For years, the Ghana Agroecology Movement (GAEM)—a Civil Society Organisations-led platform facilitated by CIKOD, ActionAid Ghana, and the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG)—has championed the cause of natural farming. But advocacy without hard evidence, they realised, could only go so far in influencing national agricultural policy.

That is precisely why, in May 2025, CIKOD made a strategic decision that would bridge the gap between farmer intuition and scientific validation: they engaged the Okuafopa Agribusiness Centre of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Dormaa Campus, to rigorously test fermented human urine as a natural herbicide.

“When we heard stories of farmers risking their lives, communities being poisoned, and soils turning barren, we knew we could not stay silent,” explains Wilberforce Lartey, Program Director of CIKOD.

“But CIKOD does not operate on rumours or anecdotes. We operate on evidence. We needed world-class, rigorous scientific research to validate what some farmers were discovering on their own. We needed credible data to take to policymakers, to the Ministry of Agriculture, and to skeptical farmers. If we are going to ask farmers to abandon synthetic chemicals, we must hand them a scientifically proven, safer alternative. That was our mandate. That was our ‘why’.”

The crisis that demanded evidence

The urgency behind CIKOD’s intervention is rooted in a growing agricultural crisis. Weed infestation remains one of the most significant constraints to vegetable production in Ghana, leading to substantial yield losses and increased production costs. To combat this, most farmers have turned heavily to synthetic herbicides—particularly glyphosate.

While effective in the short term, the continuous use of these chemicals has triggered a cascade of negative consequences: environmental degradation, collapsing soil health, alarming biodiversity loss, rising herbicide resistance, and—most worryingly—acute health risks for farmers and consumers.

Reports of farmers collapsing in their fields after spraying, suffering respiratory distress and skin conditions, have become disturbingly common.

Since 2019, GAEM has been working to promote agroecological practices and influence agricultural policy on food systems that positively impact agricultural development, the environment, and the well-being of food value chain actors. However, the movement recognised that promoting natural alternatives required more than passion—it required peer-reviewed, laboratory-tested proof.

The research: What UENR set out to prove

With support from ActionAid Ghana and CIKOD, UENR’s Department of Horticulture and Crop Production embarked on a comprehensive study. The rationale was ambitious: evaluate the herbicidal effects of fermented human urine on weed suppression, crop performance and quality, soil physical and chemical properties, and the concentration of heavy metals in both the soil and edible parts of the crops.

Carrot was selected as the test crop—chosen specifically for its high sensitivity to soil conditions, making it an ideal bio-indicator.

“We put this alternative through the wringer,” says Kwadwo Gyasi Santo, the Agronomist who led the research. “We tested soil physical and chemical properties before and after application. We measured heavy metal concentrations in both the soil and the edible carrot roots. The results were unequivocal—fermented human urine showed no negative impact whatsoever.”

According to Santo, the research confirmed that the human urine did not compromise the selected soil properties nor the root quality of the carrot. The weeds were effectively suppressed, the soil remained healthy, and the carrots were safe for human consumption.

“I want to urge the public, particularly farmers, to go ahead and use human urine as a herbicide instead of synthetic fertilisers,” Santo declares. “This is not an experiment anymore; this is a verified, viable solution.”

The farmer who inspired it all

While the research was driven by CIKOD’s quest for evidence, its inspiration came from the very farmers the movement seeks to serve.

Okpoapajor James was the first in his area to experiment with urine as a herbicide—a trial born not of innovation, but of desperate survival. The turning point came when he nearly lost his life after applying synthetic chemicals on his farm.

“My chest tightened like a vice. I couldn’t breathe. I fell to my knees in this very soil,” James recalls, his voice still heavy with the memory. “My wife thought she was losing me. I promised God—if I survived, I would never touch those poisons again.”

Out of pure desperation, he began experimenting with fermented urine. His neighbours laughed and called him a madman. But the results spoke for themselves—weeds died, soil revived, and crops thrived. When he learned that UENR had scientifically validated his trial, the emotion was palpable.

“I didn’t set out to change farming in Ghana. I just wanted to stay alive,” James says. “But if my story can save another farmer from collapsing in their field, then every single drop of urine was worth it.”

The next frontier: From research to widespread adoption

The scientific validation has been welcomed by agricultural officials, but they stress that the work is far from over.

Angel Mavic Ayaric, the Banda District Director of Agriculture, expressed her satisfaction with the findings but called for urgent implementation support.

“Words are not enough. We need action,” Ayaric emphasises. “The science is solid, but adoption requires seeing. We are calling on all stakeholders—government, NGOs, and traditional leaders—to fund and establish demonstration farms across every district. Let our farmers see with their eyes and touch with their hands. When they see the cost savings, the healthier soil, and the healthier families, they will never go back.”

A workshop has already been organised in the Transition Zone to disseminate the research findings to GAEM members and key stakeholders, with concrete follow-up actions now being developed for broader dissemination and uptake.

A win for agroecology and circular economy

The use of fermented human urine aligns perfectly with agroecological principles. It contributes to improved nutrient recycling, reduces dependence on imported and expensive agrochemicals, and promotes circular economy practices—turning waste into a valuable farm resource.

For CIKOD and its partners, this research marks a pivotal moment in Ghana’s agricultural journey.

“We have proven that the answers to our agricultural challenges may not lie in expensive imports, but right here in our communities—and even in our homes,” Lartey concludes. “Now, we must scale this. We must influence policy. And we must ensure that no farmer has to choose between their livelihood and their life.”