Weather patterns, rate of panicle emergence and flowering of mango trees are known to be directly... more Weather patterns, rate of panicle emergence and flowering of mango trees are known to be directly related. The study was conducted to assess the impact of irrigation on the reproductive growth parameters of mango (Mangifera indica, L.) (Variety: Kent) in the coastal savannah belt of Ghana’s agro-ecological zones. A randomised complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was used for the study. The water regimes administered were: T1 = 0%, T2 = 50%, T3 = 100% and T4 = 150% of estimated mango water requirement (CRW). On the average, T4 induced the highest response of panicle emergence indicating that prior to panicle formation and emergence, a considerable volume of moisture was required by the mango orchard. T2 and T3 recorded the highest number of malformed panicles with 29 % performance levels indicating that irrigation at those rates does not prevent formation of malformed panicles. T4 out-performed all other treatments in flowering and fruit set. At average fruit weights ...
Weather patterns, rate of panicle emergence and flowering of mango trees are known to be directly... more Weather patterns, rate of panicle emergence and flowering of mango trees are known to be directly related. The study was conducted to assess the impact of irrigation on the reproductive growth parameters of mango (Mangifera indica, L.) (Variety: Kent) in the coastal savannah belt of Ghana’s agro-ecological zones. A randomised complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was used for the study. The water regimes administered were: T1 = 0%, T2 = 50%, T3 = 100% and T4 = 150% of estimated mango water requirement (CRW). On the average, T4 induced the highest response of panicle emergence indicating that prior to panicle formation and emergence, a considerable volume of moisture was required by the mango orchard. T2 and T3 recorded the highest number of malformed panicles with 29 % performance levels indicating that irrigation at those rates does not prevent formation of malformed panicles. T4 out-performed all other treatments in flowering and fruit set. At average fruit weights ...
Purpose-The objectives of this paper are to analyze the drivers of smoked marine fish prices and ... more Purpose-The objectives of this paper are to analyze the drivers of smoked marine fish prices and examine the challenges along the value chain to inform policy. Design/methodology/approach-The study relies on cross-sectional data from 158 fish smokers, 100 wholesalers, and 120 retailers in Ghana. The challenges faced by the actors along the chain are identified and ranked using Kendall's coefficient of concordance. The three-stage least square estimation approach is employed to control for endogeneity resulting from the simultaneous equations for prices of different fish types and their substitutes. Findings-The results reveal that marketing experience, the extent of competition, price of substitutes, payment terms, and variable cost items, such as transportation cost and storage charges, are key determinants of smoked fish prices along the value chain. Lack of access to credit is the main constraint to the marketing of smoked marine fish, irrespective of the actor or the fish type. Originality/value-Many studies have established the linkages between fish consumption, prices, and food security in the literature. However, there is a dearth of information on the responsiveness of fish prices to changes in the market and seller-specific factors to drive policy to stabilize prices along the value chain.
Journal of Scientific Research and Reports, Apr 27, 2018
Background: The call for use of improved Soil Fertility Management (SFM) technologies is a prereq... more Background: The call for use of improved Soil Fertility Management (SFM) technologies is a prerequisite to increase agricultural productivity among farmers. This study assessed farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) for selected financially rewarding biofertilizer technologies/packages for legume production in northern Ghana. Primary data was elicited from 400 grain legume farmers selected from Northern and Upper West Regions of Ghana through a simple random sampling technique. The double bounded dichotomous choice (DBDC) format of contingent valuation approach was employed to elicit willingness to pay values and determinants of farmers WTP was evaluated using the maximum likelihood estimation procedure. Results: The results showed that about 60%, 25% and 46% of soya, cowpea and groundnuts farmers were willing to pay for the selected biofertilizers (Biofix, BR3267 and Legumefix respectively) at prices not exceeding GHC 14.00, GHC 28.00 and GHC 20.00 per 0.2kg of the Original Research Article
The Food Crop Development Project (FCDP) was introduced with the aim of improving farm incomes, h... more The Food Crop Development Project (FCDP) was introduced with the aim of improving farm incomes, household food security, nutrition and reducing poverty among small-scale farmers. This study sought to find answers to the questions of whether the project improved farmers' access to credit, improved maize output or whether small-scale maize farmers adopted the improved maize production practices and how it impacted on maize production. Descriptive survey was conducted and using multi-stage random sampling procedure a final sample of 130 farmers was selected. The results indicated that participation in FCDP had a positive and significant but moderate relationship with maize output. More participants reported having easy access to credit than nonparticipants with chi-square value of 17.29 being highly significant indicating the possible relationship between ease of access to credit and participation in FCDP. The OLS stepwise regression analysis showed that participation, farm size and ease of access to credit were the main predictors of maize output while participation, income and household size were also the main predictors of food security. Thus, FCDP helped to improve the livelihoods of maize farmers in the study area. The policy implication of these findings is that subsidized agricultural input projects like the FCDP, have the potential to improve food security and farm incomes of peasant households.
Journal of the University of Science and Technology, Oct 5, 2009
The main purpose of the study was to examine the level of household expenditure on dairy products... more The main purpose of the study was to examine the level of household expenditure on dairy products and to identify the principal factors that influence the level of consumption expenditure on dairy products across households in Accra and Kumasi. Structured questionnaire was used to elicit primary information from a total of 303 households through a multi-stage sampling approach. The double logarithmic multiple regression model was found to be the most suitable functional form and was thus used to examine the major determinants of household dairy consumption expenditure patterns. The principal determinants of aggregate dairy consumption expenditure were identified as income level of household head, distance from home to purchase point and the level of urbanization of consumer's home location. The study revealed that the elasticity of expenditure on dairy products (i.e. evaporated milk and raw fresh milk) with respect to own price is unity. Elasticity of expenditure with respect to income level and prices of substitutes was found to be less than unity. It became evident from the study that raw fresh milk is an inferior commodity in Ghana. However, evaporated milk was found to be a normal commodity.
The study determines the effects of mining on rural livelihoods, adopted strategies and the role ... more The study determines the effects of mining on rural livelihoods, adopted strategies and the role of stakeholder and regulatory institutions. The study achieves this by investigating the status of key rural livelihood indicators, what influence the choice of livelihood strategies in mining communities and the assessment of institutional performance. The role of institutions even though a key instrument in ensuring sustainable livelihoods is mostly not considered in livelihood studies of developing countries. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis. The significant difference in the means of income, yield value and labour cost between non-mining and mining communities is an evidence of the threat posed on communities in the study area by mining and its activities. The multinomial logit result showed that farmers' choice of livelihood in mining communities was influenced by gender, age, family size, leadership status of household head, labour cost, annual household income, number of years of education and extension training. Farmers diversified into non-farm and offfarm livelihood strategies in order to increase or sustain income in mining communities. The study determined the performance of stakeholder and regulatory institutions through their relations and how effective functions are performed. Four (4) institutions namely EPA, MoFA, COCOBOD and Amansie West District Assembly were found significant in their relations to other institutions whilst three (3) institutions were found significant in the performance of their functions. The study concluded that poor relations and ineffective performance of stakeholder and regulatory institutions resulted in unregulated exposure and depletion of livelihood resources such as land, forest and water bodies in mining communities. The study therefore recommended that there should be inter-institutional policy that would link stakeholder and regulatory institutions together for effective performance of functions and sustainable livelihoods.
Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa, 2011
This study evaluated the economics of seed yam production in four major yam producing Districts i... more This study evaluated the economics of seed yam production in four major yam producing Districts in Ghana. The analysis was based on primary data collected from seventy (70) seed yam producers selected through snowball sampling technique. The data covered seed yam production activities during the 2009 cropping season. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data and gross margin analysis was used to assess the profitability of seed yam production. On average, a typical seed yam producer cultivated 4.5 acres (1.8 ha) of seed yam and the yield was estimated at 8,319setts/acre. Average variable cost incurred on an acre of seed yam farm was estimated at GH¢685.68 and planting material costs constituted about 44% of this cost. The gross revenue obtained from seed yam sales was estimated at GH¢1,518.22 per acre and the corresponding gross margin was found to be GH¢832.54 per acre. Evidence from the study suggests that seed yam production is a profitable venture. However, the gross margin of seed yam production varied markedly across yam producing Districts, primarily due to differences in yield and price of seed yams. The two most important production constraints were identified to be inadequate capital and high labour cost. The paper has demonstrated that seed yam production has bright prospects in Ghana and presents an opportunity for private investors to diversify their investment portfolios.
Asian journal of agriculture and rural development, Nov 18, 2018
The changing food demands by the teeming urban population, job search, and sector profitability h... more The changing food demands by the teeming urban population, job search, and sector profitability have made vegetable production indispensable as it contributes to increased incomes and livelihoods of urban dwellers.This study investigated the current level of productive efficiency (technical and allocative) of vegetable farmers in the Kumasi Metropolis using crosssectional data obtained from 135 sampled farmers using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using the stochastic frontier approach to estimate firm-specific technical efficiencies and the factors that influence efficiency levels. The results show that inefficiency exists among the sampled vegetable farmers as they currently achieve an average technical efficiency score of 66.7%. Allocative efficiency estimates for land and labour revealed that both factors of production are over utilised by farmers. The age of the farmer is the main socioeconomic determinant of technical efficiency.The study recommends that farmers be educated on the correct use of inputs by extension agents. The government policy of recruiting community extension agents under the 'planting for food and jobs' programme is in line with addressing inefficiency in the production sector and should be promoted. Contribution/ Originality The study provides empirical evidence of the existence of inefficiency in urban vegetable production systems in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana using robust estimations. The study revealed that technical inefficiency is linked to over utilisation of inputs by farmers. Enhancing urban vegetable production to meet the increasing demand for food, therefore, requires the support and collaboration of all stakeholders (vegetable farmers, researchers, input dealers, and policy makers) at the Municipal and national levels.
Journal of economics and sustainable development, 2014
The use of faecal waste for agricultural production is practiced by farmers in most parts of Ghan... more The use of faecal waste for agricultural production is practiced by farmers in most parts of Ghana. However, information about farmer acceptability and willingness to pay is not widely reported. Using choice experiment, this study analyse willingness to pay for faecal compost by farmers in Ningo-Prampram and Shai-Osudoku in Southern Ghana. Data was collected from 200 randomly sampled farming households and analysed using basic and hybrid conditional logit models. Results show farmers' marginal willingness to pay values of US$ 0.51 for packaging only, US$ 0.32 for labeling only and US$ 0.82 for packaging and labeling of 50kg faecal compost. Farmers` willingness to pay was significantly influenced by their knowledge on faecal waste re-use in agriculture and experience with use of animal manure. Product attributes such as price, packaging and labeling as well as farmer's socio-demographic characteristics, such as monthly household income, household size and age also significantly influence farmers' willingness to pay.
Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology, Feb 28, 2017
Advancement in agricultural technologies is seen to result in the shift in production functions. ... more Advancement in agricultural technologies is seen to result in the shift in production functions. The study was conducted to establish the impact of the improved rice variety on productivity in the Ejura-Sekyedumase and Atebubu-Amantin Municipalities of Ghana. The study was based on the survey of 208 rice farmers using a three-stage stratified sampling method. The study used a structured questionnaire to collect inputoutput data from the rice farmers. Data were analysed using the Cobb-Douglas production function. The study found that the technical change associated with the introduction of the improved rice variety was of the non-neutral type. Further, the adoption of the improved rice variety has increased rice productivity by about 46% for the adopters. The main determinants of productivity for the adopters were seed, land, fertiliser, herbicide, and education. Productivity among the non-adopters was positively influenced by seed, land, herbicide, and fertiliser. The study concluded that the improved rice variety has superior yield advantage. The study recommends for the simultaneous promotion of improved rice varieties and their recommended inputs to increase rice productivity.
The study assessed the causal effects of NERICA adoption on rice yields and income, using country... more The study assessed the causal effects of NERICA adoption on rice yields and income, using country-wide data of 600 rice farmers in The Gambia. To control for differences in socio-demographic and environmental characteristics of adopters and non-adopters and enable a causal interpretation of NERICA adoption on the variables of interest, the study used the counterfactual outcome framework to control for such differences. The results, based on observed sample estimates, showed significant differences in rice yields and income between the NERICA adopters and non-adopters. Further, the results of the framework, based on the Local Average Treatment Effect (LATE) estimates, which allowed a causal interpretation, showed that NERICA adoption significantly increased average rice yields and annual income of small-scale rice farmers by 157 kg per hectare and $148, respectively.
International Journal of Marketing and Technology, 2015
The major constraints identified by farmers using Kendall's Coefficient of Concordance were h... more The major constraints identified by farmers using Kendall's Coefficient of Concordance were high costs of inputs, low tariffs on imported meat, high borrowing costs, relative cheaper price of imported poultry meat and higher prices of locally processed meat. The degree of agreement of rankings by poultry producers was 42% using the Kendall's Coefficient of Concordance. In estimating the determinants of supply of locally produced processed poultry meat using OLS, the constraints: disease outbreaks, relative high price of locally processed poultry meat and high average cost of inputs were found to be significant at probability levels of p < 0.01, p < 0.05 and p < 0.1 respectively.
Research evidence from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in 2011 gives c... more Research evidence from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in 2011 gives credence to the notion that cashew development would mitigate the impact of climate change on cocoa in 2012. This makes cashew development imperative, however to do so requires access to credit from financial institutions, which ration credits when it comes to lending to the agricultural sector. Research evidence has shown a correlation between agricultural insurance and loan uptake in Malawi and Ghana. However an evaluation of the cashew subsector in the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana with an aim of developing agricultural insurance schemes for cashew crop farmers has not been without constraints. This study sought to investigate the key constraints that would impede the development of agricultural insurance for cashew crop farmers in the BrongAhafo Region of Ghana. Based on a positivist research philosophy, the study employed quantitative techniques. A multistage sampling technique was employed, which involved purposively selecting stakeholders of Ghana Agricultural Insurance Pool (GAIP). A simple random sampling technique was also employed to select 30 pool stakeholders from GAIP. Data were collected by means of structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed by employing descriptive statistics, and the Kendall coefficient of concordance was used in identifying and analyzing the perceived constraints to developing agricultural insurance for the cashew crop farmers in the study area. The result from the survey indicated that high marketing cost; high premiums (making the product unaffordable); lack of agricultural insurance legislation; low availability of data; lack of knowledge about product development; and lack of qualified personnel in the area of agricultural insurance were some of the perceived constraints that would impede the development of agricultural insurance in the study area. Thus a Public Private Partnership How to cite this paper: Mensah, N.O., Fialor, S.C. and Yeboah, E. (2017) Evaluating the Constraints to Development of Agricultural Insurance for Cashew Crop Farmers in Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana.
Weather patterns, rate of panicle emergence and flowering of mango trees are known to be directly... more Weather patterns, rate of panicle emergence and flowering of mango trees are known to be directly related. The study was conducted to assess the impact of irrigation on the reproductive growth parameters of mango (Mangifera indica, L.) (Variety: Kent) in the coastal savannah belt of Ghana’s agro-ecological zones. A randomised complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was used for the study. The water regimes administered were: T1 = 0%, T2 = 50%, T3 = 100% and T4 = 150% of estimated mango water requirement (CRW). On the average, T4 induced the highest response of panicle emergence indicating that prior to panicle formation and emergence, a considerable volume of moisture was required by the mango orchard. T2 and T3 recorded the highest number of malformed panicles with 29 % performance levels indicating that irrigation at those rates does not prevent formation of malformed panicles. T4 out-performed all other treatments in flowering and fruit set. At average fruit weights ...
Weather patterns, rate of panicle emergence and flowering of mango trees are known to be directly... more Weather patterns, rate of panicle emergence and flowering of mango trees are known to be directly related. The study was conducted to assess the impact of irrigation on the reproductive growth parameters of mango (Mangifera indica, L.) (Variety: Kent) in the coastal savannah belt of Ghana’s agro-ecological zones. A randomised complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was used for the study. The water regimes administered were: T1 = 0%, T2 = 50%, T3 = 100% and T4 = 150% of estimated mango water requirement (CRW). On the average, T4 induced the highest response of panicle emergence indicating that prior to panicle formation and emergence, a considerable volume of moisture was required by the mango orchard. T2 and T3 recorded the highest number of malformed panicles with 29 % performance levels indicating that irrigation at those rates does not prevent formation of malformed panicles. T4 out-performed all other treatments in flowering and fruit set. At average fruit weights ...
Purpose-The objectives of this paper are to analyze the drivers of smoked marine fish prices and ... more Purpose-The objectives of this paper are to analyze the drivers of smoked marine fish prices and examine the challenges along the value chain to inform policy. Design/methodology/approach-The study relies on cross-sectional data from 158 fish smokers, 100 wholesalers, and 120 retailers in Ghana. The challenges faced by the actors along the chain are identified and ranked using Kendall's coefficient of concordance. The three-stage least square estimation approach is employed to control for endogeneity resulting from the simultaneous equations for prices of different fish types and their substitutes. Findings-The results reveal that marketing experience, the extent of competition, price of substitutes, payment terms, and variable cost items, such as transportation cost and storage charges, are key determinants of smoked fish prices along the value chain. Lack of access to credit is the main constraint to the marketing of smoked marine fish, irrespective of the actor or the fish type. Originality/value-Many studies have established the linkages between fish consumption, prices, and food security in the literature. However, there is a dearth of information on the responsiveness of fish prices to changes in the market and seller-specific factors to drive policy to stabilize prices along the value chain.
Journal of Scientific Research and Reports, Apr 27, 2018
Background: The call for use of improved Soil Fertility Management (SFM) technologies is a prereq... more Background: The call for use of improved Soil Fertility Management (SFM) technologies is a prerequisite to increase agricultural productivity among farmers. This study assessed farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) for selected financially rewarding biofertilizer technologies/packages for legume production in northern Ghana. Primary data was elicited from 400 grain legume farmers selected from Northern and Upper West Regions of Ghana through a simple random sampling technique. The double bounded dichotomous choice (DBDC) format of contingent valuation approach was employed to elicit willingness to pay values and determinants of farmers WTP was evaluated using the maximum likelihood estimation procedure. Results: The results showed that about 60%, 25% and 46% of soya, cowpea and groundnuts farmers were willing to pay for the selected biofertilizers (Biofix, BR3267 and Legumefix respectively) at prices not exceeding GHC 14.00, GHC 28.00 and GHC 20.00 per 0.2kg of the Original Research Article
The Food Crop Development Project (FCDP) was introduced with the aim of improving farm incomes, h... more The Food Crop Development Project (FCDP) was introduced with the aim of improving farm incomes, household food security, nutrition and reducing poverty among small-scale farmers. This study sought to find answers to the questions of whether the project improved farmers' access to credit, improved maize output or whether small-scale maize farmers adopted the improved maize production practices and how it impacted on maize production. Descriptive survey was conducted and using multi-stage random sampling procedure a final sample of 130 farmers was selected. The results indicated that participation in FCDP had a positive and significant but moderate relationship with maize output. More participants reported having easy access to credit than nonparticipants with chi-square value of 17.29 being highly significant indicating the possible relationship between ease of access to credit and participation in FCDP. The OLS stepwise regression analysis showed that participation, farm size and ease of access to credit were the main predictors of maize output while participation, income and household size were also the main predictors of food security. Thus, FCDP helped to improve the livelihoods of maize farmers in the study area. The policy implication of these findings is that subsidized agricultural input projects like the FCDP, have the potential to improve food security and farm incomes of peasant households.
Journal of the University of Science and Technology, Oct 5, 2009
The main purpose of the study was to examine the level of household expenditure on dairy products... more The main purpose of the study was to examine the level of household expenditure on dairy products and to identify the principal factors that influence the level of consumption expenditure on dairy products across households in Accra and Kumasi. Structured questionnaire was used to elicit primary information from a total of 303 households through a multi-stage sampling approach. The double logarithmic multiple regression model was found to be the most suitable functional form and was thus used to examine the major determinants of household dairy consumption expenditure patterns. The principal determinants of aggregate dairy consumption expenditure were identified as income level of household head, distance from home to purchase point and the level of urbanization of consumer's home location. The study revealed that the elasticity of expenditure on dairy products (i.e. evaporated milk and raw fresh milk) with respect to own price is unity. Elasticity of expenditure with respect to income level and prices of substitutes was found to be less than unity. It became evident from the study that raw fresh milk is an inferior commodity in Ghana. However, evaporated milk was found to be a normal commodity.
The study determines the effects of mining on rural livelihoods, adopted strategies and the role ... more The study determines the effects of mining on rural livelihoods, adopted strategies and the role of stakeholder and regulatory institutions. The study achieves this by investigating the status of key rural livelihood indicators, what influence the choice of livelihood strategies in mining communities and the assessment of institutional performance. The role of institutions even though a key instrument in ensuring sustainable livelihoods is mostly not considered in livelihood studies of developing countries. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis. The significant difference in the means of income, yield value and labour cost between non-mining and mining communities is an evidence of the threat posed on communities in the study area by mining and its activities. The multinomial logit result showed that farmers' choice of livelihood in mining communities was influenced by gender, age, family size, leadership status of household head, labour cost, annual household income, number of years of education and extension training. Farmers diversified into non-farm and offfarm livelihood strategies in order to increase or sustain income in mining communities. The study determined the performance of stakeholder and regulatory institutions through their relations and how effective functions are performed. Four (4) institutions namely EPA, MoFA, COCOBOD and Amansie West District Assembly were found significant in their relations to other institutions whilst three (3) institutions were found significant in the performance of their functions. The study concluded that poor relations and ineffective performance of stakeholder and regulatory institutions resulted in unregulated exposure and depletion of livelihood resources such as land, forest and water bodies in mining communities. The study therefore recommended that there should be inter-institutional policy that would link stakeholder and regulatory institutions together for effective performance of functions and sustainable livelihoods.
Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa, 2011
This study evaluated the economics of seed yam production in four major yam producing Districts i... more This study evaluated the economics of seed yam production in four major yam producing Districts in Ghana. The analysis was based on primary data collected from seventy (70) seed yam producers selected through snowball sampling technique. The data covered seed yam production activities during the 2009 cropping season. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data and gross margin analysis was used to assess the profitability of seed yam production. On average, a typical seed yam producer cultivated 4.5 acres (1.8 ha) of seed yam and the yield was estimated at 8,319setts/acre. Average variable cost incurred on an acre of seed yam farm was estimated at GH¢685.68 and planting material costs constituted about 44% of this cost. The gross revenue obtained from seed yam sales was estimated at GH¢1,518.22 per acre and the corresponding gross margin was found to be GH¢832.54 per acre. Evidence from the study suggests that seed yam production is a profitable venture. However, the gross margin of seed yam production varied markedly across yam producing Districts, primarily due to differences in yield and price of seed yams. The two most important production constraints were identified to be inadequate capital and high labour cost. The paper has demonstrated that seed yam production has bright prospects in Ghana and presents an opportunity for private investors to diversify their investment portfolios.
Asian journal of agriculture and rural development, Nov 18, 2018
The changing food demands by the teeming urban population, job search, and sector profitability h... more The changing food demands by the teeming urban population, job search, and sector profitability have made vegetable production indispensable as it contributes to increased incomes and livelihoods of urban dwellers.This study investigated the current level of productive efficiency (technical and allocative) of vegetable farmers in the Kumasi Metropolis using crosssectional data obtained from 135 sampled farmers using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using the stochastic frontier approach to estimate firm-specific technical efficiencies and the factors that influence efficiency levels. The results show that inefficiency exists among the sampled vegetable farmers as they currently achieve an average technical efficiency score of 66.7%. Allocative efficiency estimates for land and labour revealed that both factors of production are over utilised by farmers. The age of the farmer is the main socioeconomic determinant of technical efficiency.The study recommends that farmers be educated on the correct use of inputs by extension agents. The government policy of recruiting community extension agents under the 'planting for food and jobs' programme is in line with addressing inefficiency in the production sector and should be promoted. Contribution/ Originality The study provides empirical evidence of the existence of inefficiency in urban vegetable production systems in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana using robust estimations. The study revealed that technical inefficiency is linked to over utilisation of inputs by farmers. Enhancing urban vegetable production to meet the increasing demand for food, therefore, requires the support and collaboration of all stakeholders (vegetable farmers, researchers, input dealers, and policy makers) at the Municipal and national levels.
Journal of economics and sustainable development, 2014
The use of faecal waste for agricultural production is practiced by farmers in most parts of Ghan... more The use of faecal waste for agricultural production is practiced by farmers in most parts of Ghana. However, information about farmer acceptability and willingness to pay is not widely reported. Using choice experiment, this study analyse willingness to pay for faecal compost by farmers in Ningo-Prampram and Shai-Osudoku in Southern Ghana. Data was collected from 200 randomly sampled farming households and analysed using basic and hybrid conditional logit models. Results show farmers' marginal willingness to pay values of US$ 0.51 for packaging only, US$ 0.32 for labeling only and US$ 0.82 for packaging and labeling of 50kg faecal compost. Farmers` willingness to pay was significantly influenced by their knowledge on faecal waste re-use in agriculture and experience with use of animal manure. Product attributes such as price, packaging and labeling as well as farmer's socio-demographic characteristics, such as monthly household income, household size and age also significantly influence farmers' willingness to pay.
Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology, Feb 28, 2017
Advancement in agricultural technologies is seen to result in the shift in production functions. ... more Advancement in agricultural technologies is seen to result in the shift in production functions. The study was conducted to establish the impact of the improved rice variety on productivity in the Ejura-Sekyedumase and Atebubu-Amantin Municipalities of Ghana. The study was based on the survey of 208 rice farmers using a three-stage stratified sampling method. The study used a structured questionnaire to collect inputoutput data from the rice farmers. Data were analysed using the Cobb-Douglas production function. The study found that the technical change associated with the introduction of the improved rice variety was of the non-neutral type. Further, the adoption of the improved rice variety has increased rice productivity by about 46% for the adopters. The main determinants of productivity for the adopters were seed, land, fertiliser, herbicide, and education. Productivity among the non-adopters was positively influenced by seed, land, herbicide, and fertiliser. The study concluded that the improved rice variety has superior yield advantage. The study recommends for the simultaneous promotion of improved rice varieties and their recommended inputs to increase rice productivity.
The study assessed the causal effects of NERICA adoption on rice yields and income, using country... more The study assessed the causal effects of NERICA adoption on rice yields and income, using country-wide data of 600 rice farmers in The Gambia. To control for differences in socio-demographic and environmental characteristics of adopters and non-adopters and enable a causal interpretation of NERICA adoption on the variables of interest, the study used the counterfactual outcome framework to control for such differences. The results, based on observed sample estimates, showed significant differences in rice yields and income between the NERICA adopters and non-adopters. Further, the results of the framework, based on the Local Average Treatment Effect (LATE) estimates, which allowed a causal interpretation, showed that NERICA adoption significantly increased average rice yields and annual income of small-scale rice farmers by 157 kg per hectare and $148, respectively.
International Journal of Marketing and Technology, 2015
The major constraints identified by farmers using Kendall's Coefficient of Concordance were h... more The major constraints identified by farmers using Kendall's Coefficient of Concordance were high costs of inputs, low tariffs on imported meat, high borrowing costs, relative cheaper price of imported poultry meat and higher prices of locally processed meat. The degree of agreement of rankings by poultry producers was 42% using the Kendall's Coefficient of Concordance. In estimating the determinants of supply of locally produced processed poultry meat using OLS, the constraints: disease outbreaks, relative high price of locally processed poultry meat and high average cost of inputs were found to be significant at probability levels of p < 0.01, p < 0.05 and p < 0.1 respectively.
Research evidence from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in 2011 gives c... more Research evidence from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in 2011 gives credence to the notion that cashew development would mitigate the impact of climate change on cocoa in 2012. This makes cashew development imperative, however to do so requires access to credit from financial institutions, which ration credits when it comes to lending to the agricultural sector. Research evidence has shown a correlation between agricultural insurance and loan uptake in Malawi and Ghana. However an evaluation of the cashew subsector in the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana with an aim of developing agricultural insurance schemes for cashew crop farmers has not been without constraints. This study sought to investigate the key constraints that would impede the development of agricultural insurance for cashew crop farmers in the BrongAhafo Region of Ghana. Based on a positivist research philosophy, the study employed quantitative techniques. A multistage sampling technique was employed, which involved purposively selecting stakeholders of Ghana Agricultural Insurance Pool (GAIP). A simple random sampling technique was also employed to select 30 pool stakeholders from GAIP. Data were collected by means of structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed by employing descriptive statistics, and the Kendall coefficient of concordance was used in identifying and analyzing the perceived constraints to developing agricultural insurance for the cashew crop farmers in the study area. The result from the survey indicated that high marketing cost; high premiums (making the product unaffordable); lack of agricultural insurance legislation; low availability of data; lack of knowledge about product development; and lack of qualified personnel in the area of agricultural insurance were some of the perceived constraints that would impede the development of agricultural insurance in the study area. Thus a Public Private Partnership How to cite this paper: Mensah, N.O., Fialor, S.C. and Yeboah, E. (2017) Evaluating the Constraints to Development of Agricultural Insurance for Cashew Crop Farmers in Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana.
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