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POULTRY FARMERS’ PERCEPTION AND COPING STRATEGIES TO CLIMATE CHANGE: IMPLICATIONS ON POULTRY PRODUCTION IN BONO EAST REGION, GHANA

2026-05-21T10:20:15Z

Title: POULTRY FARMERS’ PERCEPTION AND COPING STRATEGIES TO CLIMATE CHANGE: IMPLICATIONS ON POULTRY PRODUCTION IN BONO EAST REGION, GHANA Authors: Apuri, M. A.; Alhassan, H.; Cobbinah, E.; Abujaja, A. M. Abstract: Poultry production has the potential to reduce poverty, food and nutrition insecurity and enhance employment creation. Despite the benefits from poultry farming, climate change is reported to have adverse effects on poultry production. However, literature on the coping strategies adopted by farmers within the Bono East region and their determinants are scarce. Based on this premise, this study used descriptive statistics and chi-square technique to examine poultry farmers' perception and the drivers of the choice of coping strategies adopted to reduce the negative effect of climate change on poultry production in the Bono East region of Ghana. The results revealed that poultry farmers were aware of climate change in their various localities. Majority of the farmers perceived an increase in temperature (63%), a decrease in rainfall (75%) and an increase in drought (60%). The farmers also reported that the changing climate poses severe consequences for poultry production, including, a decrease in the growth rate of poultry birds, increase in the incidence of diseases outbreak, high birds’ mortality rate and low feed quality. The main coping strategies used by the poultry farmers are litter spreading and cleaning out and planting of trees. The Chi-square analysis revealed that marital status, (X2 = 10.403, P <0.05), educational level (X2 = 15.653, P < 0.01), and main occupation (X2 = 21.011, P < 0.01) are the factors that influence the choice of coping strategies used by the poultry farmers. Hence, education interventions on enhancing poultry farmer’s awareness and knowledge about different coping strategies to improve their adaptive capacity on climate change should be encouraged.

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL INTENSIFICATION PRACTICES AND RURAL FOOD SECURITY THE CASE OF NORTHWESTERN GHANA

2026-04-28T10:24:49Z

Title: SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL INTENSIFICATION PRACTICES AND RURAL FOOD SECURITY THE CASE OF NORTHWESTERN GHANA Authors: Yahaya, I.; Pokharel, K. P.; Alidu, A. F.; Yamoah, F. A. Abstract: Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to understand the impact of participation in sustainable agricultural iintensification practices (SAIPs) on household food security status in Northwestern Ghana. Design/methodology/approach– The study utilised the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) indicator for the measurement of food access data from 168 households in ten communities from the Northwestern region of Ghana for the analyses. Households were categorised into participating households (treatment) and non-participating households (control). The endogenous treatment effects model was employed to evaluate the impact of participation in SAIPs training on food insecurity access scale. Findings– The results show that participation in SAIPs training lowers, on average, the household food insecurity access by 2.95 points, approximately an 11 per cent reduction in HFIAS score. Othersignificant factors found to influence household food insecurity access scale are age of household head, experience in farming, total acres owned by household, income level of the household and occupation of the head of the household. Research limitations/implications– The training programme of participation in SAIPs has massive implications for food security, rural economy and farmers’ livelihoods. However, due to the unique conditions prevailing in Northwestern Ghana, the findings of this research are limited in terms of their generalisability. Future research direction in the area of SAIPs trainings and impact study replications in all qualifying rural food production areas in Ghana, which are susceptible to household food insecurity, will provide a national picture of the efficacy of SAIPs trainings on household food insecurity. Practical implications– A proven means to decrease natural resource degradation, increase crops yields, and increase subsistence farmers’ income, and food security is an important intervention to resolve the seasonal food shortage, which last for five months in a typical year for agro-food-dependent farming communities in Northwestern Ghana. Social implications– Ensuring household food security improvement and environmental sustainability will help improve living standards of food producers and reduce the adverse social challenges associated with food insecure communities such as health problems due to food deficiencies, social inequalities, environmental pollution and natural resource degradation in Northwestern Ghana. Originality/value– The contribution of this paper is the novel thought and approach to examine the impact of the SAIPs trainings on household food security in Northwestern Ghana using the household food insecurity access scale indicator. The study also examined the factors that affect household food security using the endogenous treatment model, which also evaluates the impact of the training programme on the outcome variable.

ANTHRACNOSE DISEASE OF MANGO: EPIDEMIOLOGY, IMPACT AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

2026-04-23T11:28:13Z

Title: ANTHRACNOSE DISEASE OF MANGO: EPIDEMIOLOGY, IMPACT AND MANAGEMENT OPTIONS Authors: Kankam, F.; Larbi-Koranteng, S.; Adomako, J.; Kwodaga, J. K.; Akpatsu, I. B.; Danso, Y.; Sowley, E. N.K. Abstract: Mango is one of the frequently cultivated seasonal fruit crops in several tropical and subtropical regions. It is consumed as whole fruits apart from serving as raw materials for most industries that are into mineral production. Mango production is, however, constrained by diseases, pests, and poor post-harvest handling of fruits. Anthracnose disease, caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Penz and Sacc, is one of the most important yields limiting constraint in mango production across the globe. The disease occurs in both the field and post-harvesting. In the field, it affects aboveground parts, such as the stem, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits. Anthracnose disease reduces the shelve life and marketability of mango fruit. In Ghana, anthracnose disease is respon sible for about 30% yield/fruit loss. Most farmers do not control it, although some have resorted to the application of various fungicides not registered for mango anthracnose disease management in Ghana. This chapter will highlight on the importance of the disease on the mango industry in Ghana, control strategies currently employed thereby reducing the over-reliance on chemical control option and propose ways to minimize the effect of the disease in the country

ALTERNATIVE GREEN AND NOVEL POSTHARVEST TREATMENTS FOR MINIMALLY PROCESSED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

2026-04-23T11:26:45Z

Title: ALTERNATIVE GREEN AND NOVEL POSTHARVEST TREATMENTS FOR MINIMALLY PROCESSED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES Authors: Osei-Kwarteng, M.; . Mahunu, G. K.; Abu, M.; Apaliya, M. Abstract: Minimally processed fresh produce is ready to eat and subjected to minimal tech nology before consumption. Fresh fruits and vegetables (FFVs) are minimally pro cessed commodities that are metabolically active and undergo physiological processes such as ripening and senescence, reducing their quality and shelf life. Postharvest technologies maintain the quality and prolong the shelf life of harvested produce, without which the quality deteriorates such that significant economic loss ensues due to water and nutrients loss, physiological deterioration, biochemical changes, and microbial degeneration. Conventional postharvest treatments such as temperature management, and chemical and gaseous treatments are widely known for control ling postharvest issues in FFVs. However, there are novel and green alternative safe methods that are employed to maintain the postharvest quality and prolong the shelf life of FFVs. This chapter focuses on seven common alternative novel and green postharvest treatments: nitric oxide, ozone, methyl jasmonate, salicylic acid, oxalic acid, calcium, and heat treatments. These treatments are explained and some of their current application on FFVs are discussed and tabularized indicating the optimum treatment conditions reported in the latest scientific publications.