ABSTRACT Despite the fact that information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been proposed as a means to improve extension delivery in Nigeria, very little has been done to identify the ICT training need of agricultural extension agents. The study examined the ICT training need of agricultural extension agents in Bayelsa and Rivers States of Nigeria. A descriptive survey design, content validated and pretested questionnaire were used to collect data from 100 public extension agents i...
ABSTRACT The main aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which communities in the Gomoa East District participate in improving basic education delivery. Specifically, the study looked at the activities that communities perform and the extent to which they engage in those activities to improve access, infrastructure development and academic performance, as well as ensuring effective monitoring and supervision. The sampled respondents consisted of basic school heads and teachers, ...
ABSTRACT One of the problems accounting for the relatively low level of cocoa production in Ghana is the decline in soil fertility. The Cocoa High Technology Programme (CHTP) was introduced by the Government of Ghana in 2003 with the aim of improving the fertility of the soil thereby increasing the yields and incomes of cocoa farmers. The study was carried out (using a descriptive-correlational survey design) in Birim South, East Akim, Fanteakwah and Birim North districts in the Eastern Reg...
ABSTRACT Despite the growing interest to promote agricultural commercialisation in Burkina Faso, the majority of smallholders are still mainly subsistence-oriented with generally low level of market supply. However, evidence on the key factors that influence agricultural commercialisation and the extent to which it affects rural poverty is still scanty. This study therefore analyses the determinants of smallholders’ market supply and the implications of agricultural commercialisation and fo...
ABSTRACT The limitations of conventional technology development gave birth to Farming Systems Research perspective which look at farming practices from a holistic view. This however has innate flaws in its implementation. Recent emphasis therefore is strengthening the need to appreciate a hitherto neglected indigenous knowledge systems. This indigenous knowledge for instance, has been influencing the indigenous practices associated with small-scale plantain production. Before now Plantain has...
ABSTRACT Lack of credit, especially among small-scale farmers. has been one of the factors that impede the adoption of numerous innovations recommended by Agricultural Extension services in MALI. The situation has been mainly attributed to inadequate establishment of services in areas where poor and marginalized farmers (especially women) live. An unfortunate assumption has been that poor farmers do not save and, therefore. constitute a high credit risk. To address this state of affairs, Sasa...
ABSTRACT The study examined farmers’ perceived effect of urban vegetable production on their livelihoods in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ashanti Region of Ghana. Descriptive survey design was used for the study. Based on a simple random sampling technique, 300 urban vegetable farmers were selected and interviewed for the primary data from mid June to July 2010. The data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 15. From the study, lettuce was the most cultivated ...
ABSTRACT T he s t u dy qu a nt it a t iv el y d et er min e t h e i mp a ct of p ol ic y cha n g es o n t ech n ica l eff ic i ency of s ma ll s ca l e fo o d cr op far mer s in O n do S t a t e, N ige r ia , us ing t h e s t ocha s t ic fr ont i er met h od o lo g y. G iv e n t h e s p eci fica t io ns of t h e C ob b -D ou gl a s S t ocha s t ic fr ont i er mod els , t h e r es u lt s s h o w t ha t t h e ela s t icit y of mea n va lu e of fa r m ou t p u t is a n incr ea s in g fu n ct io ...
ABSTRACT While remaining the most important sector of Ghana’s economy, agriculture in Ghana faces the challenge of making substantial progress in maintaining food security because average yields remain stagnant. This is attributable to limited use of modern inputs, such as fertilizer and improved seed, and due also to the rapid decline in Africa’s soil fertility status. Since its inception in 2008, that is six years to date, Ghana’s fertilizer subsidy programme has undergone a number of...
ABSTRACT The study examined the dissemination and adoption of cocoa production technologies in Ghana The aim was to improve cocoa extension and adoption of technologies to ensure higher yield. The study Identified twenty-five technologies and examined the communication factors that influenced the adoption of the technologies. characteristics and farm related factors were also studied. In addition. the study examined the relationships between the level of adoption of the technologies and backg...
ABSTRACT Rice production plays a critical role in food security of farmers in Central River Region (CRR), The Gambia. Over the past years, the region has experienced a reduction in yield due to perceived climate change negative impacts but limited studies were done in the area on how climate change affect rice production. This study assesses the implications of farmers‘ perceptions, local knowledge and climate change on rice production in the CRR. Two data collection methods namely quantita...
ABSTRACT Low productivity is one of the constraints identified by stakeholders as affecting the production of cassava in Ghana. The West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) aimed at supporting farmers to increase productivity, providing inputs and extension services to a group of farmers during the first phase of the programme. The study assessed the perceived impact of the WAAPP on the livelihood systems of the beneficiary cassava farmers in the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana. De...
ABSTRACT This study examined gender differences in land productivity in cotton production in the Northern Region of Ghana. Data were collected from a sample of two hundred (200) cotton farmers made up of 120 males and 80 females with the help of Cotton Production Assistants. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. The Z test was used to test for the significance in the difference between the mean land productivities of male and female cotton farmers....
ABSTRACT The need to improve upon the performance of the extension worker and hence agriculturalproductivity is evidenced b y the number 0 fn ational agricultural extension programmes held tried since Ghana gained independence in 1957, One of the drawbacks of these programmes is that the long-term desired outcome of improving agricultural productivity has never been met Recent studies have identified incompetence of staff as a major cause of the poor performance of organizations, This study w...
ABSTRACT Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 120 respondents out of which 113 responded. The respondents were made up of 70 cocoa cooperators and 43 cocoa non-cooperators from five communities in the study area. A well designed questionnaire was used to collect data. The collected data were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, means and I-test analysis. The study showed that that the mean ages of cooperators and non- cooperators were 58 years and 64 years respectively...