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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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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]

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]

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]