In West Africa, a ‘bokashi revolution’ takes root
Japan Times
23-05-22 22:00
As agricultural fertiliser prices rise for West African farmers as a consequence of the ongoing geopolitical crisis in Ukraine, farmers in the region have been turning to a Japanese fertilisation method, called bokashi. The practice utilises the process of fermentation, a method, which can prepare local crops in just 12 days and uses ingredients such as rice bran, straw, manure, yeast, clay and sugar cane molasses. Bokashi is a “cheaper” alternative to synthetic fertilisers and has served as a means of empowering farmers and reducing their reliance on “products linked to volatile global markets and transnational corporations”. In West Africa, the nutritional practice has spread through word-of-mouth and has been credited with helping farmers increase their harvest yields, with some reporting that their produce has doubled.
