Soya bean is a relatively new crop in Ghana compared to other legume crops like cowpea and groundnuts. It can be grown successfully in most parts of the country. Most of the soya bean produced in Ghana is by small-scale farmers who cultivate between 0.25 ha and 2.0 ha each, without added inputs like fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides or insecticides. Most of these farmers prepare their land manually though a few that have access to tractors and animal traction do use them for land preparation. Farmers sell most of their produce, use some at home and keep the rest for planting in the next season.
The cost of producing soya bean is about the lowest among most crops grown in Ghana today since very little inputs are required. More farmers have therefore taken to soya bean cultivation as an income-generating activity. Soya bean is a leguminous crop and can fix atmospheric nitrogen for its own use and even leave some for the use by the succeeding crop in a rotation. It, therefore, cuts down the amount of nitrogen fertilizer that farmers have to purchase to apply to their fields to improve productivity. The processing and marketing of soya bean and its products also provide employment and incomes to several people.
Soya bean seed contains about 40 % protein, 30 % carbohydrate and 20% oil. It is also rich in minerals particularly calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin). Soya bean oil and cake/meal (the by-product after extracting the oil), is the main economic products of soya bean.
- In Ghana, the soya bean cake/meal is the preferred protein source in the animal feed industry. It is thus crucial to the poultry and livestock industries in the country.
- Soya bean also has several health advantages.
- Soya bean oil is of very high quality and has no cholesterol. Its protein is also of very high quality and comparable to those of animal sources such as meat, egg and milk.
- There is a growing research evidence that consumption of soya bean helps to reduce risks from heart diseases, cancer, osteoporosis, menopausal symptoms and many more.
- Currently, in Ghana, soya bean is used in infant foods/weaning food to control or prevent protein-energy malnutrition (kwashiorkor) in children.
- It is also used to fortify various traditional foods (such as gari, banku, kenkey, etc. and sauces, stews and soups) to improve their nutritional levels without changing their taste or cooking time.
- Soya bean has several industrial uses.
- The crude soya bean oil is used as lubricants, emulsifiers, and plasticizers.
- Other uses include solvents, inks, paints, soap and cosmetics.
The cereal Striga (Striga hermonthica) is an endemic parasitic weed of the savanna zone of Ghana that causes severe yield losses of cereal crops like sorghum, maize, and millet. In severe infestations, it causes yield reduction ranging from 70% to total crop loss. Soya bean is a non-host plant to striga but it produces chemical substances that stimulate the germination of striga seed, which subsequently die off within a few days because it cannot attach its root system to that of the soya bean plant to draw food substances and water. The use of soya bean in rotation with cereals, therefore, results in a drastic reduction of the striga seed bank in the soil, making it possible for such cereals to be grown with minimal or no attack.
Over the past decade in Ghana, research efforts have been intensified by legume breeders at CSIR to develop varieties for improved productivity. Between the period 1985 and 2019, sixteen soya bean varieties have been released by CSIR-CRI and CSIR-SARI with the approval of the National Seed Council in Ghana
Recommended Soya Bean Varieties for Cultivation in Various Agro-ecologies in Ghana and Some of their Attributes
| Variety | Maturity | Recommended Ecology | Potential Yield (t/ha) | Other Attributes |
| Anidaso | Medium | Transition, Coastal savanna, and Forest zones | 2.8 | Moderately resistant to shattering |
| Nangbaar | Early | Throughout Ghana | 2.1 | Shattering resistant |
| Gyidie | Extra early | Throughout Ghana | 4.0 | Resistant to soya bean rust disease |
| Latara | Early | Throughout Ghana | 4.2 | Shattering resistant, resistant to soya bean rust |
| Salintuya – 1 | Medium | Guinea and Sudan savannas, Transition zones | 2.2 | Tolerant to Cercospora leaf spot, trap crop for striga hemonthica |
| Salintuya – 2 | Late | Throughout Ghana | 2.8 | Tolerant to pests, good for the dry savannas |
| Jenguma | Late | Southern and Northern Guinea savannas | 2.8 | Shattering resistant |
| Quashie | Medium | Southern and Northern Guinea Savannas | 2.4 | Shattering resistant, good for the dry savannas |
| Afayak | Medium | Southern and Northern Guinea savannas | 2.4 | Striga control, shattering resistant |
| SounPungun | Early | Northern Guinea and Sudan savannas | 1.8 | Shattering resistant |
Among these varieties, however, Jenguma, Afayak, Suong-Pungun, Quarshie, CRI-Nangbaar Anidaso, and Favour are the most widely cultivated. There are constraints of the production of breeder and foundation seeds which partly explains the unavailability of the seed of many of the released varieties. The government of Ghana in 2017 introduced a flagship programme; Planting for Food and Jobs campaign which is geared towards supporting farmers with improved seeds and agro-inputs to enhance their productivity.
In 2020, the area planted to Soya bean nationwide was 116,000 ha resulting in production output of 209,000 Mt. The average yield on-farm for the commodity is 1.8 Mt/ha but has a potential of 3.0 Mt/ha.
Soya Beans Value Chain
Proper use of agro-chemicals and high yielding certified seed or improved varieties as well as use of mechanization and good agronomic practices can result in improved productivity. Planting for Food and Jobs campaign (Government intervention) provides improved seeds to farmers. Production of soya bean has received very strong support from the government through seed and fertilizer distribution, extension, and technical support.
The supply of agro-input to farmers has mainly been carried out by RMG Ghana Limited and Yara Ghana especially in the provision of seeds and fertilizers. Farmers sell most of their produce, use some at home and keep the rest for planting in the next season.
Soya bean production in Ghana is currently concentrated in the Northern zone by smallholder farmers, with an average farm size of 1.4 ha equipped with traditional tools and outdated methods of production. The biophysical conditions are excellent for producing soya bean, but current production is still far below national requirement. Average yields are estimated to be 1.80 Mt/ha. Farmers can improve upon their output level to achieve the potential yield of 3.0 Mt/ha if there is the attention given to good agronomic practices.
The area under cultivation increased from 85,000 Ha in 2012 to 138,000 Ha in 2022. There was a 40.4% increase in production from 2012 to 2022, with 38.4% increase in area and 3.3% increase in productivity. This largely has been due to the introduction of government’s flagship programme “Planting for Food and Jobs” and donor focus on soya bean promotion and production in response to the recent tight global supply and demand opportunity.
Table 1: Production Trend of Soya Bean in Ghana between 2012 and 2022
Year | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
Annual Production ‘000Mt | 152 | 139 | 141 | 142 | 143 | 170 | 177 | 193 | 209 | 218 | 255 |
Annual Area Planted ‘000Ha | 85 | 85 | 87 | 86 | 87 | 102 | 103 | 112 | 116 | 126 | 138 |
Yield (Mt/Ha) | 1.78 | 1.63 | 1.62 | 1.65 | 1.64 | 1.66 | 1.71 | 1.72 | 1.80 | 1.73 | 1.84 |
The Trend of Soya Bean Production, Area Cultivated and Yield (2012-2022)
Some actors are involved in production through in and outgrowers, aggregate and supply. Example include i Agrisolve limited operates in the Northern region, acting as an aggregator, producer and supplier of soyabean.
Soya bean processors, oilseed crushers and feed mills enter pre-production contracts with producers before the farming season. Processors prefer to purchase as much as they can at harvest in order to offer more stable meal prices to poultry. Cost of capital, timeliness of working capital, and availability of soya beans limit their ability to buy. Ghana has 581 metric tonnes installed capacity per day and 151,060 metric tonnes per year. A few processors are in operation, and they currently operate significantly under-capacity. All the produce from production areas is quickly purchased within a few months of harvest.
Processing companies in Ghana include Vester Oil Mill Limited, Bosomtwe Agro Limited, Ghana Nuts Company Limited, K. Gyasi Oil Mills, Dragon Inter Agro Ltd, Jokas Feedmills Ltd, Top farms Ltd, Asamoah Yamoah Farms Ltd, Yedent Agro Ltd, Vadd agric Commodities, Royal Danimac Oilmills Ltd and Small Scale Processors mainly in the Ashanti region.
Soya bean production represents a significant opportunity with more demand than supply, making Ghana a net importer of the product. Growing demand for soya bean globally has made the soya bean sub-sector a very lucrative business. There is a very low export of soya bean or their processed products, as domestic demand by processors absorbs all the local produce (Table 2). The insufficient domestic production of soya bean causes a local shortage. This impacts the poultry industry which then has to import feed. Feed imports were projected to grow from 73,000MT in 2010 to 118,100MT in 2015 due to shortages of domestic soya beans. During periods of shortage, most processing companies are forced to either shut down or divert into processing other products.
The demand for soya bean products has increased by 26% annually over the last decade. Ghana has a potential to produce about 700,000 Mt of soya bean, but production as at 2020 was 209,000 Mt out of which 150,930 Mt (about 85%) was consumed as food. According to a study carried out by USAID - FinGAP in 2018 on Soya bean, approximately 75% of local soya beans goes into poultry feed production. The aquaculture sector also uses soya bean in the fish feed. Processors prefer to purchase as much as they can at harvest in order to offer more stable meal prices to the poultry industry. Cost of capital, timeliness of working capital, and availability of soya beans, limit their ability to buy.
Table 2: Food Balance Sheet (2020) Production Season (Soya Bean)
| Total Production | 209,000 Mt |
| Total Imports | 0 Mt |
| Domestic Utilization | 186,129 Mt |
| Carry over stock | 0Mt |
| Exports | 32,040 Mt |
| Seed, Feed and Wastage | 30,336 Mt |
| Import dependency ratio | 0% |
SRID, 2020
Key Agronomic Practices
| Good Agricultural Practice | Brief Description and importance |
|---|---|
Planting Material
| The basic planting material used for cultivation is a seed. Several varieties have been developed through research. Some improved varieties currently recommended for cultivation by farmers in Ghana include Jenguma, Afayak, Suong-Pungun, Quarshie, Anidaso, Favour, CRI-Nangbaar. Varieties are selected based on their distinctive characteristics or consumers preference. Eg. high yielding, tolerant/resistance to important Soya bean diseases in Ghana such as frogeye leafspot, bacterial pustule, bacterial blight and Soya bean mosaic virus, etc. Seeds should always be purchased from certified outlets where seed viability and purity can be guaranteed. Although some farmers use seeds from their own farm for planting, this practice should be discouraged as such seeds cannot be guaranteed to be viable, pure, and free of diseases and pests. |
Choose suitable soils
| Soya bean is well adapted to a wide range of soil conditions. For maximum productivity, avoid areas with steep slopes, sandy and clayey soils, choose deep and well-drained loamy soil. Sandy soils do not retain water after rain or irrigation and expose plants to drought stress, which can cause total crop failure depending on the crop’s growth stage and duration of the drought. Clayey soils are prone to waterlogging, crust and crack when dry and damage the rooting system. In the High Rain Forest (HRF) zone, where soils are acidic, plant Soya bean varieties that are tolerant to acidic soils. As a general guide for Ghana, Soya bean would do well in areas with:
|
| Agro Climate Conditions | Soya bean is well adapted to a wide range of climatic conditions. For maximum yields and production of a good quality Soya bean crop, cultivate Soya bean in ecology with an annual rainfall of not less than 700mm and well distributed throughout the growing period. The best environment for Soya bean cultivation are the Guinea Savannah and the Forest-SavannahTransition agro-ecological zones. Soya bean also does well in the Semi-deciduous Forest and Coastal Savanna zones. Note: The High Rain Forest (HRF) and the Dry Savanna zones are marginal for Soya bean cultivation. |
| Land Preparation | Good land preparation is critical for good seed germination and seedling establishment. Prepare land such that seedbed or soil is loose and hence well-aerated, has good moisture holding capacity and free of weeds. In Guinea and coastal savannahs, the forest-savannah transition zones and other areas where mechanized (tractor/animal traction) land preparation is possible.
In areas where mechanized land preparation is not possible or affordable.
Herbicide use for land preparation is becoming popular with Ghanaian farmers. To practice minimum till in Soya bean cultivation, use the recommended rates of the appropriate herbicide. For land preparation, Glyphosate (3-4l/ha), is the current most popular herbicide used by farmers. Note: Herbicide application rates may vary depending on the types of weeds in your field. |
Planting
| Plant timely when rains have stabilized. Planting period may differ according to the agro-ecology, maturity group of variety planted and/or season. Plant soya bean such that maturity coincides with the dry period. Soya bean harvested during the dry period gives good quality grain or seed. Early maturing Soya bean varieties can be used for late planting in the Guinea Savanna zone. Cropping Calendar for Soya Beans Production in Ghana  Plant in rows at the recommended spacing
Depending on the maturity of variety, inter and intra row spacing used, and the method of planting, Soya bean plant population per hectare may range from about 66,666 to 333,333. Recommended Spacing for Planting Soya Beans in Ghana  |
Pest and Disease Management
| Soya bean is a relatively new crop in Ghana and therefore has few insect pest problems. In many locations, insect pest damage to Soya bean may be negligible. In some areas however, leaf eating caterpillars and pod-sucking bugs may cause serious yield losses if not controlled. The pod-sucking bugs suck sap from the developing pods and seeds causing them to shrivel and drop-off. In areas where large-scale production has been going on for a long time, the crop should be inspected for the presence of insect pests. Note: Pod-sucking bugs can migrate from cowpea fields to Soya bean fields. Avoid planting Soya bean close to cowpea fields. When pod-sucking bugs pose a problem, control them by applying Cymethoate super at a rate of 1 litre per ha (100 ml/15 l water) or Diamethoate or Perfekthion at 2 litres per ha (200 ml/15 l water). To determine whether it is economical to control pod-sucking bugs, inspect fields periodically once pod elongation has started. Spray insecticide when you find 1-2 adults or large nymphs per meter row. The insects are easier to spot in the morning rather than midday or evening. Control leaf-eating caterpillars by also applying Cymethoate super. Rodent and bird control Rodents (especially rats, mice and wild rabbits) can cause serious damage by eating the seedlings and the maturing green pods late in the season. Rodent damage is most common in weedy fields and weedy surroundings. Birds (such as doves and crows) also pick seeds from the soil after planting; eat cotyledons of seedlings and immature seeds in pods.
Diseases control Few Soya bean diseases are of economic importance in Ghana. These include Viruses (Soya bean mosaic and Soya bean yellow mosaic viruses), Fungi (frogeye leafspot - Cercospora sojina and purple seed stain - Cercoapora kikuchii), and Bacterial (bacterial pustule - Xanthomonas campestris pv. glycines and bacterial blight – Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycines.). Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita (Mi)) are also important in Ghana and can cause considerable yield losses. Current recommended Soya bean varieties are resistant/tolerant to most of the important diseases found in Ghana depending on the environment. If you use the recommended varieties and adopt good crop management practices such as timely planting, right spacing, weed control and timely harvesting, disease incidence in your Soya bean farm may not be of any significant economic importance. The cereal Striga (Striga hermonthica) is an endemic parasitic weed of the savanna zone of Ghana that causes severe yield losses of cereal crops like sorghum, maize, and millet. In severe infestations, it causes yield reduction ranging from 70% to total crop loss. Soya bean is a non-host plant to striga but it produces chemical substances that stimulate the germination of striga seed, which subsequently die off within a few days because it cannot attach its root system to that of the soya bean plant to draw food substances and water. The use of soya bean in rotation with cereals, therefore, results in a drastic reduction of the striga seed bank in the soil, making it possible for such cereals to be grown with minimal or no attack. |
Soil Fertility Management
| Depending on the fertility status of the soil, soya bean may not require fertilizer.
Higher yields will be obtained if some amount of fertilizer especially phosphorous and potassium are applied before planting or shortly after. Soya beans can fix nitrogen and may not need high quantities of nitrogen. However, some amount of “starter” nitrogen is crucial to boost initial plant growth before the plants develop nodules, which fix atmospheric nitrogen. Inorganic Fertilizer Application
Organic Fertilizer Application
|
Weed Management
| Weeds can cause considerable yield losses because they compete with soya bean for nutrients, water and sunlight and may harbour pests and diseases. Control weeds early, especially during the first six weeks after planting.
One or two hand weedings at 2-3 weeks and 5-6 weeks after planting may be required. This will depend on the method of land preparation (i.e. one for no-till and two for ploughed lands).
Use Pre-emergence herbicides such as Galex (4l/ha), Cotodon (4l/ha) or Stomp 330 E (6.5l/ha). For large-scale farmers it is advisable to use a pre-emergence herbicide so that the first weeding, which is very crucial, can be avoided. |
Soya bean Cropping Systems
| Monocropping Soya bean is commonly grown under sole/monocropping but small-scale farmers in the Guinea savanna and Forest-Transitional zones sometimes intercrop with cereals (maize, sorghum or millet) and root and tuber crops (yam or cassava). Advantages:
Disadvantage:
Intercropping Traditionally, farmers plant the cereals and legumes either in a random arrangement or in rows. When they plant in rows, they plant the crops either in the same row or in alternate rows. It is recommended that planting is done by alternating 1-3 rows of maize or sorghum with 2-5 rows of Soya bean for optimum production from their field. Cassava Soya bean intercrop is a highly productive system and is recommended. Plant cassava two weeks after planting Soya bean as follows: alternate two rows Soya bean with single rows of cassava spaced at 50cm, using within row spacing of 1m for the cassava and 10cm for the Soya bean, 2 plants/hill. This system has the potential to give comparable yields to those of sole crop Soya bean with the cassava yields as bonus. Crop rotation Two or more crops grown alternately on the same land can result in significant yield improvement. Soya bean is a favourable preceding crop to maize cassava and sorghum. The success of these systems depends on; the choice of crops, use of suitable varieties, cropping sequence and management practices. Advantages of crop rotation include:
|
Harvest Management
| Harvest early or at the right time to avoid field losses. Different Soya bean varieties have different maturity periods. In Ghana, we consider varieties with up to 100 days growth duration as early, 101 to 115 days medium, and more than 115 days late maturing. Soya bean field is almost ready for harvesting when you observe the following:
At this stage, seed moisture content would be about 15-18%. At maturity, about 95% of the pods will change from yellow to either, grey, brown, tawny or pale yellow depending on the variety. The seed moisture content will be about 13-14%. For high-quality grain, harvest promptly when the colour change becomes obvious. If you timed planting as advised (based on the maturity of your variety), your field will be ready for harvesting at a time the rains have ceased. You will harvest under dry conditions and the grain quality will be high. It is important to harvest timely to:
Manual Harvesting In Ghana, most farmers harvest Soya bean manually because their farms are usually small (0.25 to 2 ha). Cut plants at soil level or uproot and heap at various points. Heap plants on a cleared surface or tarpaulin. If left on the field after the pods are dry, the seeds may shatter, especially in the north where the dry harmattan winds can speed up the shattering process. Grow a shattering-resistant variety to minimize losses. Mechanical Harvesting Where available, use combined harvester for harvesting. This practice is advantageous because combine harvesters thresh and partially clean harvested grains right on the field. It also saves time and reduces the drudgery the farmer has to go through to harvest and thresh manually. |
Post-Harvest practices
| Drying Soya bean After harvesting Soya bean, dry to reduce the moisture content of the seed to about 13%. This will enhance threshing (removing the seeds from the pods) and prevent mouldiness. Air-dry harvested Soya bean in the open for about 3-5 days before threshing. Periodically, turn the Soya bean to ensure even drying. Threshing and Cleaning Thresh dried Soya bean with a machine if available. For manual threshing, gently beat dried Soya bean spread on a tarpaulin with a light flat stick. Winnow (remove the foreign materials by blowing) threshed produce manually or mechanically where possible Note:
Treat and store Soya bean After threshing and cleaning, further dry grain to about 10% moisture content before storage. It may not be necessary to treat Soya bean before storage, as there are no serious storage problems once the grain is properly dried. Put Soya bean grain into poly/jute sacks for storage. The grain can also be stored in traditional structures like barns, pots, and plastic containers. It is very important to store them in a cool dry place, preferably on wooden pallets. |
Key Risks Along the Value Chain and Mitigation Measures
| Value Chain Actions | Key Risks and Challenges | Mitigation Measures |
|---|---|---|
Input Supply
| Low yield due to inferior seed varieties
| - Training on Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) - Use certified seeds of improved varieties purchased from certified sources - Encourage Community seed multiplication - Develop more improved materials to meet market demands |
| Finance | Lack of access to financial support and facilities from the banks and financial institutions
| - Link stakeholders along the value chain to Financial Institutions - Train actors especially producers and processors to develop bankable proposals/business plans - Create strong linkages among actors to establish trust |
| High-interest rates | - Provision of incentives - Interest subsidies | |
| Production | Lack of rights over land and access to lands to farm | - Support for women to have access to communal lands |
Incidence of drought or dry spells
Climate-sensitive | - Use tolerant (climate sensitive) varieties - Increased use of irrigation technologies - Conservation agriculture | |
| Shattering of pods | Early harvest Use of shattering resistant varieties (e.g CRI-Nangbaar, Jenguma, Soung Pungun) | |
Increased pest and disease incidence
| - Select and use tolerant varieties - Altering planting dates - Use of IPM technologies | |
| Post-harvest handling | Poor storage facilities
| - Set up storage facilities in major Soya bean growing areas - develop varieties with long shelf life - Grading and sorting - Establish strong linkages between producers, processors, and industrial consumers - Empower women to be effective in the aggregation and processing along the chain |
| Marketing | Increased/high price of produce because of high demand and competition from other sectors like poultry and energy | - Government support required for crop intensification to increase the scale of production |
| Processing | Limited product varieties meeting consumer preference | - Encourage product development and diversification |
| Competition with imported soy products leads to reduction in the price of local soy products | - Investment into variety development to meet market demands. | |
| Consumption | High demand and competition from the poultry feed sector
| - Develop more varieties and specific varieties for the animal feed industry. - Government support required for crop intensification to increase the scale of production |
| Other | Selling of produce on credit | - Create strong linkages among actors to establish trust |
Pests & Diseases, Symptoms and Control Measures
Major Pests and their Control Measures
| Pests | Symptoms | Control Measures |
|---|---|---|
Pod-Sucking Bugs
The pod-sucking bugs suck sap from the developing pods and seeds causing them to shrivel and drop-off. In areas where large-scale production has been going on for a long time, the crop should be inspected for the presence of insect pests. | - Pod malformation and premature drying may occur - Shriveling of seeds - Loss of germination ability - Formation of empty pods | - Avoid planting Soya bean close to cowpea fields - Apply Cymethoate super at a rate of 1 litre per ha (100 ml/15 l water) or Diamethoate or Perfekthion at 2 litres per ha (200 ml/15 l water) - Spray insecticide when you find 1-2 adults or large nymphs per meter row. The insects are easier to spot in the morning than midday or evening.
|
Leaf-eating caterpillars
This pest causes serious damages and yield losses if not controlled | - Defoliation at all stages of plant growth | - Spray with recommended pesticides when number is beyond threshold - Control leaf-eating caterpillars by applying Cymethoate super. - Surveillance, early warning system |
Rodent and Bird  Rodents (especially rats, mice and wild rabbits) can cause serious damage by eating the seedlings and the maturing green pods late in the season. Rodent damage is most common in weedy fields and weedy surroundings. Birds (such as doves and crows) also pick seeds after planting; eat cotyledons of seedlings and immature seeds in pods | - Scaring rodents and birds (where possible), especially early in the morning and evenings. - Keeping your farm free from weeds. - Clearing weeds within the immediate vicinity of the farm to destroy the hiding places of pests. - Using baits such as Phostoxin to control rodents and birds |
Major Diseases and their Control Measure
| Diseases | Symptoms | Control Measures |
|---|---|---|
Frogeye leafspot - Cercospora sojina  Caused by the fungus (Cercospora sojina). The disease is most severe when Soya bean is grown continuously in the same field, particularly in fields where tillage is reduced since this is a residue-borne disease. The primary source for this disease is infested residue, infected seed, and airborne spores. Infection can occur at any stage of Soya bean development, but most often occurs after flowering and is typically in the upper canopy. | - Small, dark spots on the leaves which eventually enlarges. - Centres of the lesions become grey to brown and have a reddish-purple margin - Leaf spots coalesce to create irregular patterns of blighting on the leaf. - Long narrow dark lesions with flattened centres appear on the stem | - Cultivate resistant varieties - Practice crop rotation - Apply fungicides |
Bacterial blight (Pseudomonas savastanoi)  Initial infection occurs when wind or splashing water droplets from plant residue on the soil surface to the leaves carry bacterial cells. The bacteria enter the plants through stomata and wounds on leaves. For infection to occur, the leaf surface must be wet. Seedlings may be infected through infected seed. Bacteria that enter the host produce a toxin, which prevents chlorophyll production. Bacteria can also be spread to uninfected leaves when they rub against infected ones during cultivation, rain, and wind. | - Brown spots appear on margins of cotyledon - Stunted growth in young plants which might lead to death - Angular lesions which begin as small yellow to brown spots appear on leaves - Lesions occur on pods causing seeds to become shriveled and discoloured. | - Cultivate disease tolerant/resistant varieties - Crop rotation can be an effective method to avoid inoculum from a previously infected crop. - Incorporating crop residue by tillage will reduce the amount of inoculum available in the spring to infect plants but there are moisture and erosion issues to be considered. - Use copper fungicides for control of bacterial blight on Soya beans but need to be applied early in the disease cycle to be effective |
Bacterial Pustule (Xanthomonas Canpestris)  The disease is prevalent in soya bean growing regions which experience warm temperatures and frequent rainfall during the growing season | - Tiny pale green spots appear on leaves - Small light-coloured pustules form in the center of spots which emerges together to form irregular areas appearing as lesions | - Use resistant or tolerant varieties. - Crop rotation can be an effective method to avoid inoculum from a previously infected crop. - Incorporating crop residue by tillage will reduce the amount of inoculum available.
|
Soya bean Mosaic Virus (SMV)  This is transmitted by aphid species and seed. This disease also can be spread through Soya bean aphids which can be a vector the virus. SMV infection will reduce oil content, seed germination, and seed quality due to seed coat mottling. | - Stunted growth in plants and fewer pods - Light and dark green areas that may become blistered appear on Trifoliate leaves - Leaves become distorted, with margins curling downward | - Cultivate resistant or tolerant varieties - Practice farm sanitation |
Purple Seed Stain (Cercospora blight)  This is caused by the fungus Cercospora kikuchi. It is also known by the names purple blotch, purple speck, purple spot or lavender spot. Purple seed stain infection of the seed does not directly reduce yield. However, if a high percentage of stained seed is harvested, grain dockage may occur, or seed certification may be denied. Delayed germination may occur when seed discolouration exceeds 50% of the seed coat. The inoculum source for this disease is infected seed and debris from previous Soya bean crops | - Infected seeds have pink to purple spots that range in size that cover the entire surface - Cotyledons of infected seedlings shrivel, turn purple and drop | - Cultivate resistant varieties - Practice crop rotation - Residue incorporation will reduce inoculum by breaking down infested residue. - Seed lots with a high percentage of infected seed should be treated with a seed treatment fungicide. - Foliar fungicides may be applied during early pod stages to prevent blight and pod infections |
Root Knot Nematode 
Root-knot nematode of Soya bean is caused by plant-parasitic nematodes belonging to the genus Meloidogyne. Several species are known to infect Soya bean including M. incognita (southern root-knot), M. enterlobii (guava root-knot), M. javanica (Javanese root-knot), M. hapla (northern root-knot), and M. arenaria (peanut root-knot).
| - Stunted growth in plants - Galling appear on roots of plants - Wilting and chlorotic patches occur in leaves of the plant | - Sampling and mapping areas with root-knot nematode pressure. - Sanitize equipment between affected fields minimizes the chances of moving nematodes from one field to the next. - Removing or destroying plant material that allows nematode reproduction after harvest. - The wide host range of root-knot nematodes makes crop rotation difficult. However, rotating with poor host crops for nematode reproduction can help decrease populations. - Cultivate a root-knot nematode-resistant variety |
Market Information on Soya Beans
Locally, the major markets for trade and commerce of Soya bean include Northern, Savannah, North East, Upper East, Upper West, Oti and Volta regions which are the major production areas.
Ghana produces non-GMO soya which creates a niche market for global soyabean. There is growing interest in the Soya bean produced in Ghana by foreign buyers because of non-GMO and near-organic ( use of minimal agrochemicals) beans produced by Ghanaian farmers which has created a niche market in the global soyabean business. Domestic demand is driven by the local poultry industry who use Soya bean meal in poultry feed rations.
Of the 150,000 MT of soy demanded annually in Ghana, approximately 75 percent goes into poultry feed. The bulk of soya processing (both in Ghana and globally) goes into producing Soya bean meal (human consumption, poultry and fish feed) and Soya bean oil.
Market and Distribution
Producers sell the majority of their produce to processors and on the open markets. Low amounts are kept for household consumption.
Market Opportunities
The most immediate opportunity for Ghana’s Soya bean industry is the direct substitution of imported Soya bean meal, and Soya bean oil with locally produced and processed products. The short-term opportunity for the Ghana soya industry is very straightforward. The industry imports almost 70,000 MT of Soya bean cake ( Soya bean processed meal). The challenge is purely about the availability of raw materials since the crushing capacity to meet these volumes of processed meal exists. In the medium-term a good investment opportunity exists in meeting demand for locally produced broiler fed which include Soya beans. Ghana currently imports 204,755 MT of ready-to-cook chicken. Animal protein production is one of the best-added value opportunities for grain. This opportunity would practically double the local Soya bean meal market.
Finally, longer-term soy industry growth will come from the export of finished Soya bean products into West African urban markets.
Price Trends
The Ghana National average wholesale market price for a 109kg bag of Soya bean as at May 2020 was GH¢ 277.35 (GH¢ 2.54/kg) whiles the retail price was GH¢ 3.33 per kilogramme. Price trends seem not to be stable over the past 5 years (Figure below). There has been a steady increase in the price of the commodity in the various markets across the country. The trend is expected to continue with a relatively stable price and related products by the close of 2020 owing to the high demand for the commodity.
National Average Wholesale Price for Soya bean (109KG)
Annual World Market Price of Soybean, Soybean Oil and Soybean Meal 2000-2022
Enterprise Budget for Soya Beans
Production of One Hectare Soya Bean under Rain-Fed Condition (Average yield of 2 Mt per hectare) (2019)
| Activity | Cost per acre (GHȼ) rain-fed | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qty. / Freq. | Unit cost | Total cost | ||
| Land Preparation | Ploughing | 1 | 200.00 | 200.00 |
| Harrowing | 1 | 100.00 | 100.00 | |
| Crop Establishment | Certified seed | 40 kg | 9.00 | 360.00 |
| Planting | 1 | 250.00 | 250.00 | |
| Weed Management | Pre-emergence herbicide | 2.5 lts | 35.00 | 87.50 |
| Application cost | 1 | 50.00 | 50.00 | |
| Weeding with Hoe (2 times) | 2 | 100.00 | 200.00 | |
| Fertilizer Management | Triple Super Phosphate | 5 bags | 120.00 | 600.00 |
| Application cost | 1 | 100.00 | 100.00 | |
| Harvest | Harvest | 1 | 500.00 | 500.00 |
| Post Harvest | Threshing | 1 | 500.00 | 500.00 |
| Bagging | 20 bags | 1.00 | 20.00 | |
| Empty sacks | 20 | 2.00 | 40.00 | |
| Sewing twine | 2 rolls | 1.00 | 2.00 | |
| Production Cost | 3,009.50 | |||
| 5% Contingency | 150.475 | |||
| Total Production Cost | 3,159.98 (A) | |||
| Total Revenue | 20 bags/ha (2,000 kg) | GHȼ 300 per 100 kg | 6,000.00 (B) | |
| Net revenue (A-B) | GHȼ 2,840.03 | |||
Key Policies, Projects and Programmes
Policies
The Food and Agricultural Sector Development Policy (FASDEP) II with its implementing Plans (METASIPs I&II) supports the production and commercialization of Soya bean.
The Plants and Fertilizer Act, 2010 (Act 803), the National Seed Policy and Plan makes provision for the private sector to go into foundation seed production.
Programmes and Projects
The following projects/programmes were formulated and implemented to support the production of food crops including soya bean in the country.
Projects/Programmes and their Activities or Expected Outputs
| Project/Program | Duration | Activity/Output |
| Ghana Grains Development Project | 1979–1997 | Standardizing pricing policy to promote competitiveness in the grain industry of Ghana.
|
| Food Crops Development Project | 1998–2009 | To enable beneficiaries, raise their household incomes and improve overall nutritional status and standard of living through increased production, processing, and marketing of farm produce. |
| National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) | 2010 - | To insulate farmers from the glut on the market that usually resulted from improved production levels. |
| Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) campaign | 2017 - | To increase agricultural productivity and catalyze a structural transformation in the economy through increased farm incomes and job creation. The campaign also seeks to motivate farmers to adopt certified seeds and fertilizers through a private sector-led marketing framework to raise the incentives and complementary service provisions on the usage of inputs, good agronomic practices, and marketing of outputs over an e-agriculture platform. |
| Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Program (GASIP) | 2015-2021 | Develop the soya bean value chain through capacity building of various actors. |
| Savanna Agricultural Productivity Programme (SAPIP) | 2018-2022 | Volume of foundation seed produced increased: soybean from 140 mt to 4,000 mt annually |
| Savanna Investment Programme (SIP) | 2020-2025 | Improve productivity and production of soybean. At least 20,000 Ha of maize and soybean is expected to be put under cultivation by the project. |
Soya Growing Seasons and Cropping Cycle
Processing Soy
Most soybeans produced in Ghana are processed into soybean meal (or cake) and soybean oil. Ghana’s soybean processing capacity is located mainly in the Ashanti and Bono-Ahafo regions. Few processors utilize solvent extraction which yields 17 to 18 percent oil and high-quality, low-fat, approximately 47 percent protein meal (a higher protein preferred by poultry industry). The rest of the industry utilizes kettle cooking and double expelling yielding 10 to 12 percent oil and medium fat, approximately 44 percent protein meal. All imported meal is solvent-extracted soy which are preferred by poultry farmers in Ghana relative to meals produced by local processors.
Domestic install capacity for soybean processing stands at 581 metric tonnes per day and 151,060 metric tonnes per year. There are a few processors in operation, and they currently operate significantly under-capacity due partly to inadequate capital to competitively purchase raw material for processing and preference for imported soya meal.
SOYABEAN PROCESSORS WITH INSTALLED CAPACITIES
| Processing Companies | Location | Processing Capacity (Mt/Day) |
| Vester Oil Mill Limited | Kumasi | 80 |
| Bosomtwe Agro Limited | Kumasi | 35 |
| Ghana Nuts Company Limited | Techiman | 150 |
| K. Gyasi Oil Mills | Kumasi | 7 |
| Dragon Inter Agro Ltd | Tema | 105 |
| Jokas Feedmills Ltd | Kumasi | 30 |
| Top farms Ltd | Kumasi | 24 |
| Asamoah Yamoah Farms Ltd | Kumasi | 48 |
| Yedent Agro Ltd | Sunyani | 15 |
| Vadd agric Commodities | Techiman | 21 |
| Royal Danimac Oilmills Ltd | Kumasi | 20 |
| Small Scale Processors (10 members) | Ashanti Region | 46 |
Weekly Commodity Market Prices- Week ending March 11- 2023 (2nd Week March)
The attached information contains weekly prices of various food commodities collected from major markets in Ghana.
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