Ghana: Scientist Wins Support for Plan to Turn Human Waste Into Fertiliser

Accra — A female Ghanaian scientist is one of four researchers from developing countries who received US$100,000 each to pursue their dream ideas for solving global health problems. Olufunke Cofie, a soil scientist at the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research's Challenge Program on Water and Food will develop fertiliser pellets from treated human waste to boost agricultural productivity and improve sanitation. She is one of the latest 88 winners in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Grand Challenges in Global Health programme, funded through the Grand Challenges Explorations (GCE) initiative, which include scientists from Ecuador, Ghana, Kenya and the Philippines. "Recycling readily available excrement has the potential to both reduce the environmental pollution burden and prolong the lifespan of [waste] treatment plants, while also significantly improving soil productivity," Cofie told SciDev.Net.