Modelling Farmers Investment in Agrochemicals: The Experience of Smallholder Cocoa Farmers in Ghana
TL;DR: In this article, the Tobit regression model was used to identify and quantify the effects of the determinants of farmer's investment in agrochemicals, and the results indicated that the sex of the farmer, age of the farmers, 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 agricultural products.
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.
Citations
More filters
TL;DR: In Ghana, Cocoa and oil palm production are major agricultural activities in Ghana, contributing substantially to the national economy and rural livelihoods as discussed by the authors, even though smallholders produce practically all the products.
Abstract: Cocoa and oil palm production are major agricultural activities in Ghana, contributing substantially to the national economy and rural livelihoods. Even though smallholders produce practically all ...
20 citations
Posted Content•
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present empirical evidence to show how socioeconomic factors affect the adoption of and investment in agrochemicals in the cocoa sector of Cote d'Ivoire.
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.
18 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors compared the results of negative binomial, Poisson and zero inflated Poisson (ZIP) models to analyse the determinants of intensity of adoption of improved rice production techniques, using primary data collected from 543 rice farmers in the Upper East and Northern regions of Ghana.
Abstract: Improved rice production techniques are being promoted in Ghana as a way of enhancing sustainable productivity among farmers. Despite the important role that the adoption of improved rice production technologies plays in improving output, very few studies, especially in the context of Northern Ghana, have been conducted to analyse the factors influencing their intensive adoption. In this study, we compared the results of negative binomial, Poisson and zero inflated Poisson (ZIP) models to analyse the determinants of intensity of adoption of improved rice production techniques, using primary data collected from 543 rice farmers in the Upper East and Northern regions of Ghana. Based on model diagnostics, we accept the results of the ZIP model. The empirical results confirm the relevance of technology demonstration fields, farmers’ experience, training, and sex of the farmer in enhancing and sustaining the adoption of improved agricultural technologies. Household extension method, research and extension, and farm size should also be considered in promoting the adoption of improved practices among rice farmers since these covariates had significant relationship with the intensity of adopting improved agricultural technologies.
17 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the Heckman's treatment effect model and stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) were applied to study cocoa farmers' production efficiency, which indicated that the financial support received from RCBs has a significant and positive effect on farmers' technical efficiency.
14 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the food security outcomes of certification adoption among cocoa and oil palm smallholders in Ghana were assessed using the Food Consumption Score (FCS), the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), and the Coping Strategies Index.
Abstract: Cocoa and oil palm are the major commodity crops produced in Ghana and livelihood options for hundreds of thousands of rural households. However, their production has negative environmental and socioeconomic impacts. Certification standards have been promoted as a market-led mechanism to ensure their sustainable production. Even though food security does not feature in the theory of change of most certification standards, there are interesting intersections. This paper assesses the food security outcomes of certification adoption among cocoa and oil palm smallholders in Ghana. We analyse 608 household surveys from two study sites using propensity score matching and multiple standardized metrics of food security such as the Food Consumption Score (FCS), the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and the Coping Strategies Index. Certified cocoa/oil palm farmers are more food secure than uncertified farmers and food crop farmers across most indicators and group comparisons. However, the differences are for most indicators not substantial or statistically significant (except the HFIAS). In fact, 65% and 68% of the certified cocoa and oil palm farmers are vulnerable to food insecurity in terms of the FCS. These results suggest that even though certification adoption can improve the livelihoods and yields of farmers, in reality it has marginal effect on food security. Certification standards would need to emphasize food security in their guidelines, theories of change and support packages to smallholders if they are to enhance food security and have a truly positive effect on the sustainability of cocoa and oil palm production.
11 citations
References
More filters
Book•
01 Jan 1978
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a review of comparative statistics and the Paradigm of economics and compare it with the traditional methodology of the classical methodology, including the Envelope Theorem and duality.
Abstract: 1. Comparative Statics and the Paradigm of Economics 2. Review of Calculus (One Variable) 3. Functions of Several Variables 4. Profit Maximization 5. Matrices and Determinants 6. Comparative Statics: The Traditional Methodology 7. The Envelope Theorem and Duality 8. The Derivation of Cost functions 9. Cost and Production Functions: Special Topics 10. The Derivation of Consumer Demand Functions 11. Special topics in Consumer Theory 12. Intertemporal Choice 13. Behavior under Uncertainty 14. Maximization with Inequality and Nonnegativity Constraints 15. Contracts and Incentives* 16. Markets with Imperfect Information* 17. General Equilibrium I: Linear Models 18. General Equilibrium II: Nonlinear Models 19. Welfare Economics 20. Resource Allocation over Time: Optimal Control theory *New Chapter
638 citations
Book•
30 Jan 1994
TL;DR: The relationship between land holding rights and agricultural production in Sub-Saharan Africa is examined in this paper, based on case studies in seven countries, and relies on new data to examine the relationship.
Abstract: The report is based on case studies in seven countries, and relies on new data to examine the relationship between land holding rights, and agricultural production. Land remains the most important source of economic livelihood, security, and social status in Sub-Saharan Africa. But the extent to which existing tenure rules, and practices influence agriculture, is unclear. The report further questions whether indigenous African land tenure systems, accord farmers sufficient security for long-term investment in agricultural production, and, examines as well the major effects of land registration and titling, on agricultural production. The study represent the first rigorous quantitative analysis of the relationship between land tenure security, and agricultural production in the context of contemporary political economies of African countries.
495 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the spillover effect of intra-household education on the adoption process and about the impact of education on adoption decisions under different socioeconomic conditions using a discrete choice model and showed that the decision making process is a decentralised one in which educated adult members of the household actively participate in the decision-making process.
404 citations
"Modelling Farmers Investment in Agr..." refers result in this paper
...This also confirms the previous studies by Nkamleu & Adesina (2000) and Asfaw & Admassie (2004)....
[...]
TL;DR: In this article, the effect of socio-economic factors on the likelihood of using chemical fertilizer and pesticide in peri-urban lowland agricultural systems in Cameroon was examined and the bivariate probit model was employed to take account of the correlation between the disturbances.
157 citations
"Modelling Farmers Investment in Agr..." refers background or result in this paper
...Farmers Education (FEDU) is found to correspond positively with agrochemical adoption (Nkamleu and Adesina 2000, Asfaw and Admasie 2004)....
[...]
...Previous studies in Africa by Malton (1994); Nkamleu & Adesina (2000) reported that men are generally more likely to adopt new agricultural technologies than women....
[...]
...This also confirms the previous studies by Nkamleu & Adesina (2000) and Asfaw & Admassie (2004)....
[...]
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the economic performance of a large number of African countries using an international comparable data set and the latest technique for analysis, focusing on growth in total factor productivity and its decomposition into technical change and efficiency change components.
Abstract: The paper examines the economic performance of a large
number of African countries using an international comparable data set and the latest technique for analysis. The paper focuses on growth in total factor productivity and its decomposition into technical change and efficiency change components. The analysis is undertaken using the data envelopment analysis (DEA). The present study uses data of 16 countries over the period 1970–2001. It was found that, globally, during that period, total factor productivity has experienced a positive evolution in sampled countries. This good performance of the agricultural sector was due to good progress in technical efficiency rather than technical progress. The region suffered a regression in productivity in the 1970s, and made some progress during the 1980s and 1990s. The study also highlights the fact that technical change has been the main constraint of achievement of high levels of total factor productivity during the reference period in sub-Saharan Africa. Contrariwise, in Maghreb countries, technological change has been the main driving force of productivity growth. Finally, the results indicate that institutional factors as well as agro-ecological factors are important determinants of agricultural productivity growth.
153 citations
"Modelling Farmers Investment in Agr..." refers methods or result in this paper
...This also confirms the previous studies by Nkamleu & Adesina (2000) and Asfaw & Admassie (2004)....
[...]
...Many studies (Nkamleuet al., 2007, Nkamleu & Tsafack 2007; Nkamleu, 2004; Holloway et al., 2004; Oladade, 2005; Degu et al., 2000)have used this procedure to study farmer’s decision to adopt technology packages....
[...]
...This is quite not different from the results obtained by Nkamleuet al., (2007) who reported that Ivorian farmers are less likely to use agrochemicals on their older cocoa farms....
[...]
...This supports the previous studies by Polson & Spencer (1991) and recent study by Nkamleuet al., (2007) who documented positive correlation between total area cultivated and adoption of agrochemicals....
[...]
...A few recent examples include Silberberg and Suen (2001) and Nkamleuet al., (2007) and therefore the theoretical framework for modeling farmer’s investment in agrochemicals is similar to the one outlined....
[...]