Gender Differentials in the Adoption of Drought-Tolerant Maize Varieties among Farmers in the Northern Region of Ghana

H I M Gaya ,A S Bamire ,Ayodeji Damilola Kehinde ,Asif Ali Tahir ,F.j Ibrahim

doi:10.7176/jbah/11-20-04

Abstract

This study examined gender differences in farmers’ adoption of drought-tolerant maize (DTM) varieties in northern region of Ghana. Specifically, it described the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers by gender; determined their rate of adoption of the DTM varieties; and analyzed the factors affecting the rate of adoption of the varieties. The study was conducted in the Northern region of Ghana. Simple random sampling technique was used to obtain data from 600 respondents, comprising 551 males and 49 females. Data were collected with the use of a survey questionnaire that contained questions on respondents’ socio-economic characteristics such as age, years of schooling, household size, farm size, access to credit, level of awareness and adoption of DTM varieties and extension contact, among others. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and probit regression model. The results for the entire respondents showed average values of 49.75 years for age, 10.8 for household size, with a significant difference (p<0.05) between male and female farmers for each of the variables. Average farm size of 3.38 ha, with a significant difference (p<0.01) between male and female farmers for the variables. The adoption rate of DTM was 13.3% in the entire sample with a significant difference (p<0.05) between male (13.4%) and female farmers (12.2%). The determinants of adoption of DTM varieties for both male and female farmers were age of the household head, education, source of seed, and level of awareness, specific to male farmers was educational status of the respondents while farm size was specific to female famers. It was concluded that policy strategies aimed at improving the uptake of DTM varieties must consider equality in male and female farmers’ access to resources such as credit, labour and land. Keywords: Gender, Drought-tolerant, Maize varieties, Adoption, Ghana. DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/11-20-04 Publication date: October 31 st 2021

Highlights

Maize is an important cereal crop in Ghana accounting for 50% to 60% of its current cereal production (Morris et al, 2001; Akramov and Malek, 2012)
This paper aimed to study the gender differentials in the adoption of drought-tolerant maize (DTM) varieties in the Northern part of Ghana
The average land area allocated to DTM varieties was 2.3±1.7 ha for the entire sample, with no significant difference between male farmers (2.3±1.7) ha and female farmers (2.0±1.3) ha

Summary

Introduction

Maize is an important cereal crop in Ghana accounting for 50% to 60% of its current cereal production (Morris et al, 2001; Akramov and Malek, 2012). Due to the eroding profitability of many cash crops such as oil palm and cocoa, maize attracted the attention of commercial farmers. Though it has not achieved the economic importance of these cash crops, it is major source of food and income to the teeming populace. The per capita consumption of maize was estimated to be 44 kg/person/year. This led to 1.83% increase in the aggregate demand per annum with 5.4kg per person increase per year. Others are infestation by the parasitic weed (Striga hermonthica) and foliar diseases of maize (Sserunkuuma et al, 2001)

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Discussion

Conclusion