Safeguarding food security through large-scale adoption of agricultural production technologies: The case of greenhouse farming in Ghana

Abstract

Africa risk achieving its food security target due to the predominance of open field rain-fed production systems, worsening climate change impacts, environmentally unsustainable agronomic practices and low productivity. Large scale adoption of new and clean production technologies can overcome these challenges and increase productivity in an environmentally sustainable manner. However, large scale technological adoption faces several research, policy and financial challenges which must be identified and resolved. Despite the introduction of greenhouse technology in Ghana more than a decade ago to ensure sustained domestic supply of vegetables throughout the year, importation of vegetables has continued to increase. This study sought to address the problem of low adoption of greenhouse technology by investigating the barriers to their large scale adoption as well as associated opportunities. For the first time, stakeholders in research and academia, policy and business communities were consulted through questionnaire administration and personal communication to address this problem. Secondary data such as policy documents, strategies and plans of relevant ministries and allied institutions were reviewed. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis approaches were employed to process and analyse the data. The results revealed that, barriers to large scale adoption of the technology pertained to unsuitability of existing greenhouse designs to Ghana's climatic and other biophysical conditions, lack of locally adapted seeds, low technical expertise to manage the production process, high utility charges, lack of access to finance/credit and limited collaboration between initiatives of relevant ministries and also between ministries, research and business communities. These results call for a stronger collaboration between the three communities in (i) establishing a local fabrication industry, (ii) developing locally adapted seeds and solutions for pest and disease management, (iii) developing skills and enhancing capacity and extension services, (iv) value addition and marketing and (v) improving access to finance/credit for young entrepreneurs.