Do Consumer Opinions Matter? Consumer Perception and Purchasing Decisions of Greenhouse Vegetables in Ghana

Abstract

The pursuit to achieve zero hunger and food security of the Sustainable Development Goal-2 (SDG-2) is leading to a massive transformation of conventional food production systems into innovative systems of agriculture, such as greenhouse farming across the globe. However, empirical studies on consumers’ opinions and choices of greenhouse products are scanty, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. This study, therefore, bridges this knowledge gap by assessing consumer perception and purchasing behavior of greenhouse vegetables in Ghana. Data on 400 greenhouse vegetable consumers was solicited and analyzed using the perception index and multivariate ordered probit (MOP) model. The perception analyses show positive consumer perceptions of the environment and health attributes but negative on the affordability attribute of greenhouse farming. The MOP shows that consumer’s personal features and attributes of greenhouse technology are the key drivers of the consumption intensity of greenhouse vegetables. The findings have implications for government interventions to spur investment in greenhouse technology for affordable vegetable products.