2024 was a transformative year for Safisana, in which we expanded our impact across Ghana. Sales of our Asase Gyefo Premium Organic Fertilizer increased by 29%. Enhancing its sustainable impact on farmers while strengthening the local food chain. Our partnership with Plan International Ghana under the "Stronger Together" project pilot also intensified our social footprint through various activities. Additionally, we continued with the operational scale-up of our second facility in Kumasi. Furthering our capacity to improve health and well-being in non-sewered urban areas across Ghana. Together, these highlights underline Safisana’s dedication to social impact: fostering healthier communities, improving economic livelihoods, and promoting sustainable agriculture. Read about all our highlights for 2024 below:

Asase Gyefo on a remarkable growth trajectory while enhancing farmers’ livelihoods across Ghana

It’s been an exceptional year for our organic fertilizer, Asase Gyefo! We were thrilled to witness the incredible results of our February trial with Diageo, owner of the brand Guinness. We tested the fertilizer on white sorghum, and the results were outstanding. The yields produced almost twice the current average in Sub-Saharan Africa, reaching an impressive two tonnes per hectare! This outcome shows the potential of Asase Gyefo in supporting not only farming communities but also breweries aiming to green their supply chain.

As a testament to its quality, our Asase Gyefo sales exceeded the set target in February and March. By August 2024, Safisana had already sold over 2500 bags of Asase Gyefo Premium Organic Fertilizer. Through our farmer radio campaign, and strengthening ties with our distributor network, Asase Gyefo positioned itself as a trusted brand for sustainable farming in farming communities.

We were especially pleased to see these strong sales achieved despite environmental challenges. Last year, the rainy season was drier than usual in Ghana, affecting many farmers with lower crop yield and income. Yet, Asase Gyefo proved effective in sustaining plant health. “Adding Asase Gyefo to the soil enhances its ability to retain and store water. Moreover, it strengthens the root system, enabling plants to absorb water from deeper layers in the soil, explains Safisana’s senior agronomist, Daniel Larkai.

A farmer's income highly depends on their seasonal yields. Therefore, a nitrifying organic fertilizer such as Asase Gyefo, plays a vital role in ensuring financial stability in farming communities. “Even though Ada suffered severe droughts this year, my tomato crops were flowering. My farmland was beautifully green in July!”, testifies farmer  Paul Gomado, a cultivator of tomatoes and watermelons in Ada.

“Stronger Together” in Action

In April, we launched the Stronger Together pilot project in Ashaiman, in partnership with Plan International Ghana. The main objective of this project is to improve the health, economic, and environmental living conditions of the inhabitants in Ashaiman.

We held a workshop focused on organic waste segregation with the market queens of Ashaiman. Equipping them with the tools and knowledge to advocate for better sanitary and waste management practices in their communities. Over 20 journalists also visited Safisana’s site and learned how organic and fecal waste is transformed into valuable resources, sharing our story in the media. 

Furthermore, in a three-day program, we trained 20 young adults on green skills and sustainable entrepreneurial knowledge for their businesses. We conducted a series of workshops, with community members and project participants to break the taboos around sanitation. With the aim to further understand how and why waste segregation and recycling can contribute to the improvement of health, environmental and economic living standards in the community.

Expanding Horizons: Safisana scaling up in Kumasi

2024, also marked a significant business development achievement for Safisana, fulfilling key expansion ambitions with the operational scale-up of our second site in Kumasi.

We secured funding from Grand Challenges Canada and the Vitol Foundation, to kick off the first phase of our expansion at Oti Landfill, paving the way for large-scale composting operations to commence. The Kumasi facility, initially a pilot project started in 2022, processes fecal waste collected from households by our partner, Clean Team Ghana. It combines this waste with local food scraps from the Kumasi food markets to produce our premium organic fertilizer, Asase Gyefo. The plant is run by a team of 15, including plant operators and waste collectors.

Looking ahead to 2025, the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area has committed to increasing its supply of organic and fecal waste. This will help us scale up production and transition the Kumasi plant from a pilot project to a full-scale recycling plant, thereby boosting our fertilizer output, creating social impact, and further expanding our business footprint across Ghana.

2024 was a big year for us. We look forward to continuing the work with all of you in 2025!

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