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Achieving urban food security before and after COVID-19 lockdown among urban households' in Ghana is key. This paper compares the pre-and post-COVID-19 lockdown food security status of urban dwellers in lockdown cities of the Greater part of Accra in Ghana using the Rasch and ordered logit model. From a sample of 340 respondents, the study found a significant difference in household food security status and predictors of food security. Prior to COVID-19 households were 'High food secure' (36.4%), but post-COVID-19 lockdown made more households 'Very low food secure' (12.35%). To combat post-COVID-19 lockdown food insecurity in urban agriculture is encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Micro, Small and Medium firms' credit access remains a dilemma though the financial sector has been liberalized. This paper investigates the factors influencing credit rationing and how variations in the characteristics of firms owned by different genders contribute to credit rationing. The study utilizes probit estimation with marginal effects, Fairlie counterfactual and decomposition analysis to analyze both credit rationing and the extent to which the credit rationing gap is influenced by differences in gender endowments and discrimination using 1,430 firms' owners' loan applications randomly selected from eight (8) commercial banks. Our results show that borrowers having more years of experience, external market access, proximity to lender, being older and being male are not likely to experience credit rationing. Borrowers in the agricultural sector, with long term loans, who lack formal education, run labor-intensive firms, have joint ownership, and operate small businesses face the probability of being credit rationed. A decomposition and counterfactual analysis reveal a credit rationing gap largely influenced by discrimination favoring male owned firms rather than differences in gender endowments. Our findings have implications for policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology whilst creating jobs has destroyed many jobs. The destructive power of technology has led many workers in developing countries, especially Ghana to fight against its introduction. We investigate the effect of technological change on job creation and destruction in Ghana using longitudinal data from the World Development Indicator covering 1990 to 2018. By running the ARDL model, the summative technology-related job destruction is higher in the short run whilst job creation is higher in the long run. Thus, technology has a compensation effect on job destruction and job creation, due to its labour-saving nature. The short and long-run job destruction is higher with increasing importations, interest rate, and minimum wages, however, economic growth, FDI, and exportation increase job creation. Since technology results in higher job destruction, it is important to equip workforce with the technological knowledge before the introduction of new technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examined the risk preferences and management strategies of cereal and legume farmers of Ghana's savannah zones using both the exploratory factor analysis and the linear regression model. Using primary cross‐sectional data and employing the multistage sampling technique made up of purposive, cluster and random sampling techniques, the paper found that cereal farmers are more risk averse than legume farmers. Rainfall variability was ranked topmost by cereals and legumes farmers. Both cereal and legume farmers employ multiple but dissimilar risk management strategies to manage these sources of risk. The commonest sources of risk to cereal and legume farmers were climate and market risk, while off‐farm activities are the commonest management strategy. Production risk faced by cereal farmers was managed by both off‐farm and farm production strategies whereas human risk faced by legumes farmers was managed by both off‐farm and financial management strategies. The importance of market risk implies that policy initiatives should aim at reducing market‐related risks by focusing on increasing off‐farm opportunities for rural households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of mobile money services in sub-Saharan Africa have been largely recognised. However, empirical studies are principally lacking on the factors influencing the decision to own a mobile phone (first hurdle), register with mobile money (second hurdle) and the intensity of use of mobile money services (third hurdle). This study examined the determinants of the mobile phone ownership, drivers of registration (participation) of mobile money services, and the intensity of use of mobile money services in rural Ghana by employing the triple hurdle approach. The first and second hurdle were analysed using the logit model while quasi-poisson regression was used to analyse the third hurdle. The analysis from the cross-sectional data showed that the decision to own a mobile phone was driven by household size, marital status, the farm size, access to electricity, income status and the type of occupation engaged, whereas the decision to register with mobile money was influenced by the age, educational status, marital status, household size, farm size and the type of occupation engaged in by the household head. The intensity of usage of mobile money services was influenced by the age of the household head, higher educational level, marital status of the household head, household and farm size as well as the distance of the household heads from the mobile money agent which directly influences the intensity of use of mobile money services by household heads. The study recommends that strategies that promote access to electricity and occupation in the formal sector or both farming and trading in the rural communities should be promoted. Furthermore, policy attention should focus on location, farmers and farm characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the barriers and adaptation strategies of smallholder farmers in the Northern Development Authority (NDR) zone of Ghana to climate change. The study also investigates the effect of the socio-economic and institutional factors on the on-farm adaptation strategies to climate change of smallholder farmers. The study employs descriptive statistics to analyse the barriers and adaptation techniques of a sample of 125 smallholder farmers in the NDR zone of Ghana. The binary logit model was employed to analyse the effect of the socio-economic and institutional factors on the on-farm adaptation strategies to climate change. The results show that households face considerable availability and liquidity constraints in adapting to climate change. The lack of capacity building program is the major availability constraint, while the lack of funds to purchase fertiliser is the major liquidity constraint. Most farmers do not apply any adaptation technique, while the few farmers who adapt to the changing climate frequently use soil and water conservation and grow different crop varieties and diversification of the crop produced. A number of socio-economic characteristics and institutional factors (particularly governmental extension services), and the longitudinal temperature and rainfall significantly affect the on-farm adaptation strategies of households. Though smallholder farmers in the NDR zone of Ghana apply a multiplicity of on-farm and non-farm adaptation strategies, this research is limited to on-farm adaptation strategies of smallholder farmers. The study recommends that policies aimed at helping smallholder farmers adapt to climate change should greatly emphasise on capacity-building programs. Also, investment in extension services to support rural farm households is highly recommended due to the great impact it has on adapting to climate change. This paper contributes to the empirical literature by first using the farm-level survey data from wider geographical areas in the NDR zone of Ghana to analyse the climate change adaptation strategies of smallholder farmers. This paper also focusses on only the on-farm climate change adaptation strategies of households in the NDR zone of Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The increasing rate at which individuals, especially, females in Ghana are seeking higher education calls for an estimation of the returns to schooling and education in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach: The study employs the Mincer equation to a representative cross-sectional micro-data from Ghana using OLS and instrumental variable (IV) methodologies. The paper uses spouse's education as instruments in the IV estimation. Findings: Return to schooling was found to be higher for females than males, likewise, membership of an old student associations and location of the household. Returns to education increases as the level of education rises whilst the rate of returns initially increases but fall as labour market experience rises. The study also found that the rates of return to education were higher for Christian, followed by Muslim and believers of other lesser-known religion in Ghana. Research limitations/implications: Return to schooling was found to be higher for females than males. Likewise, individuals who are members of an old student association and are in urban areas were found to have a higher return to schooling than individuals who are not members of an old student association and are in rural areas. Returns to education increases as the level of education rises whilst the rate of returns initially increases but fall as labour market experience rises. The study also found that the rates of return to education were higher for Christian, followed by Muslim and believers of other lesser-known religion in Ghana. Practical implications: Wage determination process is different for males and females, across religion and residency. The higher returns to schooling for females imply education is a good investment for women and girls and should be a development priority. Social implications: The higher returns to schooling for females imply an investment in girl's education should be a development priority. Originality/value: The paper extends the existing literature by focussing on the role of religion, old student's association (alma mater) and gender on the differential earning returns to schooling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent times, the collapse of more than seven banks in Ghana and the raising of the minimum capital by the Central Bank of Ghana, have led to the argument that the stock market is the next best capital market for raising long terms funds. This study employs the ARDL cointegration approach to examine the long and short‐term relationship between macroeconomic variables and stock market returns and development in Ghana. We found out that cointegration exist between the macroeconomic variables and stock market return and stock market development. The study revealed that log of the money supply, inflation rate and human capital has a negative impact on the stock market development whereas the log of foreign direct investment and interest rate has a positive impact on stock market development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the effects of rainfall deviations on households' non-farm decisions and time allocations in northern Ghana, drawing on a sample of 500 farm households. Using the double hurdle approach, the article shows that rainfall deviations affected decisions to participate in non-farm work, but not the hours allocated to non-farm work. Age and membership of farmer-based organisations were important factors in non-farm decisions, while educational level and the number of adults in the household determined the time allocated to non-farm work. It is recommended that policies on non-farm work for rural farm households in northern Ghana should take climate variables into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the level of income inequality among fisher households in the four segments of the Volta Basin in Ghana and the determinants of small-scale fisher household welfare. Design/methodology/approach: The paper investigates income inequality and the determinants of household consumption expenditure of fishers in the Volta Basin of Ghana using the Lorenz curve, Gini coefficient decomposition and the multiple linear regression technique. Findings: The findings confirm the empirical evidence that households in the general downstream communities and their compatriots in the upstream communities were statistically different in terms of household characteristics and physical and social capital. Income inequality was highest among households in upstream communities but least amongst downstream communities. Livelihoods of the fishery households largely and strictly favored male households. Also, educational status was associated with higher levels of income which enormously help reduce food insecurity. Research limitations/implications: The reliance on dummy variables might lead to omissions of revealed understated differences between households. Practical implications: The study recommends that effort should be made to help increase fish production in the upstream communities. Furthermore, alternative sources of income should be introduced to households in the upstream so they do not become more disadvantaged by the construction of the dam. Originality/value: The uniqueness of the paper is that it tries to estimate the impact of the construction of the dam on the Volta Basin by taking into consideration the effect of the construction of the dam on the upstream and downstream separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study used the hypothetical lottery-choice questions to measure risk aversion and a detailed survey collected data on input use, farm production and non-farm activities to specifically assess whether risk aversion, risk perceptions, and socioeconomic factors affect the risk management strategies of farm households in Northern Ghana. Risk aversion significantly increases crop diversification strategies of households but marginally reduces herbicide use by households. Market risk significantly increases the use of improved seed varieties and the application of inorganic fertiliser but reduces diversification into livestock production. Production risk largely increases diversification into livestock production. Farmers' risk management strategies are affected by socioeconomic variables such as access to extension services, area cultivated, age and gender. Policy effort focused on building pliable on-farm crop related risk management strategies should aim at considering the risk aversion and the perception of market risk whilst those focused on livestock should focus on production risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employing the Margalef index of diversification, the linear regression model and three‐step feasible generalised least square, we analyse the impact of climate variability and expectation on the diversification strategies and vulnerabilities of rural households in Northern Ghana. The finding indicates households have diversified on and off the farm. The decrease average rainfall increases the diversification of total labour and female labour supply whilst decreasing diversification of cropland and income. Higher average rainfall lowers mean and variable per capita consumption. Extension service is an effective policy variable under high climate variability. We recommend increasing extension services and women economic empowerment. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]