THE EFFECTS OF PARTICIPATION IN GASIP PROGRAMME ON SMALLHOLDER FARMERS’ FOOD SECURITY IN UPPER EAST REGION OF GHANA

Abstract

In the face of increasing climate variability, rising food insecurity, and the pressing need for sustainable agricultural transformation, understanding the effectiveness of development programs has become imperative for policy and practice. Smallholder farmers, who form the backbone of Ghana’s agricultural sector, remain particularly vulnerable to these challenges. This study examines the effects of participation in the Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Programme (GASIP) on smallholder farmers, with a specific focus on household food security and the adoption of Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices (CSAPs). The study is grounded in the Random Utility and the Household Utility Maximization Theory, which explain farmers’ decisions to participate in GASIP and adopt CSAPs based on utility maximization under resource constraints. Using a comprehensive dataset of 410 households collected in 2024 from three districts in the Upper East Region, the study employs a multi-stage sampling procedure involving purposive, stratified, and simple random sampling. Descriptive statistics are used to summarize key household and farm characteristics, while Probit models identify factors influencing GASIP participation. The Endogenous Switching Poisson Regression Model assesses the effect of GASIP participation on CSAP adoption, and the Endogenous Switching Regression Model estimates the impact on household food security indicators, addressing potential selection bias. The findings reveal that GASIP participation has positive effects on both food security and CSAP adoption. Specifically, GASIP participation leads to higher Household Dietary Diversity Scores (HDDS), while also contributing to reductions in food insecurity as measured by the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) and Coping Strategy Index (CSI). In addition, variables such as age, education, landownership, remittance, farm output, FBO membership, TLU, and GASIP awareness positively influence food security, while sex, farm experience, climate training, and crop diversification.emerge as negative determinants. influencing food security outcomes. Female-headed households demonstrate higher food security levels compared to male-headed households, indicated by better HDDS and lower food insecurity scores. In terms of CSAP adoption, positive effects are associated with education, crop diversification, and GASIP participation, highlighting the program’s role in promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Based on these results, the study recommends that government agencies (MoFA), NGOs, and donor organizations(IFAD) intensify awareness creation through community engagement and local media, promote education and capacity-building initiatives, implement gender-sensitive agricultural programs to empower women farmers, encourage crop diversification as a key food security strategy, strengthen agricultural extension services to better support smallholder farmers, and integrate Climate-Smart Agricultural practices into national agricultural policies to foster long term resilience and sustainability in the agricultural sector.