http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/7 2026-04-23T22:35:19Z 2026-04-23T22:35:19Z Kutah, W. N. http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/3933 2023-03-22T16:36:47Z 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: EFFECTS OF ACCESS AND USE OF AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION ON YIELD OF MAIZE IN TOLON AND KUMBUNGU DISTRICTS OF THE NORTHERN REGION OF GHANA Authors: Kutah, W. N. Abstract: This study investigated the effect of farmers’ access to and use of agricultural information on the yield of maize in the Tolon and Kumbungu Districts. Thirty-nine respondents were randomly selected from each of the five communities studied in each district for the study. Questionnaires and personal interviews were used in collecting data from 390 maize farmers sampled for this study. Secondary data was also obtained from SARI and IITA offices to compliment the primary data. Descriptive statistics namely percentages and frequencies as well as correlation text and probit regression were used to analyse the data. The study results revealed that, land ownership, timely information, importance of information, understanding of information, utilization of information, access to labour, access to credit and access to extension have significant influence on access to and utilization of agricultural information. The study further established that farmers in the study area mainly access agricultural information through radio, mobile phone, input suppliers and agricultural extension agents. The information farmers considered very important to their maize farming was planting time and proper storage practices of maize. Finally, the study established that farmer’s access to and use of agricultural information had influence on the average yield per acre of maize. The research recommends that research institutions should identify and train input dealers in the various communities on improved maize farming methods. Government and other stakeholder responsible for the provision of improved agricultural information should offer training programme for lead farmers in the communities. Since lead farmers always interact with fellow farmers in their various communities. Description: MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY IN INNOVATION COMMUNICATION

2020-01-01T00:00:00Z Donkoh, S. A. http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/3876 2023-02-09T09:23:49Z 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION AND EFFICIENCY IN GHANAIAN AGRICULTURE Authors: Donkoh, S. A. Abstract: The study seeks to find out the socio-economic factors that explain the adoption of Green Revolution technology and its effects on output/efficiency and consumption expenditure among agricultural households in Ghana. The method of analysis involves probit estimation of the adoption model, a stochastic frontier estimation of the inefficiency model and a maximum likelihood estimation of a consumption equation. The consumption model was estimated within the frame work of Heckman's two stage method of correcting for sample selection. The proportion of GR input adoption was found to be greater for the following: households whose heads have formal education, households with higher levels of non-farm income, credit and labour supply as well as those living in urban centres. Efficiency is greater for the following: households living close to extension centres, in the rural areas and in the south of the country. Efficiency is also greater for male-headed households, large households and small farms. In addition to education and credit, we found households' assets, living in the forest belt and in the south of the country to be positively related to households' consumption. Unsurprisingly, household size was found to be negatively related to consumption. Technology adoption was found to have positive effects on households' output and consumption expenditure. It is recommended that technology adoption be taken seriously by increasing the levels of complementary inputs like credit, extension services and infrastructure. Also, households must be encouraged to plan their families while they form farmer groups as an important source of farm labour. Above all, the fundamental problems of illiteracy, inequality and lack of effective markets must be addressed through increasing the levels of formal and non-formal education, equitable distribution of the 'national cake' and a more effective management of the ongoing Structural Adjustment Programme. Description: DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD ECONOMICS

2006-01-01T00:00:00Z Amikuzuno, J. http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/3672 2022-07-28T10:12:59Z 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: SPATIAL PRICE TRANSMISSION AND MARKET INTEGRATION IN AGRICULTURAL MARKETS AFTER LIBERALIZATION IN GHANA EVIDENCE FROM FRESH TOMATO MARKETS Authors: Amikuzuno, J. Abstract: Spatial price transmission or market integration measures the degree to which geographically separated markets share long-run market information on homogenous commodities. One very contentious issue in Ghana is the concern about the implications of trade liberalization for spatial price transmission and integration of local tomato markets i.e. whether or not price linkages between tomato markets in Ghana improved following the countries adoption of trade liberalization policy in the mid 1980s. Opposed to this contention is the view that well functioning markets are necessary for the realization of the welfare impacts of trade liberalization. Despite insufficient empirical evidence on how Ghana’s tomato markets performed following trade liberalization, prevailing public opinion and findings of advocacy studies blame supply gluts and perennially volatile, dispersed and often low prices of tomato on the importation of tomato products into Ghana. It is to verify this opinion and contribute to the policy debate that this study was conducted. The main objective of the study is to determine the extent of post-liberalization price transmission and market integration between fresh tomato markets in Ghana. To achieve this objective, we sampled five major, fresh tomato markets, comprising two net tomato producer markets - Navrongo and Techiman and three net consumer markets – Tamale, Kumasi and Accra for the analysis. The dataset for the analysis includes monthly, secondary price series from 1.1992 to 4.2009, and primary, semi-weekly price and trade flow data collected by self conducted market surveys between 3.2007 and 4.2009. The estimation is performed using Johansen’s cointegration approach, and the threshold autoregressive and vector error correction models and their extensions. We first test for the existence of cointegration between producer and consumer pairs of tomato markets. Then we estimate the speeds of price transmission between the market pairs under two sub-periods following trade liberalization in Ghana. The first sub-period, the high-tariffs period is from 1992 to 2000, while the second, a reduced-tariffs period is from 2001-2009. Our objective under this analysis is to determine whether price transmission and hence the factors responsible for market integration sufficiently improved over the two sub-periods. Lastly, we examine the importance of direct, inter-market trade flow vis-à-vis other factors in price transmission between the markets under study.Results of the pair-wise cointegration analysis between surplus, producer and deficit, consumer tomato markets using both datasets reveal at least one significant, cointegrating vector between the market pairs, while results of the Johansen’s multivariate cointegration approach of testing for cointegration between each producer market and all the consumer markets as a group demonstrate an integrated tomato marketing system. This implies that a common stochastic process, possibly the effective flow of the commodity and/or trade information, seems to determine price dynamics between markets. As a result, tomato prices between the markets do not drift apart in the long run, but always converge towards long run equilibrium following random, short run shocks on prices. Estimated, cointegration coefficients (the long run relationships between prices) range from 0.38 to 0.98, averaging 0.67, and appear to suggest a high degree of price transmission and market integration between fresh tomato markets in Ghana. The results of the standard threshold autoregressive model reveal that the rate of price adjustment or error correction in each of the two periods under study is also high, averaging about 50.8% and 47.6% in the high-tariffs and reduced-tariffs periods respectively. Using an extended threshold autoregressive model which estimates speeds of price adjustment as time varying parameters, we discover that adjustment speeds average about 64.5% under the high and about 69.9% under the reduced-tariffs periods respectively. This confirms the cointegration results of rapid convergence of price deviations to long run equilibrium. Although the empirical evidence, overall is mixed, the findings of the extended threshold autoregressive model, the most ideal approach to modelling price adjustment between the markets, reinforce the view that there is no compelling evidence to blame trade liberalization as the sole cause of the gluts, price volatility and dispersion, and other marketing problems in fresh tomato markets in Ghana. The findings of the vector error correction model support those of the threshold autoregressive model; they reveal high speeds of price adjustments, with deviations from equilibrium requiring an average of about 12 weeks to be completely corrected. Most importantly, we find significant price adjustment in both periods with and without trade from the results of the switching vector error correction model. This is evidence supporting the often underemphasized notion that direct, physical trade between markets may not be the sole underlying factor determining price transmission and market integration. It appears, in this case, that other indirect mechanisms drive price transmission when autarky between markets occurs due to seasonality in production. Lessons from the literature indicate that the added benefits of trade liberalization are contingent on the availability of complementary market infrastructure and policies. To that end, we recommend that appropriate investments should be made in road, transport, storage, processing and marketing infrastructure to improve the connection and reduce transaction costs between farm gates and net consumer markets, and between surplus producing areas and deficit consumer markets that are off the West African highway. Extensions to this study should consider the role of factors like seasonality, market power, road barriers, storage and processing on price transmission. Further research along these lines will improve our understanding of the problem and help develop more nuanced policy measures to ensure that farmers in Ghana reap the added benefits of trade liberalization. Description: DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPY IN THE INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM FOR AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES

2009-01-01T00:00:00Z Opoku-Baffowah, G. http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/3646 2022-06-20T14:03:43Z 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: RICE FARMERS INFORMATION SEEKING BEHAVIOUR IN THE TOLON DISTRICT, NORTHERN REGION, GHANA Authors: Opoku-Baffowah, G. Abstract: Rice COryza sativa L.) is a major staple food widely consumed in Ghana. Although Ghana has a potential to attain self-sufficiency in rice production, Ghana's current production of rice falls below domestic demand. Many reasons have been proffered for this unfortunate situation. Low technology adoption by smallholder rice farmers, who form the bulk of rice producers in the country, had been cited severally as the reason for the low production of rice in the country. Farmers' access to agricultural information is imperative in facilitating technology adoption. However, very little attention had been paid in understanding rice farmers' information seeking behaviour which is critical in meeting their information needs. It is in response to this knowledge gap that this study sought to analyse information seeking behaviour of rice farmers in the Tolon district of the Northern Region of Ghana. The study adopted mixed research methodological approach, exploiting the advantages of the use of a combination of varied data collection techniques. The research design combines qualitative and quantitative methods in order to enhance representativeness and also validate responses. Through multi stage sampling techniques 280 rice farmers were sampled for data collection. Also, data were collected from key informants comprising of major agricultural stakeholders in the District. Questionnaire administration, focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were the main data collection methods employed in gathering data for the study. The quantitative data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and the results presented in tables, graphs and charts. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. Findings of the study revealed that rice farmers in the District mostly relied on informal sources of information such as friends, relatives, colleague farmers and agro-input dealers to meet their information needs. Improved rice varieties, use of chemical weed control, nursery practices in rice production, weather information and post-harvest management and marketing were the main information required by rice farmers surveyed. Socioeconomic factors such as age, literacy, household status and farm size were the main determinants of rice farmers' information seeking behaviour. Poor extension contact, illiteracy, inaccessibility of farmers' location and lack of farmer based grouping were the main constraints to farmers' access to agricultural information. It is recommended that the Tolon District Department of Agriculture should dedicate some extension officers to rice farmers to provide information on improved varieties of rice, training on chemical control of weeds and nursery and transplanting of rice seedlings since this information are highly demanded by rice farmers in the District. Description: MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY IN INNOVATION COMMUNICATION

2020-01-01T00:00:00Z