a participant, said he learnt that using chemicals to spray crops was not good for the health of all and would teach other farmers in his community to stop the practice.