Yaya Keho

Bio: Yaya Keho is an academic researcher from CGIAR. The author has contributed to research in topics: Tobit model. The author has an hindex of 3, co-authored 3 publications receiving 40 citations.

Investing in agrochemicals in the cocoa sector of Côte d’Ivoire: hypotheses, evidence and policy implications

Abstract: This paper presents empirical evidence to show how socioeconomic factors affect the adoption of and investment in agrochemicals in the cocoa sector of Cote d’Ivoire. The analysis uses primary farm-level data collected in 2002 from a nationally representative sample of more than one thousand cocoa farmers. The study describes the status of the adoption of various chemical inputs and uses a multiplicative heteroscedastic Tobit model to identify and quantify the impact of the socioeconomic environment on the incentive to invest. The results generally show that farmer, household and village characteristics are all important in explaining the farmers’ decisions. The paper concludes by outlining a number of implications for strategic targeting of farmers and locations. These should serve as entry points for a successful diffusion of efficient pest, disease and soil management programs.

Investing in agrochemicals in the cocoa sector of Côte d’Ivoire: hypotheses, evidence and policy implications

Abstract: This paper presents empirical evidence to show how socioeconomic factors affect the adoption of and investment in agrochemicals in the cocoa sector of Cote d’Ivoire. The analysis uses primary farm-level data collected in 2002 from a nationally representative sample of more than one thousand cocoa farmers. The study describes the status of the adoption of various chemical inputs and uses a multiplicative heteroscedastic Tobit model to identify and quantify the impact of the socioeconomic environment on the incentive to invest. The results generally show that farmer, household and village characteristics are all important in explaining the farmers’ decisions. The paper concludes by outlining a number of implications for strategic targeting of farmers and locations. These should serve as entry points for a successful diffusion of efficient pest, disease and soil management programs.

L'évolution des vergers de cacaoyers en Côte d'Ivoire entre 1995 et 2002

Abstract: Le but de cette communication est de presenter les enseignements d'une comparaison entre deux enquetes portant sur les systemes de production en zone cacaoyere de Cote d'Ivoire et realisees a presque 10 annees d'intervalle (1993/94 - 2001/2002). Cette comparaison permet a la fois d'avoir une vision actualisee du secteur mais aussi d'envisager son evolution a moyen terme. Des incertitudes pesent en effet sur le devenir de la cacaoculture ivoirienne avec la saturation des zones forestieres, l'accroissement des pertes dues a la pourriture brune des cabosses, les effets de la liberalisation de la filiere et les modifications sociales du monde rural. L'enquete la plus recente a ete realisee par l'ENSEA en 2002, dans le cadre du projet STCP (Sustainable Tree Crop Program), et a porte sur 1500 menages ruraux residants en zone de culture du cacaoyer. Les resultats de cette enquete ont ete compares a ceux obtenus en 1993/94 lors d'une etude precedente conduite par le CIRAD et le centre IRD de Petit-Bassam aupres de 500 cacaoculteurs. La presentation proposee expose les enseignements de cette comparaison sur les aspects techniques lies aux changements des systemes agraires, comme l'evolution generale des exploitations, l'utilisation des surfaces cultivables et la place de la cacaoculture dans les systemes de production, ainsi que l'etat des cacaoyers, les itineraires techniques et les performances obtenues dans les differentes situations regionales que sont les fronts pionniers du Sud-Ouest, les zones post-pionnieres du Centre-Ouest et les zones anciennes de l'Est. L'analyse des variations observees entre 1995 et 2002 fait ressortir une relative stabilite de la pyramide des âges des vergers, mais une legere diminution de la surface moyenne par exploitation. Une nette tendance a la diversification des systemes de production en zone de cacaoculture est observee. Les niveaux d'intensification des itineraires techniques sont comparables, de meme que les rendements, avoisinant toujours 400kg/ha. Il existe cependant toujours de fortes disparites regionales pour les rendements et les pratiques culturales. La communication conclue sur l'interet de cette approche pour identifier les facteurs de rupture et de continuite dans les systemes de production et pour developper une vision prospective du secteur. Elle insiste aussi sur la necessite de poursuivre cette approche par des etudes plus approfondies sur des facteurs socio-economiques afin d'apporter les informations necessaires a la conception de programme de recherche et de vulgarisation plus adaptes aux besoins actuels et futurs des producteurs. (Resume d'auteur)

Adoption of agrochemical management practices among smallholder cocoa farmers in Ghana

Abstract: This study explores smallholder cocoa farmers’ adoption decisions of agrochemical inputs in the Ghanaian cocoa industry using farm-level data collected from a sample of 838 farm households in four cocoa producing regions. Multivariate probit and Tobit models were used to examine the determinants of agrochemical inputs adoption and the extent of adoption, respectively. The result of the study showed that agrochemical management practices are complementary and thus the adoption of an agrochemical input is conditional on the adoption of others. Different household characteristics, household assets, institutional variables, and the perception of soil fertility status and the incidence of pests and diseases influence the adoption of individual agrochemical inputs. Furthermore, the result of the study showed that intensity (or extent) of agrochemical adoption (measured as farmers’ expenditure on agrochemicals) is also influenced by some socioeconomic and institutional variables such as extension services and fa...

Modeling Ghanaian cocoa farmers’ decision to use pesticide and frequency of application: the case of Brong Ahafo Region

Abstract: Pesticides are a significant component of the modern agricultural technology that has been widely adopted across the globe to control pests, diseases, weeds and other plant pathogens, in an effort to reduce or eliminate yield losses and maintain high product quality. Although pesticides are said to be toxic and exposes farmers to risk due to the hazardous effects of these chemicals, pesticide use among cocoa farmers in Ghana is still high. Furthermore, cocoa farmers do not apply pesticide on their cocoa farms at the recommended frequency of application. In view of this, the study assessed the factors influencing cocoa farmers’ decision to use pesticide and frequency of pesticide application. A total of 240 cocoa farmers from six cocoa growing communities in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana were selected for the study using the multi-stage sampling technique. The Probit and Tobit regression models were used to estimate factors influencing farmers’ decision to use pesticide and frequency of pesticide application, respectively. Results of the study revealed that the use of pesticide is still high among farmers in the Region and that cocoa farmers do not follow the Ghana Cocoa Board recommended frequency of pesticide application. In addition, cocoa farmers in the study area were found to be using both Ghana Cocoa Board approved/recommended and unapproved pesticides for cocoa production. Gender, age, educational level, years of farming experience, access to extension service, availability of agrochemical shop and access to credit significantly influenced farmers’ decision to use pesticides. Also, educational level, years of farming experience, membership of farmer based organisation, access to extension service, access to credit and cocoa income significantly influenced frequency of pesticide application. Since access to extension service is one key factor that reduces pesticide use and frequency of application among cocoa farmers, it is recommended that policies by government and non-governmental organisations should be aimed at mobilizing resources towards the expansion of extension education. In addition, extension service should target younger farmers as well as provide information on alternative pest control methods in order to reduce pesticide use among cocoa farmers. Furthermore, extension service/agents should target cocoa farmers with less years of farming experience and encourage cocoa farmers to join farmer based organisations in order to decrease frequency of pesticide application.

Cacao-fruit tree intercropping effects on cocoa yield, plant vigour and light interception in Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract: A major challenge for cocoa producers in Cote d’Ivoire is to seek alternative shade trees or crop associations to adapt their planting devices and techniques to the shortage of forests. The recent tendency developed by farmers is to plant simplified orchards combining cacao and fruit trees. An on-farm trial was set up in a 5-year-old cocoa farm to compare a cacao monocrop planted at densities of 1,115 trees ha−1 with cacao intercropped with orange or avocado trees, both at 44 trees ha−1. Observations were done on incident light received by the cacao, vigour, growth and cocoa yields. On average, the cacaos received 100 % light in the monocrop, 89.6 % under orange trees and 80.6 % of incident light under avocado trees. They yielded 64.0 pods tree−1 year−1 in the monocrop (equivalent to 2.54 kg dry cocoa beans tree−1), 30.3 pods tree−1 when combined with orange trees and 28.3 pods tree−1 with avocado trees. The two combinations allowed cocoa yields equivalent to those observed in the region (0.58 kg dry cocoa beans tree−1). Vigour and yield were very highly correlated with the incident light received. Both the yield and the incident light are a logistic function of the planting distance from the shade tree. The inflexion point of the logistic functions corresponds to the minimum planting distance between the cacao and the intercropped fruit trees. On this basis, we suggest that the cacaos should not be planted closer than 6.50 ± 0.2 m to the orange or avocado trees.

Modelling Farmers Investment in Agrochemicals: The Experience of Smallholder Cocoa Farmers in Ghana

Abstract: The study analyzes the effects of the determinants of farmer’s adoption of and investment in agrochemicals by collecting primary data from 156 sampled cocoa farmers in the Sefwi-Wiawso Municipality of Ghana. Descriptive statistical technique was employed to analyze demographic and farm-specific characteristics as well as the adoption rate and expenditure on agrochemicals. The findings highlighted the fact that, though a large proportion of farmers in the study area use agrochemicals, the intensity and amount spent to purchase these inputs are quite low. The Tobit regression model was used to identify and quantify the effects of the determinants of farmer’s investment in agrochemicals. The results generally indicate that the sex of the farmer, age of the farmer, household size, educational attainment, mean age of cocoa farms, farm size and farmers previous output are all important variables in explaining farmers decision to invest in agrochemicals. The paper concludes by recommending that strategic policies orienting towards improving the adoption rate as well as targeting farmers who are less likely to invest in agrochemicals is a pressing issue.