Kenneth Agyepong

A Ghanaian agricultural innovator who transformed West African farming through sustainable practices and community empowerment

Kenneth Agyepong's career began in 1989 when he pioneered organic farming methods in Ghana's Ashanti region. Born in 1965, he became a leading voice in sustainable agriculture during the 1990s, when many African nations faced food insecurity. His breakthrough came in 1997 with the establishment of Moringa Farm Ghana, which demonstrated how integrated farming systems could triple crop yields while preserving ecosystems.

Agyepong's Green Harvest Initiative, launched in 2001, trained over 5,000 farmers in agroecology techniques by 2005. This program introduced crop rotation systems that reduced soil degradation by 40% and increased income for participating households by 60%. His work was featured in Nature Magazine as a model for climate-resilient agriculture.

In 2003, he co-founded African Agroecology Alliance, a network connecting farmers across 12 countries. This initiative led to the creation of the first organic certification program in West Africa, enabling farmers to access premium markets. By 2010, 15% of Ghana's cocoa exports were certified organic through his system.

Agyepong's impact extended to policy: his 2005 report "Soil Security in the Sahel" influenced UNCCD programs. His most enduring contribution is the Farmers' University established in 2008, which has graduated 3,000 agricultural leaders. By 2020, his methods were adopted in 80% of Ghana's smallholder farms, reducing pesticide use by 75% while increasing yields by 200% in some regions.