SEE OUR SITE
The Ghana Permaculture Institute demonstration and education site occupies what was formerly, 24 acres of degraded land and infertile soil.
Since Director Paul Yeboah started working on the land in 2011, he and his team have transformed the landscape. Permaculture has made it possible to grow food and cash crops where it previously didn't seem possible. The barren, gravel landscape is now green and host to a variety of wildlife.
We are proud to say that the site runs solely on
Solar energy
Biogas
Well water
Human power!
We are pro-active in the harvesting of rain water and our grey water is re-directed back onto the land.
BIOGAS
We are proud to showcase our biogas systems here at GPI. We take waste products in the form of cow manure from local livestock farmers and convert it to valuable fuel for our kitchen!
We have two high-tech digester systems and one low-tech system, designed and created by our very own Paul Yeboah. This low-tech system can be replicated by anyone. It is affordable and very effective, meaning that anyone can have a biogas system at home or in their community!
We invite guests to come and view the systems and can educate them on how to create and maintain their own!
SOLAR DRIERS
Our solar driers can be used to dry a variety of crops in all seasons!
We have two high-tech driers that are complete with their own solar powered fans to circulate the air and distribute the heat evenly throughout the drier. Each drier also has a small stove heater, not something we need with the climate here in Ghana, but a useful demonstration for anyone living in a temperate climate who may need the additional heat to dry crops in the colder seasons.
Much like the bio-gas systems, we also have one low-tech solar drier, reliant purely on solar energy! We have replicated this model in the communities we work with and they are using these simple, home-made solar-driers to dry their moringa crops!
OIL DISTILLATION FACILITY
Citronella, lemongrass and other crops are grown here on site and are used in the distillation process to make essential oils. We use these oils to make natural cosmetics, sold through our sister company Natural Moringa Enterprise. We also use them here on site for cleaning and as insect repellents.
The distillation process assists in the production of high-value crops and this is something we teach through our community outreach programmes. If people can learn how to transform their crops into other valuable products, they have the opportunity to create small businesses and secure better futures for themselves and their families.
Through placing an emphasis on sustainable, earth-friendly enterprise, we can re-direct people away from other methods of earning money that might be more damaging to the planet and our collective wellbeing.