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IntroductionIn Ghana and comparable developing countries, advancing farm investments and adopting innovative rice farming techniques encounters obstacles because of climate change. Smallholder farming households, affected by climate events, confront substantial risks that affect both agricultural returns and investment decisions.MethodsThis research evaluates the enduring impact of fluctuating weather patterns in a single-cropping agroecological region on rice yields, examining the consequent influence on the utilization of inorganic fertilizers and agricultural input investment among rain-fed households, investigating disparities, reasons, and underlying mechanisms. The research used panel data from 60 communities, employing regression analysis and probability models. It integrated monthly cropping season weather data across the study zone's grid cells for community-level time series analysis.Results and discussionThe results suggest that while weather shocks have a minimal impact on farmers abandoning inorganic fertilizers altogether, they do significantly decrease the overall amount of fertilizer used, agricultural investments, and rice crop yields. Floods and severe shocks exert a more pronounced influence compared to droughts and moderate shocks. Off-farm employment aids households in recovering from these shocks and maintaining agricultural investments. Climate shocks impact agricultural investment by reducing farm household income via altering crop yield and revenue. Consequently, this disrupts their ability to save, resulting in financial constraints. Encouraging and sustaining farm investments in vulnerable agrosystems involves diversifying income sources through combined crop and livestock farming, supplemented by off-farm activities. This strategy is fortified by climate-resilient farming practices, including resilient crop varieties supported by irrigation, weather insurance, and risk-oriented credit.

The continuous increase in the population remains a challenge as the demand for food also increases at a greater pace than food production. This study sought to examine the determinants of food security in Ghana using the Ghana Living Standard Survey round seven (GLSS 7) data. Households' food security was measured using a food consumption score (FCS). A partial proportional odds model (PPO) was employed to analyse the drivers of household food security in Ghana. The results showed that being a male household head, engaging in farming, and leaving in rural areas decrease the household's chances of falling into poor and borderline food consumption poverty. The study, therefore, concluded that households in Ghana may be food-consumption-poor due to factors such as low level of education, employment status, and the location of the household, that is being in a rural area. Policies that provide employment and bridge the rural-urban divide, increasing access to education, particularly, nutrition education will enhance household food security status.

Research background: The threat from climate change remains a major concern especially for developing economies like Ghana. Hence, agricultural practices that are environmentally friendly and improves soil health are very necessary for building resilience. Purpose of the article: The present study investigated the determinants of conservation agricultural practices in northern Ghana as well as the effect of these practices on soil health for sustainable production. Methods: Using cross-sectional data collected by the International food policy research institute from 1284 households, a multivariate probit model was first performed to identify the determinants of conservation agricultural practices while the inverse probability weighted regression adjustment was employed to establish the effect of conservation agricultural practices on soil health. Findings & value added: Results from the multivariate probit model showed that socioeconomic and institutional factors as well as different household-specific factors, influence farmer’s decisions to engage in various conservation agricultural practices. Crop rotation, fallowing, contour ploughing or pit planting and manure application were found to have a positive effect on soil health through improved resilience to soil erosion. The study concludes that conservation agricultural practices will be useful in Ghana’s quest of achieving zero hunger since the conservation agricultural practices ensure that food is produced for the present generations without compromising the soil health for further productions. Hence, the current Ghanaian government’s flagship programme dubbed ‘planting for food and jobs’ should include conservation agriculture as a priority module in its framework so that households could both increase their output while maintaining the quality of the soil.

PurposeThe study examined Covid-19 vaccinations intentions among literate Ghanaians and how it is been influenced by vaccine mistrust and the fear of the unforeseen side effects.Design/methodology/approachWe used cross sectional data collected from 223 respondents by means of questionnaire disseminated through social media from 16th to 20th April, 2021. Likert-scale questions were asked regarding the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of literate Ghanaians towards COVID-19 vaccines. Kruskal-Wallis and sample t-test were performed to ascertain the differences in vaccination intentions between key socioeconomic variables. A pairwise correlation was performed to examine the relationship between vaccination intensions and fear of the unforeseen, mistrust of the vaccine and concerns of profiteering. Finally, a binary probit regression model was fitted to examine the predictive effect of key variables on respondent's vaccination intentions.FindingsThe results revealed a relatively low level of knowledge about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines. The sample t-test showed that males have a relatively positive attitude towards the COVID-19 vaccines than females at 5% level of significance. Mistrust of vaccine safety and efficacy have a significant negative influence on vaccination intensions at 1% significance level.Originality/valueThis study provides the Ghanaian government and other stakeholders with useful information to aid in educational campaigns on the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine. More campaign efforts towards females could help increase uptake given their relatively poor attitudes towards the vaccine.

Many studies have investigated the effects of large-scale land acquisition (LSLA) on livelihood, while the effects of LSLA by different actors on investment decisions and levels of investment have largely gone without academic scrutiny. Consequently, information concerning the implications of LSLA by actors on investment is scarce in the literature pertaining to policy. Drawing on information from 664 households selected through a multistage sampling technique, this study examined the relationship between direct and indirect exposure to LSLA by domestic and foreign entities and investment in land-improving techniques. The results show a bi-directional relationship between LSLA and household farm investments. While direct and indirect exposure to LSLA by domestic and foreign entities dissipates some forms of farm investments, the reverse causality is also possible where some household farm investments discourage direct and indirect exposure to LSLA by domestic and foreign entities. The results also revealed that LSLA by domestic and foreign entities dissipates investment in all levels of land- and yield-improving techniques, and even in the presence of a high perception of tenure security. Thus, the provision of legal ownership of land to farmers can provide insurance for investments in all land-improving techniques. Government can also step up the fertilizer subsidy program to enable households to increase investment to avoid further exposure to LSLA.

Abstract This study employs stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) correcting for sample selection bias, to determine technical efficiency (TE) and technology gap using cross-sectional data collected from 543 rice farmers in Northern Ghana. The results showed that corrected sample selection TE estimates were marginally higher. Without the appropriate corrections, inefficiency is overestimated, while the gap in performance between irrigation farmers and their rainfed counterparts is underestimated. We recommend that authorities in Ghana should work with development partners, especially in the implementation of small village-dam projects, and also to expand the existing irrigation schemes. Bunds should also be constructed around rice production valleys across northern Ghana so that farmers could expand their farm sizes to increase production. It is important also that the government’s input subsidy programme be structured to cater for experienced and younger farmers who consider agriculture as a business.

The determinants of agricultural extension communication channel usage depend on several factors but have not been explored in the context of emergency (Fall Armyworm outbreak) and non-emergency situations. A multistage purposive sampling technique was used to select 318 farmers, focusing on the districts and the communities with the highest reported cases of fall armyworm infestation. Descriptive statistics and a multivariate probit analysis were used in the analysis of the data. The results showed an increase in the intensity of channels’ usage in the emergency situation. It was also found that fertilizer and improved seeds were the most common extension need. Channels are found to be more complementary in the emergency case. In both situations, some factors explaining the choices of these channels varied, while others agreed. The study recommends multiple channels are made available and that time-consuming channels irrespective of their effectiveness should be avoided by extensionists in emergency situations.

Improved rice production techniques are being promoted in Ghana as a way of enhancing sustainable productivity among farmers. Despite the important role that the adoption of improved rice production technologies plays in improving output, very few studies, especially in the context of Northern Ghana, have been conducted to analyse the factors influencing their intensive adoption. In this study, we compared the results of negative binomial, Poisson and zero inflated Poisson (ZIP) models to analyse the determinants of intensity of adoption of improved rice production techniques, using primary data collected from 543 rice farmers in the Upper East and Northern regions of Ghana. Based on model diagnostics, we accept the results of the ZIP model. The empirical results confirm the relevance of technology demonstration fields, farmers’ experience, training, and sex of the farmer in enhancing and sustaining the adoption of improved agricultural technologies. Household extension method, research and extension, and farm size should also be considered in promoting the adoption of improved practices among rice farmers since these covariates had significant relationship with the intensity of adopting improved agricultural technologies.