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Ghana's SFP has played an essential role in combating malnutrition among school-age children and advancing the Universal Primary Education goal. This study investigates the overall impact of the school feeding Programme, with a focus on its effectiveness in improving the livelihoods of beneficiary communities in the Assin South District. The study followed a mixed methods approach, with 95 headteachers and 26 local food farmers as respondents. The study focuses on the perceived effectiveness of the Ghana School Feeding Programme in increasing employment opportunities within the district, as perceived by headteachers. The findings show that the Additional Employment Scheme component positively impacts the livelihoods of local food farmers, resulting in larger farm sizes and the adoption of improved farming practices. However, the challenges identified do not ensure a consistent market for local food farmers' produce, including cooks and caterers in beneficiary schools not frequently purchasing their produce. It has been revealed that caterers facing pre-financing challenges rely on suppliers willing to pay once government funds are released. Recommendations for improving the Programme's impact include expanding the programme to benefit more communities, thereby creating job opportunities. Furthermore, a registration system for local food producers as sole suppliers is proposed to ensure a market for their products. Other suggestions include allocating a percentage of the district's internally generated funds to caterers and collaborating with financial institutions to provide flexible loans to registered farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study, conducted in the Agogo Traditional Area of the Ashanti region of Ghana, where there are numerous conflicts between crop and animal farmers due to insufficient pasture for livestock, especially during the dry seasons, has yielded positive findings. The study used cross-sectional data from 150 farmers selected via a multi-stage sampling technique. Financial viability indicators such as Net Present Value (NPV), Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and perception index based on a five-point Likert scale were used. The establishment of pasture for small ruminant production was positive. The study found the pasture business as a viable concept with a BCR of 1.18, a positive NPV of GH₵3,160, an IRR of 40.1%, and a payback period of 2.61 years. Farmers' positive perception of pasture establishment for small ruminant production was a significant finding. The SWOT analysis identified the prospects and potential challenges of the concept as follows: availability of land, support to the government policy of establishing 'fodder banks' for sustainable land use, low technical know-how, and land tenure issues, among others. The study recommends the establishment of pasture as a venture since it is financially viable and has the potency to significantly reduce farmer-herder conflicts, instilling hope in the audience about the positive impact of the study's recommendations. Concerned institutions should also empower farmers through technical education on pasture establishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has gained traction as one of the effective strategies in tackling the climate crisis. Many CSA practices have been promoted by development agencies to smallholder farmers based on the assumption that farmers would adopt these innovations for their potential benefits. However, the adoption of CSA practices in Ghana and much of Africa remains low and decision making and on-farm innovation processes are poorly understood. This study seeks to provide empirical and participatory insight into how smallholder farmers innovate. Based on a novel application of a participatory video methodology, in farming communities in the Upper West Region of Ghana, that have been exposed to multiple CSA intervention programmes, the paper analyses farmers' own self-curated accounts of experiences with CSA innovation. The findings show that farmer's motivation to adopt CSA innovations is driven by their concerns for food security, economic gains, and the environmental impact of climate change on their farming activities and livelihood. The study reveals a mismatch between the CSA technologies and practices advanced by the development agencies and what farmers perceive as relevant and important in addressing their farming challenges. In particular, the findings show that in a pool of more than 12 CSA technologies and practices that had been promoted through three donor-driven intervention programmes in the communities, farmers selected less labour intensive, less costly, and CSA technologies and practices that fitted to their current farming practices and the local context. Agricultural extension agents served as an important information source on the CSA innovation and their practical implementation and farmers' social groups played a crucial role in facilitating learning about the CSA technologies and practices. There is the need to integrate farmers voices using innovative methodologies such as participatory videos to better understand farmers' experiences in the innovation process which will help inform the design of effective interventions and promote adoption of innovations aimed at enhancing the productivity of smallholder farmers and reducing environmental impacts in African food systems. By focusing on the innovations that farmers perceive as beneficial and adaptable to their local contexts, development organizations can use their resources more efficiently and promote adoption of contextually appropriate CSA innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study assessed the usage of extension communication channels for disseminating crop production information to oil palm farmers in Birim South District. A sample size of 181 farmers was selected through purposive and simple random sampling techniques. The data collected were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, ordinal logistic regression, and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance. The results showed that radio, extension agents and colleague farmers were generally the most available communication channels for oil palm farmers. Radio, colleague farmers and extension agents were the communication channels that the farmers frequently used. Nursing and planting, pest and disease control, use of fertiliser, and harvest and post-harvest handling were the crop production information mostly sought by the farmers. It was also discovered that the majority of farmers do not get any agricultural information from farmer magazines, newspapers, or mobile text messages. Sex, level of education and household size were the most significant factors influencing oil palm farmers' frequency of use of the available/accessible communication channels for crop production information (p values =0.037, 0.010 & 0.034, respectively). The major challenges affecting the use of communication channels were low farmer-extension ratio, poor signals and the high cost of using such channels. The study recommends that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Non-Governmental Organisations facilitate the establishment and maintenance of farm radio programmes and encourage more peerto-peer extension among rural farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmer–herder conflicts occur in many agroecological areas in Ghana. These conflicts are often violent with devastating consequences. Interestingly, many victims of farmer–herder violence still live in conflict zones despite the dangers and threats to their lives. In order to survive in such situations, some coping strategies are needed. The study aims to provide a context-specific understanding of how conflict actors emotionally, cognitively, and behaviorally cope with the effects of violent conflicts in their own ways. The study is a qualitative inquiry that uses a phenomenology design, with farmer–herder conflicts in the Asante Akyem North District as a case study. The study purposively and by snowball techniques selected key informants and victims from both the farming and herding factions. The study found that religion, nonforced migration, working harder, sociocultural support, avoidance, and economic strategy were the six primary coping strategies utilized to manage the psychosocial stressors connected with farmer–herder conflicts. The importance of delving into this aspect of the conflict is to gain a nuanced understanding of coping abilities and capabilities of conflict victims. The study also revealed the resilience of the conflict actors and recommends psychosocial healing for the victims. Public Significance Statement: The purpose of this study is to better understand how victims of farmer–herder conflicts in Ghana cope emotionally, cognitively, and behaviorally with the effects of the conflicts. This is important because victims of farmer–herder conflicts often suffer from physical, emotional, and psychological effects of the conflicts in terms of injuries, deaths, property destruction, rape, fear, and panic. Our results provide a vivid and deeper analysis of the coping strategies of victims of farmer–herder conflicts which are often not paid attention to by both policy makers and local authorities. We, therefore, through the study bring to the fore the need for public attention to victims and how the effects can be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major limiting factor affecting the uptake of conservation agriculture practices in smallholder farming systems in sub‐Saharan Africa is the limited availability of sufficient crop residues for use as surface mulch. This paper assesses the trade‐offs in crop residue utilization among smallholder farmers and its implications for soil management in the face of climate change risks in northern Ghana. The paper triangulated data from 350 household surveys with participatory key informant interviews from seven selected communities in three districts of northern Ghana. The problem confrontation index (PCI) was adopted to identify and rank the challenges associated with farmers' decision to use crop residues, while a multivariate probit model was used to analyse and predict the factors that influence farmers' choice of crop residue management practices. Results showed that crop residues were used as cooking fuel in households (21%), livestock feed (21%), left on the farm to decompose as mulch (34%) or burned to clear the land (24%). Key challenges identified included high labour cost (PCI = 404), high labour intensity (PCI = 388), the cost and transport for collection and storage of externally sourced crop residue (PCI = 383) and the low benefit from crop residue to farm output/soil fertility (PCI = 339). Results from the multivariate probit model revealed that household and farm variables, institutional and socio‐psychological factors, and experience of some climate shocks all influence farmers' choice of crop residue management practices. Crop residue use and management practices adopted were determined by factors including the crops being grown, challenges faced by farmers and the management options available. The study recommends the need for the Government of Ghana to empower farmers through the provision of technical knowledge and machinery for the sustainable utilization of crop residues due to the high labour intensity and cost associated with such practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a typology to highlight and describe the variation in attitudes among young farmers in rural Ghana, a group that has been treated in policy discourses and in development practice as largely homogenous. It further identifies motivations and aspirations associated with each type. A cluster analysis of survey data from 120 respondents yielded two types of young farmers: 'positive' and 'resigned'. The likelihood of being in either category was found to be related to marital status, location, and whether one had a secondary occupation. Further, the 'positive' group was more likely to report being influenced by adult role models and more likely to aspire to stay in farming. Our findings underscore the relevance of socio-economic and ecological environment on young people's attitudes to and decisions regarding farming and, consequently, on the outcome of policy and programmatic interventions meant to increase their participation in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to identify maize farmers' use, preference, and trustworthiness of the various information sources and communication channels farmers in Dormaa, Ghana, used to receive information about their farming activities. A questionnaire was developed, and data was collected from 217 maize farmers. The result revealed more males are involved in maize production than females. Most males indicated they received training in using hermetic bags more than female farmers. Respondents ranked Extension agents highest as the source from which they receive their farming information. Based on the level of preference for the information sources, the results show a statistically significant difference between male and female farmers' preference for Extension agents, friends/neighbors, and church leaders, with male farmers preferring these information sources more than females. The result indicated a significant difference between male and female preferences for phone calls, with more males indicating they preferred telephone calls. The t-test results of farmers' trustworthiness for the information sources revealed a significant difference between male and female farmers' trustworthiness for fellow farmers, friends/neighbors, telephone calls, and posters/billboards for communication channels. Given that Extension professionals are the most preferred and trustworthy source of information, we recommend that the government and stakeholders organize extension training programs to strengthen local extension. We recommend greater women involvement and given strategic roles in the planning and organization of training programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the moderating role of loan size on the relationship between collateral characteristics and access to credit by micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the agricultural sector of the Ashanti Region of Ghana. In the agricultural sector, MSMEs engaged in crop, livestock, and fish farming constituted the population for the study. The study employed a quantitative research method alongside a causal research design. The Pearson multiple regression was employed to analyze the relationships among the study variables. The study found that collateral costs, registration, and insurance positively and significantly contribute to MSMEs' credit access. Whereas loan size does not moderate the effect of collateral cost on farmers' credit access, it negatively and significantly moderates the effect of collateral registration and insurance on credit access. Furthermore, loan size positively and significantly moderates the effect of collateral age on farmers' access to credit. The study was restricted to MSMEs in crop, livestock, and fish farming in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, thus making generalization to the country and beyond difficult. This study is important for decision-making concerning how farmers could take advantage of their collateral to secure appreciable loans in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. No empirical study has examined the moderating role of loan size on the relationship between collateral characteristics and credit access, aside from the fact that empirical studies dominate other sectors other than the agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic agriculture (OA) is often regarded as a sustainable agricultural pathway for smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa, and an increasing number of initiatives promoting OA were initiated over the last decades. However, holistic empirical evidence on the effects of such initiatives on the sustainability of smallholder farmers is still scanty. We analyzed the effects of five initiatives promoting OA on farm-level sustainability. We selected farmers exposed to the initiatives (n = 678) and control farms (n = 957) in five different case studies, two implemented in Ghana and three in Kenya. We used a farm-level multi-criteria assessment tool that evaluates to what extent the environmental, social, economic, and governance sustainability goals formulated in the FAO-SAFA Guidelines are addressed by farmers. We found that the initiatives had limited effects on reducing farmers reliance on chemical inputs use (pesticides and synthetic fertilizers) and uptake of organic or agro-ecological practices. Nevertheless, the results show that the initiatives were able to trigger significant (p-value < 0.05) positive effects mainly for the environmental sustainability goals. In contrast, the goals within the economic, social and good governance sustainability dimensions were rarely affected. Moreover, certified initiatives had more frequently a positive sustainability effect compared to uncertified initiatives. • Holistic impact assessment of initiatives promoting organic farming among African smallholders. • Heterogeneous sustainability effects among the analyzed initiatives. • Overall limited effects on the sustainability performance of smallholder farmers. • Capacity development activities on organic farming must be complemented with other support measures. • The SMART-Farm Tool offers a holistic-standardized framework to assess agro-ecological initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the effect of social capital on farmers' adoption of subsidized seedlings and fertilizer for cocoa farmers in Ghana. We distinguish three types of social capital: network social capital, relationship social capital, and community social capital. Network social capital refers to the peer-to-peer information flow about product benefits reaching farmers, therefore closing the information asymmetry that prevents farmers from social learning about crop risk management through inputs adoption. Relationship social capital considers the role of social status in getting facilitated access to inputs through connections with extension officers who facilitate information dissemination about input benefits, and moreover potentially help bypass the government criteria in getting access to inputs themselves. Finally, community social capital concerns the community collective income, community size and reachability relative to the cooperative main office. We find that network social capital has a significant effect on adoption of subsidized seedlings, to an extent where it allows farmers to bypass subsidy qualification criteria for access to seedlings imposed by the government. This applies even more so for group and village leaders. Subsidized fertilizer uptake, on the other hand, is less dependent on social capital. We argue that this difference results from the risk involved in adopting seedlings versus fertilizer. In the case of seedlings adoption, relying on information provided by the social network promotes sharing of benefits of hybrid varieties, and thus reduces the risk of its application. Adoption of fertilizer, on the other hand, is not correlated with social capital because fertilizer application is less risky to farmers. They can easily switch from using fertilizer to not using fertilizer. Access to both inputs is influenced by government inputs' eligibility criteria, namely having mapped farm. However, we find that 15% and 29% of farmers respectively have access to seedlings and fertilizer, even though their farms are not mapped. Our findings suggest that for governments to stimulate uptake of substantive inputs, such as seedlings, subsidies should coincide with attention to social capital and fair distribution of inputs. • Social capital increases uptake seedlings. • Social capital does not affect fertilizer uptake. • Farm capital enhances fertilizer uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main idea behind this study was to ascertain the extent and factors that influence the adoption of improved cassava varieties in Mampong Municipality, Ashanti Region of Ghana. This is because, many years after implementing the Root and Tuber Improvement and Marketing Programme (RTIMP) in Ghana, little evidence exist regarding the extent of adoption and the factors that influence the adoption of improved cassava varieties in Ghana. The study was carried out in the Mampong Municipality in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The study employed a multistage sampling technique to select 250 cassava farmers. The Tobit and Multinomial Logistic Regression Models were used to analyse the dataset. Results show that the returns on the local varieties were higher than that of the improved cassava varieties. This might have accounted for the low adoption of the improved cassava varieties. The significant factors influencing the adoption of improved cassava varieties include access to extension services, access to credit, member of farmer associations and educational level. It is recommended that access to extension services should be enhanced, and credit opportunities should be made affordable to farmers. These are likely to increase the extent of adoption of the improved cassava varieties to enhance food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within Nigeria and Ghana, pastoralists face increasing adversity from climate change and marginalisation due to a complex combination of factors, further amplified by highly sensitive and increasingly violent conflicts with farmers. While climate change exacerbates the vulnerability of pastoralists, this remains largely unaccounted for in current Nigerian and Ghanaian pastoral livestock policy. Employing a thematic analytical approach, the article assesses the representation of pastoralists within climate change adaptation strategies in Ghana and Nigeria, and the impact of this on their livelihoods. Our findings indicate that pastoralists are poorly represented in current policy, which is inclined towards transitions to intensive sedentary systems. This risks enhancing the vulnerability of pastoralists to climate impacts by constraining mobility. We conclude that improved clarity on how these policies account for climate change in transitioning pastoral systems into intensive sedentary systems could encourage compliance and buy-in by pastoralists and farmers. It is recommended that future livestock policies address climate change and bolster producer mobility to better support the livelihoods of pastoralists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mango (Mangifera indica) is an important fruit served to customers as fresh-cut fruit, juice, ice cream and yogurts in many fruit juice joints, restaurants and hotels in Ghana. However, the crop's highly seasonal and perishable nature is a challenge for food processors and farmers. Preservation of the fruit in dry particulate form can serve as a substitute in off-seasons. The study sought to determine mango fruit powder production prospects at the farm level and explore its potential use as a substitute during the off-season. Farmer groups and food enterprises were therefore interviewed. The study showed that Keitt and Kent varieties were the most cultivated varieties because of market demand and high yield. However, an average annual fruit loss of 29.8% at the farm level was observed. Postharvest extension delivery service to farmers is inadequate, and where available, frequency of contact is irregular. A limited number of farmers received training in fruit processing; and few were engaged in transformational value addition activities but were willing to add value through processing into powder. Probit regression analysis showed that a unit increase in training would increase transformational farm level value addition into mango fruit powder by 22.9%. The majority of the food enterprises source fruits within Ghana while 79% experienced mango fruit shortage in the off-seasons. Only a few of the enterprises used mango fruit-based substitutes to serve customers in off-seasons. Probit regression analysis showed that a marginal increase in processors' use of substitute significantly (p=0.05) increased willingness to use mango fruit powder as a substitute by 47%. The study has revealed that local production of mango fruit powder could serve as a substitute to fill the seasonal gap in mango supply and also reduce post-harvest losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate-Smart Agricultural (CSA) practices are crucial in managing climatic shocks faced by smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. However, evidence on the socio-psychological drivers of farmers' adoption of CSA practices remains limited. This study employed the Theory of Planned Behavior framework to analyze smallholder farmers' intention and adoption behavior toward CSA practices in rural Ghana. The study sampled 350 smallholder farmers from the Upper East and North-East Regions of Ghana and employed the Structural Equation Model to understand smallholder farmers' intention and adoption behavior toward CSA practices. Results showed that farmers' attitudes (notably their beneficial evaluation of CSA practices) had a significant impact (0.25) on their intention to adopt CSA practices. Social pressure exerted on farmers to use CSA practices (Subjective norm) also had a significant impact (0.52) on farmers' adoption behavior. Perceived behavior control which measures the controllability and use of CSA practices also had a significant impact on both the intention (0.43) and adoption behavior (0.20) of smallholder farmers. Findings highlight the role socio-psychological factors play in explaining the adoption of CSA practices in rural Ghana. We recommend the need to create awareness of CSA practices by sharing relevant information more widely on CSA practices through community leaders, chief farmers, assembly members, and clan heads in order to exert influence on farmer's adoption of CSA practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By 2050, the youth population in Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) is expected to exceed 60%. To contain the ensuing youth bulge, reduce unemployment and 'flight' from rural areas, and increase agricultural productivity, countries seek policies to enhance youth engagement in agriculture. However, orthodox assumptions and locally-inappropriate policies keep youth engagement low. We use qualitative enquiry with focus group discussions and key informant interviews in Ghana and Malawi to examine youth strengths, aspirations, barriers to sustainable agriculture intensification (SAI), and implications for enhancing their inclusion. We further examine the potential of three equity-analysis tools to guide decision making on youth-inclusive SAI. Findings show that youth face limited access to land and capital, limited involvement in decision making and in farmer/development groups, and negative attitudes from community members and officials. Land access was complex, mediated by land-inheritance system, land type, population pressures, culture, and land markets. Land-access problems were acute in matrilineal Malawi, particularly for young men. Decision makers attested to the relevance and usefulness of selected youth-equity analysis tools, and to positive training outcomes on awareness, knowledge, and skills in using them. We contribute context-specific evidence on youth's positive contributions in SAI and the need to recognize them with more targeted and location-differentiated interventions on resources access, including land. Findings also inform the quest for pathways to move the youth-agriculture/SAI debate into tangible actions from below, equipped with youth-analysis tools for decision makers to foster youth-inclusive SAI in Ghana, Malawi, and other countries with similar contexts. • Qualitative study of youths in SAI; Ghana, Malawi: strengths, barriers, implications. • Adverse views about youth undervalue productive potential, weaken sustainability. • Varied sociocultural, economic, institutional, structural barriers limit youth-inclusive SAI. • Varied factors mediate land access barrier; acute in matrilineal Malawi, male youth. • Participatory data collection tools can guide decisions on youth-inclusive SAI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Spodoptera frugiperda was considered an insect pest only in the Americas until its first report in African countries in 2016. In this study, farmers and agricultural officials in Ghana were interviewed on their perceptions and knowledge of the pest, on infestation and maize yield variations across years, and on management practices. Farms were inspected to determine the infestation level of 100 plants per hectare. Interviews revealed that farmers were familiar with the larval stages of this pest and noticed that the pest occurred throughout the year, but populations of S. frugiperda increased only during cropping seasons. Infestation levels reported by farmers in surveys were much lower in 2018 (30.38%) than in 2017 (80.92%). Farm inspections confirmed that infestation levels were much lower in 2018 (20.90%) than 2017 (73.70%). The belt formed by Guinea Savannah, Transitional Zone, and Semi-Deciduous Forest Agro-Ecological Zones (AEZs) recorded the highest infestations while the lowest were observed from the Sudan Savannah and Tropical Rain Forest AEZs. Insecticides were the most commonly used tactic to manage populations of this new pest. Maize yields increased across Ghana between 2013 and 2015 from 1.52 to 1.73 t/ha, decreased between 2015 and 2017 to 1.55 t/ha, and increased to 1.69 t/ha in 2018. The impact of fall armyworm injury to maize production is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Few smallholder farmers in Ashanti and Brong Ahafo communities have registered trees on their farms. • Tree registration could help to reduce elite capture of forestry sector benefits in Ghana. • Filial and community piety constrain farmers' contestation of elite capture of forestry benefits. • Assistance from the state or NGOs must be provided to help smallholder farmers secure tree tenure. The regularization of rights to commercial tree species, or "tree registration," is being promoted by the State (Forestry Commission of Ghana) and non-governmental organizations in Ghana to help minimize elite capture of forestry benefits. Our study examines smallholder farmers' response to tree registration in selected Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Region communities. Responses are considered in light of persistent constraints farmers endure, including crop damage from tree felling and non-remission (to communities from timber concessionaires) of social responsibility agreement (SRA) benefits. Nearly one-half of farmers said trees had been removed from their farms resulting in crop damage, but virtually no one could verify SRA benefits. Most farmers were unaware of tree titling, and no one had completed the registration process. The multilayered landownership and tree tenure structures in Ghana make registering difficult, if not impossible for smallholder farmers, many of whom are without the requisite social or financial capital, to follow through on instructions given to complete registration. Respondents cite a number of benefits gained by registering such as reductions in non-consensual chainsaw timber felling. However, filial and community piety (the obligation to respect and honor one's family and extended relations) may undermine farmers' use of statutory empowerment (gained through registration) to minimize elite capture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we build on the diverse discussions on the nexus between artisanal and small-scale mining and agriculture to examine emerging relationships between mining operators, smallholder cocoa farmers, and landowners in rural cocoa-growing communities. Empirically, we draw on fresh insights from in-depth interviews with loosely coupled chain actors in Ghana's cocoa and mining sectors, we found what we call 'coerced to sell' strategies deployed by miners in the acquisition of farmlands for their operations. We go further to shed light on the employment trajectories of the new breed of landless farmers, and the emerging diversification strategies of landowners. Implications of our findings for the policy and practice of ASM and farmlands are outlined. • We examine the emerging relationships between mining operators, smallholder cocoa farmers, and landowners in rural Ghana. • We found what we call 'coerced to sell' strategies deployed by miners in the acquisition of farmlands. • We chart the employment trajectories of landless farmers and their diversification strategies. • Implications of our findings for the policy and practice of ASM are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global food security challenges demand an understanding of farmers' gendered practices and perspectives. This research draws on data from a quantitative survey and qualitative methods to explore gender differences related to farmers' practices, perceptions, and knowledge of pesticides and other pest management practices in tomato growing regions of Ghana and Mali. A pathways approach based on participatory mapping integrates findings and reveals gender differences in labor and knowledge at different stages of tomato production. Farmers in both countries are heavily reliant on pesticides, but there are also differences in pest management knowledge and practices between them. In Mali, farmers are more familiar with Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices, but less aware of potential health risks of pesticides and more likely to engage in dangerous agro-chemical practices. In both countries, women are significantly less aware of pesticide dangers and IPM techniques than men and exposed to pesticides though a variety of pathways. We argue that the gender division of labor and differences in access to resources, information, and power between the two sites leads to gendered pesticide exposure pathways that are often unseen by the biological scientists who tend to focus on the field. Gender inequalities in knowledge and unsafe practices were particularly apparent in Mali compared to Ghana, possibly due to the lower literacy rates and decision making power of women and their narrower range of involvement in tomato production. The article concludes with gender sensitive recommendations to improve IPM research methods, trainings, and technology diffusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study traces the trajectory of policy responses to food insecurity in northern Ghana. Historically, the path to agricultural development has been narrowly focused upon deploying technology to increase per capita food production. In the contemporary context, there is a renewed focus on a ‘Green Revolution’ type of agriculture. Combining village-level fieldwork and geographical perspectives in political ecology, this paper investigates farmer responses to these forms of agricultural intensification. It is argued that input-intensive agriculture is deeply contradictory in the northern Ghanaian context. Agricultural intensification is not only ill-suited to the prevailing political economy and ecology of production, but also undermines small farmers’ agency in solving day-to-day farming problems. The findings further reveal how high-input technologies, especially hybrid seeds, are politicized even at the household level of production. From a policy perspective, the findings suggest the strong need to encourage food security initiatives that are sensitive to local context, existing farmer knowledge, and social relations of production. More broadly, the paper contributes to the ongoing debates concerning the form and necessity for a ‘new Green Revolution’ in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Effective adaptation to climate change and variability is contingent on the perceptions of farmers and the ability of policy makers to merge these with scientific knowledge systems. The study examined the differentiated knowledge, experiences and perceptions of small traditional farmers and modern commercial farmers and their adaptation influences using qualitative interviews. Farmers generally have very clear ideas of the trends in the parameters of climate change as they relate to farm productivity and other livelihoods. Commercial farmers had a better understanding of the science of climate change, but small farmers presented a localised explanation of observed climate changes. Non-climate factors influenced adaptation of both groups of farmers. The capacities of small farmers are lower than their commercial counterparts, but the risks associated with commercial farming are much higher owing to higher investments in uncertain physical and economic conditions. Differentiated policies are needed at climate proofing the investments and efforts of farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides an analysis of environmental observations by farmers, as well as of models of blame in Northern Ghana, an agricultural region of high vulnerability to climate change. Qualitative data were collected through a standardised questionnaire on the community's consensus on how to explain observed changes. Responses were transcribed to allow content analysis. Natural data sets confirmed most local observations, but older age and the affectedness of the respondents were crucial in determining the views. Climate change was generally given a lower priority by the respondents compared to other manifestations of change, such as infrastructural development, human-spiritual relations and changes in social relations. Moreover, the respondents made reference to the blessing of the land and the destruction of the land. The destruction of the land was understood in a metaphorical way as the result of eroding social relationships and stagnation, as well as norm-breaking and lack of unity within the community. Thus, climate change was perceived in local social terms rather than based on global natural science knowledge. The article concludes that the anthropological analysis is meaningful and may serve as an entry point for further planning of adaptation and public education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Smallholder farmers prefer maize production practices having sustainable intensification attributes to their current practices. • Smallholder farmers' preferences are driven by several maize production technology attributes including grain yield, yield stability, soil fertility, nutrition, and cash requirement. • Smallholder farmers are heterogeneous in preferences of maize production technology attributes. While sustainable intensification has been aggressively promoted as an agricultural development strategy among smallholder farmers since the beginning of the last decade, there is a dearth of evidence on whether farmers are interested in practicing it and how much value they put to its different components. This study aims at analyzing farmers' preferences for maize production technologies within the lens of sustainable intensification. Employing a discrete choice experiment to generate over 12,500 observations from a sample of about 700 maize-producing households in northern Ghana, we analyze farmers' preferences with respect to five domains of sustainable intensification including productivity, economic, human, environmental, and social conditions. We find that farmers are favorably disposed to maize-based cropping systems that align with the domains of sustainable intensification over their current cropping practices. While farmers value all the sustainable intensification attributes considered in the study, we observe substantial heterogeneities among them in the pooled sample and in the sub-samples between regions and gender categories. The findings suggest that sustainable intensification is not just a fad within the academic and research circles but something farmers are interested in and that development actions are more likely to succeed when they consider preference heterogeneities among farmers and adapt to local conditions. The findings can be used to set an evaluation criterion in designing and testing technologies (or a mix of technologies) for sustainable maize production among smallholder farmers in northern Ghana as well as similar socio-cultural and agroecological settings, supporting national and regional level efforts for R&D prioritization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The revival of cocoa farming in the Forest-Savannah Transition Zone (FSTZ) of Ghana despite high production risk raises questions on the factors underlying it, and whether the renewed interest in cocoa can be sustained. This paper examines the reasons that underlie households' decision to farm cocoa or otherwise in the FSTZ, and how risk perceptions, demographic factors and livelihood assets predict such crop choice decisions. Methods of data collection include household surveys and key informant interviews. Four hundred and eight household heads and 32 key informants were interviewed in 12 farming communities. Findings indicate divergent crop choice decisions on cocoa among farming households. While market security generally created a strong incentive for cocoa farming, some households exhibited risk aversion by avoiding or abandoning cocoa farming. The decision to farm cocoa was negatively predicted by perceptions of drought and lack of money as the most severe risk factors of cocoa farming, the sex of the household head (being a female) and lack of land ownership and social network with cocoa farmers. Currently, it appears the renewed interest in cocoa farming can be sustained, especially considering market uncertainties for alternative crops (cashew and food crops). This may, however, not be the case in the long term. More households are likely to avoid or abandon cocoa farming if climate and food security risks should worsen as projected, and more so if the cashew market is stabilised by government. Cocoa investment programmes in the FSTZ aiming at long-term sustainability ought to target households that are more likely to farm cocoa under high production risk. Such programmes may also attract new farmers and sustain their interest in cocoa farming by enhancing their access to land, capital, and irrigation facilities (for managing drought). At the moment, crop diversification (towards cashew and food crops) rather than crop switching is needed to manage the climate, market and food security risks confronting farmers. Overall, the paper contributes to a better understanding of the determinants of farmers' crop choice decisions on cocoa in the context of multiple risks. • Crop choice decisions were examined using surveys and key informant interviews. • Market security offers a strong incentive for farming cocoa despite high yield risk. • Risk aversion towards cocoa farming is marginal but predicted to escalate. • The odds of farming cocoa are predicted by perceived risk and socioeconomic factors. • Crop diversification and livelihood assets are key to sustaining cocoa farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest conversion for farming remains an issue of scientific and societal concern due to its growing impacts on biodiversity and climate change. Therefore, scientists and policymakers emphasise the urgent need to find a balance between forest conservation and agriculture. Meanwhile, across tropical Africa, subsistence farmers account for nearly two-thirds of forest conversion to farms annually. These farmers' perceptions and experiences about forest conversion may offer alternative perspectives about the problem and how to tackle it. However, such viewpoints remain scanty in the sustainable forestry literature. This paper employs narrative policy analysis to disentangle the stories that underpin farming by forest-fringe communities (FFCs) in protected forests. The FFCs' narratives were identified through fieldwork in 12 forest communities of Southwestern Ghana and juxtaposed with forest regulators and cocoa sector actors' narrativization of forest conversion in Ghana. The results indicate that a combination of factors incite FFCs to farm in protected forests, but the perceived need to respond to food insecurity is the most crucial factor. In the absence of strong grassroots organisations, FFCs cannot convey this crucial need to the forest policy arena, leaving it largely unaddressed in forest policy. Thus, forest encroachment has become a tool for FFCs to resist forest conservation, and generally, as a means for their survival. The paper proposes food security corridors (FSCs) as an integrated landscape management option that can enable FFCs and other policy actors to negotiate and institute food security and conservation goalswithin communities trapped in blocks of forest reserves. The potential FSCs hold to overcome forest conversion for subsistence farming can be unleashed when governments, development partners invest to refine and pilot the concept. Overall, the paper contributes to the land-use conflict literature, showing how context-specific food insecurity can accelerate deforestation. Forestry sector actors need to guard against oversimplifying their assumptions about forest conversion in order to find pragmatic and sustainable solutions to the problem. • Smallholder farmers account for about 65% of forest conversion to farmlands in tropical Africa. • The experiences of these farmers have often been neglected in forest policy formulation. • Disentangling the farmers' narratives show food insecurity is most crucial reason why they farm in protected forests. • Food security corridors offer an opportunity to produce food permanently in forest-fringe communities. • Governments and development agencies need to invest to refine and pilot FSCs in communites trapped by protected forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Participation in IMT schemes can significantly enhance rice yield and income. • Participation in IMT schemes is affected by both observed and unobserved drivers. • Water availability at critical stages of production improves yield and net returns. • Productive farmers have comparative advantage in irrigation water productivity. • Improvement in water supply is perceived to increase yield and net returns. This article analyses smallholder irrigation management transfer (IMT) scheme participation and its impacts on yield and net farm returns of rice farmers in northern Ghana. We apply the endogenous switching regression and control function approaches to account for both observed and unobserved policy-relevant drivers of farmers' decision to participate in IMT and potential endogeneity. Our results show that farmers' participation in the IMT scheme can enhance their rice yields by 39.56 % and net farm returns by 24.52 % in Ghana. The increased in yield and net returns are linked to the perceived improvement in water supply and availability of water at critical stages of production as well as personal, farm, institutional and location characteristics. Farmers' decision to operate under IMT schemes are influenced by both observed and unobserved drivers. Large scale rice production tends to be viable under IMT schemes. We discuss the policy implications of IMT scheme participation and recommend succinct policies based on its impact on the welfare of smallholder farmers in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sustainable agricultural practices (SAP) can limit degradation of essential ecosystems. • However, its adoption is low in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Ghana. • A significant proportion of farmers show a high level of knowledge on SAP. • Socioeconomic, farm-specific and institutional factors drive SAP adoption. • Participation in field demonstration and saving groups should be encouraged. Serious attention should be given to the low adoption rates of what appears to be relatively simple sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) that have the potential to protect the environment, enrich soil nutrients, restrict the depletion of essential ecosystem resources and increase farm productivity. Using primary data from 320 sampled agricultural households in two districts of Northern Ghana, multivariate probit (MVP) and zero-truncated Poisson models were applied to identify the determinants of SAP adoption and adoption intensity, respectively. From the MVP analysis, the study found that some SAP components are complementary, while others are substitutes. Furthermore, the results of the MVP regression indicate that non-farm income, livestock ownership, pest and disease prevalence, farmers' experience of erosion, farmers' perception of poor soil fertility, participation in field demonstration, membership of saving groups, access to agricultural credit, plot ownership, and distance to the agricultural input market are important determinants of adoption of SAP. With zero-truncated Poisson, the study found that factors such as farm size, participation in field demonstration, ownership of livestock and access to agricultural credit significantly influenced the intensity of SAP adoption. The study therefore recommended that policies should target institutional and plot-specific characteristics to improve and intensify the adoption of SAPs as they condition the need for adoption and the extent of adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We study the association of landownership with agency and achievements. • Landownership is positively associated with women and men's agency in agriculture. • Yet, gender gaps in agency persist among those who own land. • Landownership alone may not suffice to reduce the gender gaps in agriculture. Land provides the basis for food production and is an indispensable input for economic livelihoods in rural areas. Landownership is strongly associated with social and economic power. This holds not only across communities and households, but also within households. The link between landownership and women's empowerment has been relatively well documented in general, but not specifically in relation to agriculture. This paper aims to fill this gap by analyzing how self-reported primary ownership of land is associated with agency and achievements in agriculture among female and male farmers in northern Ghana. We use a recursive bivariate probit model on indicators in four domains: decisions on agricultural cultivation, decisions on farm income, agricultural association membership, and time allocation. Our empirical estimates indicate that primary landownership is positively correlated with decisions on agricultural cultivation. Yet, we also find that the gender gaps in participation in cultivation decisions and the use of agricultural earnings continue to persist among male and female primary landowners. Our findings underscore the importance of land in enhancing women's agency, but also point out that policies aiming to encourage women to become primary landowners (solely or jointly with their spouses) may not suffice to reduce gender inequality in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses cocoa farmers’ perception on climate change and adaptation strategies in the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana. Better understanding of these perceptions would help identify knowledge gaps of cocoa farmers on climate change, and would help equip them with the requisite knowledge and skills on climate change and improve cocoa yields. The study is based on a cross-sectional survey of 240 cocoa farmers selected from six cocoa growing communities. Logit model is used to estimate factors influencing climate change adaptation strategies among cocoa farmers in the study area. The results of the study reveal that cocoa farmers perceive long-term changes in climatic variables which indicate their awareness of climate change and the impact on cocoa production. The adaptation strategies use by cocoa farmers in the study area includes planting of improved varieties of cocoa, increasing pesticide and fertilizer application, crop diversification, diversification to non-farm activities and planting of trees for shade. Gender, marital status, educational level, household size, engagement in other economic activities, farming experience, access to extension services, access to credit/loan, and cocoa income influence the cocoa farmers’ choice of adaptation strategies. The study suggests that the government of Ghana should develop more effective climate change adaptation strategies as well as improve dissemination of information to farmers through extension agents in order to increase adoption of effective climate change adaptation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing industries in the fisheries sector of Ghana, serving as a source of protein, food security, employment creation, economic growth and poverty reduction strategy. The aim of this paper is to assess the awareness level and perception as well as adaptation strategies adopted by small scale aquafarmers on climate change. Climatological data, namely, temperature, rainfall and relative humidity were collected for the period 1989–2015 from the Ghana Meteorological Agency and analysed to determine the trends. The study adopted stratification and simple random sampling technique in obtaining 40 respondents (aquafarmers and other stakeholders) from the Sunyani Aquaculture Zone through questionnaires administration. The analysis of the data utilised descriptive statistics. Findings of this study indicate that there have been significant changes in temperature, rainfall and relative humidity patterns. Aquafarmers have considerable knowledge on climate change from sources such as radio (36%), schools (24%) and television (20%). A number of adaptation strategies are employed by aquafarmers to deal with climate change, including, water management, construction of bore-holes, sitting farms close to water bodies, adjusting fish stocking time, and creation of embankment to avoid floods. Aquaculture extension education should be carried out regularly to enhance aquafarmers adaptation responses to the existing and potential negative impacts of climate change which is a threat to aquaculture production and sustainable livelihood. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]