scholarly journals FACTORS INFLUENCING TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION BY TRADITIONAL AFRICAN VEGETABLE FARMERS IN NORTHERN GHANA

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 474-487
Author(s):  
Yakubu Balma Issaka ◽  
George Nyarko ◽  
Doris Quaidoo
Keyword(s):  
Technology Adoption ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Policy Support ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Vegetable Farmers ◽  
African Vegetables ◽  
Improved Technology

The production of traditional African vegetables is an age-old tradition among the people of the northern region of Ghana. However, the knowledge base of traditional African vegetable production remains local due to a lack of research and policy support. Therefore, the adoption of improved technology among traditional vegetable farmers is generally low and impedes efforts to promote widespread cultivation, consumption and even commercialisation. This study aims at clarifying potential factors that determine the adoption of technologies by traditional African vegetable farmers in the northern region of Ghana. One hundred and five (105) respondents in five communities and across two administrative districts in the northern region were selected for an in-depth survey using a combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. In addition, a logit regression was used to determine the effect of various factors on technology adoption by farmers. Among the factors, the educational level of a farmer, access to credit, farm size, experience in farming and access to extension support were found to be important factors affecting the decision of traditional African vegetable farmers to adopt improved technology. The results of this study can help enhance the effectiveness of policy re-orientation towards a more effective commercialisation of traditional African vegetables in Ghana and elsewhere.

scholarly journals Climate Variability Since 1970 and Farmers’ Observations in Northern Ghana

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Nyadzi
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Climate Variability And Change ◽  
Urban Centers ◽  
Access To Credit

<p>The study examines how farmers’ observations of climate variability and change correspond with 42 years (1970-2011) meteorological data of temperature and rainfall. It shows how farmers in the Northern Region of Ghana adjust to the changing climate and explore the various obstacles that hinder the implementation of their adaptation strategies. With the help of an extension officer, 200 farmers from 20 communities were randomly selected based on their farming records. Temperatures over the last four decades (1970-2009) increased at a rate of 0.04 (± 0.41) ˚C and 0.3(± 0.13)˚C from 2010-2011 which is consistent to the farmers (82.5%) observations. Rainfall within the districts are characterised by inter-annual and monthly variability. It experienced an increased rate of 0.66 (± 8.30) mm from 1970-2009, which was inconsistent with the farmers (81.5%) observation. It however decreased from 2010-2011 at a huge rate of -22.49 (±15.90) mm which probably was the reason majority of the respondents claim rainfall was decreasing. Only 64.5% of the respondents had adjusted their farming activities because of climate variability and change. They apply fertilizers and pesticides, practice soil and water conservation, and irrigation for communities close to dams. Respondents desire to continue their current adaptation methods but may in the future consider changing crop variety, water-harvesting techniques, change crop production to livestock keeping, and possibly migrate to urban centers. Lack of climate change education, low access to credit and agricultural inputs are some militating factors crippling the farmers’ effort to adapt to climate change.</p>

scholarly journals Factors influencing improved Maize Farming Technologies adoption in Yendi Municipality of Northern Region of Ghana

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
G. B. Mohammed ◽  
H. Adam ◽  
K. Duniya
Keyword(s):  
Poisson Regression ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Extension Agents ◽  
Poisson Regression Model ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Poisson Regression Analysis ◽  
Food And Agriculture ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Depth Interviews

Low technology adoption continues to affect the production of maize in Ghana, including the Yendi municipality, which is one of the high maize producing areas. The study examined the factors influencing the adoption of improved maize farming technologies in the Yendi municipality. Data was collected from 154 randomly selected maize farmers using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Descriptive statistics and Poisson Regression Model were used to analyze the demographic characteristics of maize farmers as well as the socioeconomic factors influencing the adoption of improved maize farming technologies. The study revealed that 59% of the maize farmers had no contact with agricultural extension agents, which could negatively affect adoption of improved maize farming technologies. The Poisson regression analysis showed that education, farm size, credit and extension contact significantly influenced the adoption of improved maize farming technologies in the area. Maize farmers therefore need to be adequately trained on the technologies to understand their full benefits to enable them adopt them fully. The study recommends that Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) together with Development Partners (DPs) should facilitate farmers’ access to credit and provide more logistics to facilitate access to extension services.

scholarly journals Evaluating the Relationship between Fruit and Vegetable Growers Use of Plastic Biodegradable Mulches, and Environmental Stewardship and Labor Savings: The Case of Tennessee Fruit and Vegetable Farmers

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 2075 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margarita Velandia ◽  
Roderick Rejesus ◽  
Christopher Clark ◽  
Karen L. DeLong ◽  
Annette Wszelaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Stewardship ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Vegetable Farmers ◽  
Farmer Survey ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Relationship

The substitution of polyethylene (PE) mulch for plastic biodegradable mulches (BDMs) in fruit and vegetable production has the potential to reduce the negative environmental impacts associated with PE mulch use, and the overall sustainability of fruit and vegetable production. A better understanding of the factors associated with BDM use could inform efforts to promote the use of BDMs. The main goal of this study is to assess the correlation between the use of BDMs among fruit and vegetable farmers, and labor savings and environmental stewardship. Using data from a Tennessee fruit and vegetable farmer survey and probit regressions, this study evaluates the correlation between the use of BDMs, and the labor savings associated with the use of BDMs and farmer environmental stewardship, after controlling for farmer and farmer business characteristics. Results suggest that farm size, farmer environmental stewardship, and labor savings from BDM use are strongly correlated with the use of BDMs among Tennessee fruit and vegetable growers, specifically among those farmers who are more likely to have previous experience using PE mulch.

scholarly journals The Adoption of Farm Innovations among Rice Producers in Northern Ghana: Implications for Sustainable Rice Supply

Agriculture ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Donkor ◽  
Victor Owusu ◽  
Enoch Owusu-Sekyere ◽  
Abiodun Ogundeji
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Food Policy ◽  
Poisson Model ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Rice Farmers ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Individual Farm

Achieving a sustainable food supply is crucial to meet the ever-increasing demand emanating from high population growth, rising consumer incomes, and high rates of urbanisation in developing countries including Ghana. The adoption of farm innovations in these countries has proven to be quintessential to the attainment of self-sufficiency in supply food including rice. Nonetheless, the adoption of farm innovations has been challenging. This paper, therefore, analyses the factors that influence the number of farm innovations adopted by rice farmers in two districts of the Upper East Region of Ghana using the Poisson model. The result indicated that the adoption of individual farm innovations was low. The study showed that farm size, labour input, experience in rice farming, access to extension services, and access to credit exerted significant positive effects on the number of farm innovations adopted, whereas farmer age and distance to market tended to decrease the number of farm innovations used by rice farmers. The study concludes that increasing the number of farm innovations adopted tends to promote a sustainable supply of rice output; therefore, food policy should aim at promoting the adoption of different farm innovations in developing countries including Ghana.

scholarly journals IMPACT OF NUTRITIONAL PERCEPTIONS OF TRADITIONAL AFRICAN VEGETABLES ON FARM HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTION DECISIONS: A CASE STUDY OF SMALLHOLDERS IN TANZANIA

2015 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 300-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. AFARI-SEFA ◽  
S. RAJENDRAN ◽  
R. F. KESSY ◽  
D. K. KARANJA ◽  
R. MUSEBE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Value ◽  
Labour Productivity ◽  
Household Production ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Production Decisions ◽  
Entry Points ◽  
Traditional Vegetable ◽  
African Vegetables

SUMMARYRecent years have seen increasing political interest and growing public health awareness and advocacy for diversifying diets into highly nutritious traditional vegetables, fruits and other nutrition-sensitive crops as a more viable approach to mitigate the growing scourge of malnutrition due to unhealthy and imbalanced diets. These foods contribute essential micronutrients, vitamins, antioxidants, and other health-related phytochemicals to staple-based diets and their consumption is crucial for the attainment of several Millennium Development Goals. Despite their nutritional benefits and the high farm gate values per unit of land, the production and marketing of traditional vegetables from Tanzania and other countries in sub-Saharan Africa are constrained by factors such as poor quality seeds, lack of appropriate market information and support systems, and lack of consumer awareness of their nutritional importance. This paper investigates the determinants and pathways for smallholder participation in traditional African vegetable production and identifies entry points for farmers to increase traditional vegetable production by linking nutritional awareness and promotion with potential high value markets. A primary survey of 181 traditional vegetable growers from five regions of Tanzania indicates that perceptions about the nutritional value of traditional African vegetables are a main driver of household production decisions in the sector. The results of this study provide evidence that farmers tend to grow more African traditional vegetables as compared to other crops based on their increased level of perception towards nutritional value of traditional vegetables along with other factors such as their market value, timely availability of quality certified seeds, willingness to invest in labour, required training for women and better access to credits. Farm size negatively affects growing traditional vegetables, implying that on a comparative basis, smallholders tend to grow more traditional vegetables than larger-farm operators. Thus, more attention should be given to reducing production and its associated transaction costs by ensuring timely access to quality certified seeds, ensuring optimal use of inputs and increasing labour productivity, particularly for smallholders.

scholarly journals Profitability and sustainability of peri-urban vegetable production systems in Vietnam

1996 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.G.P. Jansen ◽  
D.J. Midmore ◽  
P.H. Binh ◽  
S. Valasayya ◽  
L.C. Tru
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Ho Chi Minh City ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Chemical Fertilizers ◽  
Vegetable Farmers ◽  
Fresh Vegetables ◽  
Returns To Labour

Results are reported of a study of the income and cropping systems of peri-urban vegetable farmers around Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, as well as the constraints and opportunities for vegetable production and marketing. Urban population growth is fuelling the demand for timely supplies of fresh vegetables. Much of this increased demand, particularly for the more perishable species, is satisfied through peri-urban production which has significantly increased since the change from centrally planned and collective systems to a market economy. Around Ho Chi Minh City farms are small (on average about 0.8 ha), 65% which are de facto owned and with about 60% dedicated to vegetables. Most vegetable farmers also grow rice and/or groundnuts, while cabbage is the most commonly grown vegetable crop. Vegetables provide about $1000 total revenues, or $650 added value (returns to labour, land and management) per farm per year. Added value per ha per day of vegetables is double or more than that for rice, providing employment for five or more times the number for rice, despite very high labour use. The negative correlation between farm size and cropping intensity suggests that labour is a factor limiting vegetable production enterprises. One of the major demands on labour is for irrigation. Major input costs relate to organic materials, chemical fertilizers and pesticides, although much variability exists between crops. Pests, and low and variable vegetable prices, are the most commonly cited constraints. There is a clear trough in vegetable supply during August to October following the hot-wet months, and an apparent overuse of chemical fertilizers and insecticides. Lack of communal purchase of inputs and marketing limit the success of market-oriented vegetable farms.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting the Productivity and Profitability of Vegetables Production in Swaziland

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Micah Bheki Masuku ◽  
Bongiwe Xaba
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Selling Price ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Local Production ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Vegetable Farmers ◽  
And Gender

Vegetables are not only beneficial for their contribution to the share of agriculture in the economy of Swaziland, but also have a significant probability to compete where there are fewer government regulations and restrictions in the economy. Currently, the local demand for vegetables is higher than local production and hence the gap is filled by imports from South Africa. At the NAMBoard’s fresh produce market, only 11 percent of the vegetables are from local production and the rest come from South Africa. The study aimed to identify factors affecting productivity and profitability of vegetable production. A two-stage sampling technique was used to collect data from 100 vegetable farmers. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for data analysis. The results showed that the factors that significantly affected productivity of vegetable farmers were access to credit, selling price, fertiliser quantity, distance to market and gender of the farmer. For example, the selling price of carrot had a positive relationship with the productivity of vegetable farmers, suggesting that when the selling price of carrot increase by one unit, all else equal, the quantity of carrot produced would increase by 0.417 kilogrammes. The determinants of profitability of vegetable production were level of education, land under vegetable production and type of marketing agency. For example, with an additional year of education, profit would increase by E0.304. Policy makers should come up with policies that would improve productivity of vegetable farmers through the provision of seminars and workshops where farmers would acquire more training on vegetable production. This should enable them to increase the average yield of vegetables produced per hectare, hence profitability.  

scholarly journals A comparative analysis of the profitability and technical efficiency of vegetable production under two farming systems in Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-104
Author(s):  
Omotoso Ogunmola ◽  
Christiana Afolabi ◽  
Charles Adesina ◽  
Kelechi Ilechukwu
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Technical Inefficiency ◽  
Vegetable Farmers ◽  
Organic Farmers ◽  
Inorganic And Organic

Increasing agricultural productivity enhanced by versatile production systems is critical for sustainable food security and economic development. The study aims to compare the profitability and technical efficiency of vegetable production and factors influencing the technical efficiency of vegetable production between inorganic and organic farming systems in Imo State, Nigeria. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaires comprising 100 vegetable farmers using a multistage sampling procedure. The budgetary analysis and stochastic production frontier model were used to estimate the profitability and the technical efficiencies of the enterprise. An average farmer realized N277,445.24 and N190,506.04 per hectare as profit from inorganic and organic vegetable production and can potentially earn N4.40 and N2.89 on every Naira invested, respectively. However, the inorganic farming system achieved significantly higher returns than the organic farming system. The mean technical efficiencies for organic and inorganic vegetable farmers were 89.57% and 75.64%, respectively. Farm size, labour and the quantity of seeds were the crucial factors that affected the technical efficiency under both farming systems. Also, age, years of education and farming experience were the significant variables that influenced the technical inefficiency of inorganic farmers, whereas years of education and household size significantly influenced the technical inefficiency of organic farmers. This study advocates for subsidized inputs for organic farmers to compensate for their lower yields and policies that would attract young people to vegetable farming to increase the production level.

scholarly journals Farmers’ Perception on Irrigation Farming and the Factors Influencing Access to and Size of Irrigable lands in Northern Region, Ghana

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Solace Kudadze ◽  
Adams Jongare Imoru ◽  
William Adzawla
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Market Potential ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Switching Regression ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Multi Stage

Aim: The impacts of climate change and variability requires proactive and reactive adaptation. The high reliance of farmers on rainfed agriculture leads to their high vulnerability to climate change. As an agrarian economy, irrigation farming system is an essential proactive and/or reactive strategy for the increasing erratic rainfalls in Northern Ghana. This study analyzed the perceptions of smallholder farmers on irrigation farming and the factors that influence access to and size of irrigable lands among communities in the catchment of two irrigation dams. Study Design: The study adopted a multi-stage sampling procedure. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the Northern Region of Ghana. The data for the study was collected in 2014. Methodology: Through a multi-stage sampling, a cross-sectional data was collected from 240 smallholder farmers. These included both irrigation farmers and non-irrigation farmers. The data was analyzed through switching regression and descriptive statistics. Results: The result revealed that water unavailability is not a major challenge to most irrigation farmers. The farmers engaged in irrigation vegetable farming mostly for cash purpose and also perceived a high demand for vegetables, especially in the dry season. From the farmers perception, group membership, distance to irrigable land, cost of irrigable land, leadership characteristics and nativity significantly influenced access to irrigable lands. From the econometric result, experience, farmer group, credit, extension, labour availability and age had significant influence on irrigation farming while education, experience, extension, sex and labour availability significantly influenced the acreage cultivated by the vegetable farmers. Conclusion: The study concluded that, while there is high market potential for irrigated produce, access to and the size of irrigable lands are significantly determined by a mixed of factors. Therefore, while farmers are encouraged to go into irrigation vegetable production, government’s policies such as ‘one village one dam’ should be effectively implemented to realize the needed results.

Food insecurity transitions among rural households in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluwakemi Adeola Obayelu ◽  
Emem Ime Akpan
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Secondary Education ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Primary Education ◽  
Rural Households ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Dependency Ratio ◽  
Male Adult ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Food Expenditure

Food insecurity dynamics of rural households in Nigeria was assessed using a panel data. Results showed that 44.4% of households that were food secure in the first panel transited into food insecurity in the second panel, while 32.5% that were mildly food insecure transited into food security. Furthermore, 25.7% transited from moderate food insecurity to food security, while 38.2% transited from severe food insecurity to food security. About 35.1% of households were never food insecure; 11.4% exited food insecurity 28.0% entered food insecurity; while 25.48% remained always food insecure. Having primary education, secondary education, dependency ratio, household size, share of non-food expenditure and farm size explained food insecurity transition. However, the likelihood of a household being always food insecure was explained by gender, female-to-male-adult ratio, marital status, primary education, secondary education, dependency ratio, share of non-food expenditure, farm size, access to credit and access to remittance.

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