Abstract
At the onset of climate change, the adoption of soil and water conservation (SWC) techniques in Africa sub of the Sahara has become even more crucial. The study aimed at estimating the determinants and effects of SWC adoption. The data was obtained from the Ghana Agriculture Production Survey (GAPS), a national level survey conducted by Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture with technical and financial support from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). A total sample size of 1,530 farm households selected from 20 districts across Ghana was used. The Poisson model was employed to estimate the determinants of adoption of SWC technology while the stochastic frontier model was used to analyze the effects of SWC technology adoption on technical efficiency. The study found that SWC adoption significantly affected technical efficiency in maize production. Significant policy variables that were found to positively influence the adoption of SWC techniques included credit, farm size, group membership and proximity to input sale points. Also, credit, education and extension services significantly influenced farmers’ technical efficiency. There is the need for a holist approach to supporting farmers. In general, access to education, extension services and credit must be stepped up. Farmers must also be supported to form farm groups as a viable source of farm labour. Key words: Adoption, poisson model, technical efficiency, soil and water conservation.
Highlights
Sustainable land management is the first pillar of the Comprehensive Africa agriculture program (CAADP), yet as reported by Marenya et al (2012), adoption of improved land management practices remains low
The Poisson model was employed to estimate the determinants of adoption of soil and water conservation (SWC) technology while the stochastic frontier model was used to analyze the effects of SWC technology adoption on technical efficiency
The objectives of this study were to investigate the factors that influenced the adoption of SWC techniques and to determine the effects of adoption on maize output in Ghana
Summary
Sustainable land management is the first pillar of the Comprehensive Africa agriculture program (CAADP), yet as reported by Marenya et al (2012), adoption of improved land management practices remains low. Mindful of the fact that, most agricultural growth in the country has been attributed to land area expansion as opposed to yield increases (MOFA, 2007) improving factor productivity through dissemination of yields-enhancing technology has become a focus for Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture. It is in this light that a study to estimate the determinants and effects of SWC techniques is most relevant. Even though research on the determinants of SWC techniques in other parts of the country abound (Nkegbe et al, 2011), this study which looks at the broader national picture, would provide empirical feedback to research and policy regarding rates of adoption of SWC and how such adoption affects farm yields and factor productivity
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