The vocational training center is home to a model farm that is in close contact and trade with the local community. This ensures the exchange of information, strengthens local markets and promotes sustainable plant production in the region. We are guided by the concept of ecological agriculture.

Ecological agriculture is an approach to agriculture that promotes sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. It takes into account not only production, but every stage of the value chain from field to fork. Overall, ecological agriculture aims to make the entire food system more sustainable and address global challenges such as food security, environmental protection and social justice. Here you can find out more about ecological agriculture.

UP Development sees itself as part of the ecological agriculture movement. The vocational training center currently uses two main practices of ecological agriculture: organic farming and dynamic agroforestry systems.

Organic farming completely avoids chemical fertilizers and pesticides and instead uses natural processes to promote the health of the ecosystem and reduce dependence on inputs. For us, organic farming represents the absolute minimum standard for food cultivation. Wherever possible, we go beyond the requirements of the label.

Our main focus is on promoting dynamic agroforestry systems. This involves combining trees, shrubs, herbs and crops. This promotes biodiversity, protects and improves soil fertility and improves and secures people’s livelihoods by enabling them to sell various products from the system and use them themselves.

In a circular economy, resources are used in such a way that waste is minimized and valuable materials are reused, recycled or repaired. Instead of a linear “consume and dispose” economy, the circular economy aims to keep products and materials in circulation in order to reduce environmental impact and promote sustainable business practices. Agri-ecology is also closely linked to the circular economy.

Organic waste from the kitchen and waste recycling stations is collected at the center to produce compost with a high amount of nutrients. This is used as fertilizer in the center’s gardens and plantations according to the principle of the circular economy.

The center is largely powered by renewable energy. This includes its own photovoltaic and biogas plants for the independent production and storage of electricity and biogas. The leftover biogas slurry is used as liquid fertilizer for organic farming.

Our educational program provides complementary knowledge to the public education system. We offer a curriculum that complements the subjects taught in public schools. The focus of the teaching is on social entrepreneurship training in the subjects of agro-food, sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy, handicrafts, tourism and business/project management.

Similar to the vocational education system in Switzerland, apprentices perform practical work four days a week and learn the underlying theory of each practice on the fifth working day of the week.

In the vocational school, young people and adults can choose a specific focus that best suits their individual personality. They essentially learn practical skills that can be associated with any of the structures that are part of the center.

Already educated adults, who do not find a job despite qualitative education, are trained as social entrepreneurs. Through the training they are empowered to start their own businesses and thus positively influence their own situation but also the labor market. Strong partners like the Roxbourg Institute of Social Enterpreneurship are directly integrated into the training process and guarantee a high quality standard of the training.

The sewage system in Ghana is not particularly well developed, especially in rural areas such as Busua. This can lead to environmental pollution and health risks. There are also insufficient sanitary facilities, which leads to open defecation and also encourages the spread of diseases.

The sewage system in Ghana is poor, if it exists at all. Many people therefore go into the bush or use the beach for defecation, which contributes to environmental pollution.

A simple alternative to this are natural sawdust toilets which have been integrated on our model farm. When feces are covered with sawdust, an optimal carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio of the mixture is achieved, which prevents the development of unpleasant odors and bacteria, thus converting the feces into valuable organic fertilizers. The compost produced in this way has a relatively low amount of nutrients (high C/N ratio), and is therefore ideal for fertilizing the meadows and trees in the center.

Westafrica has a long tradition of herbal medicine. Many diseases and ailments that are part of everyday life in Ghana can be cured with traditional medicine. The Herbal Clinic provides a tranquil environment for the practice of herbal medicine by local experts. We also develop an inventory of local flora and their medicinal effects, which we also use for teaching purposes. Besides herbs, spices also have immense medicinal potential. Furthermore, a classical western form of nursing is practiced in the center. The combination of traditional African medicine, as well as medicine from the East (Ayurveda) and the West (classical orthodox medicine) holds great potential for a comprehensive health care system.

Our guest house is ready for you! Visit us at the center, experience Ghana and learn a lot about sustainability, the food system and the local culture. There are various offers to meet different needs.