Paul Yeboah | |
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Born | September 22, 1970 |
Residence | Techiman, Ghana |
Nationality | Ghana |
Education | Diploma in Tropical Agriculture and Permaculture Design Certificate |
Occupation | Agro_farmer and Sustainable Development Community Educator |
Spouse(s) | Agnes Ameyaa |
Children | Three children |
Website | https://permacultureghana.wordpress.com/ |
Paul Yeboah, is an educator, farmer, permaculturist, community developer, and social entrepreneur. He is the founder and coordinator of the Ghana Permaculture Institute and Network in Techiman, Ghana, West Africa. It is located in the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana. The purpose of the Institute is to build and maintain a stable food system, to take care of the local ecosystems, and to improve the quality of life in the rural areas. The GPN trains students and community in sustainable ecological farming techniques. They support projects throughout Ghana; women groups, micro-finance projects; teach growing moringa; mushroom production; alley cropping, food forests development and Agroforestry.
Permaculture is based on natural sustainable design systems. An agricultural system that uses practices to keep soil fertile, crops and livestock healthy. It encourages protection of the environment and an environmental lifestyle; so as to maintain environmental stability and maintain environmental resources for the future. It rehabilitates eroded and deforested land. The Permaculture Network encourages the practice of permaculture at home. The Permaculture Network's mission is to encourage, educate, and promote the use of permaculture by farmers and people in Ghana, which will contribute to the environmental soundness, and stability of the country's future.
They host international volunteers, interns, and students. The Ghana Permaculture Network and Institute is a member of the Ghana Ecovillage Network. Which is an organization of sustainable development leaders and projects. Paul Yeboah is Vice President of the GEN which works towards promoting Indigenous Initiatives and Sustainability in Ghana. Permaculture is transforming communities in Ghana through education, food production, outreach, skills development, self-sufficiency, and creating small business enterprises.
At the age of 22 Paul Yeboah was concerned with rural and urban poverty. He received an Agricultural Certificate from the Farm Institute in Ghana. He initiated a rural and urban fruit forest project by using seed supplies from the Kade Oil Palm Research Institute and Bonsu Cocoa Research Station. The seeds and seedlings were given to the farmers on a credit basis. This project was instrumental in the creation of rural processing businesses and employment for the poor.
In 2003 Paul Yeboah was the farm manager for the Abbott of Kristo Buase Benedictine Monastery in Ghana. Greg Knibbs was invited to come to the Monastery to assist in the redesigning of the farm using Permaculture practices to restore the soil to fertility. The soil was depleted from the use of synthetic chemical pollution. Yeboah met Greg Knibbs and they worked together to form the Ghana Permaculture Network which later became the Ghana Permaculture Institute.