A study conducted by a team of scientists from Ghana, Canada, and Nigeria has revealed that manure applied to farmlands to improve crop yields is contributing to high concentrations of nitrate in groundwater.
The research, conducted in agricultural communities in the Upper West Region of Ghana, found that organic manure from cattle grazing, open defecation, and other sources accounted for about 74 per cent of the nitrate contamination in the affected groundwater.
The study focused on 98 communities, with nine communities-including Charia, Nyayiri, Sankana, Moyiri, Nadowli, Tampoe, Gball, Jeffisi, and Gbelle-showing significantly higher nitrate levels than the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended limit of 50 milligrams per liter.
In these areas, nitrate concentrations exceeded the WHO safety threshold, raising serious health concerns, particularly for infants who are at greater risk from nitrate contamination.