Promoting best business practices among smallholder farmers in Ghana: the case of MiDA training for FBOs in Hohoe District in the Volta Region

This study was carried out to assess the adoption of best business practices among farmers in the Hohoe district of the Volta Region. A random sampling technique was used for selecting the respondents for the study. The total sample size of 191 respondents was randomly selected from four Farmer Based Organizations (FBOs). Data was collected through a structured interview schedule and analyzed with descriptive statistics. The study showed that majority (57.1%) of respondents were males and farmers up to 45 years constituted (60.2%) of the sample size. The study also revealed that the mean bags per acre of maize for all FBOs produced by the respondents increased from 1.3 before the training to 10.0 after the training. The farmers therefore, increased yields by as much as 87% over and above what they realized before the start of the training. The respondents further increased their access to produce markets with linkages to institutional markets. The factors influencing increased yields and respondents' greater access to produce markets were also identified to be low. Non-adoption of improved agricultural technologies and best business practices accounted for the low productivity at the start of the training. To encourage smallholder farmers to benefit from 'agriculture as business', there is the need to equip them with the capacity to keep accurate records and patronize improved agro inputs to strengthen their businesses, improve their technical skills to enhance efficiency in their routine operations, assist them to maximise sales by facilitating their access to markets and providing them with infrastructural support.Keywords: Best business practices, Farmer based organizations, improved agricultural technologies, maize, MiD

Practices and constraints in Bambara Groundnut’s production, marketing and consumption in the Brong Ahafo and Upper East Regions of Ghana

A study was undertaken to understand the practices and major constraints in bambara groundnut production, marketing and consumption in the Brong Ahafo (Transition) and Upper East (Guinea Savannah) Regions of Ghana. A total of 200 bambara producers, 33 marketers and 68 consumers were randomly chosen and interviewed from the Brong Ahafo and the Upper East Regions of Ghana. Three bambara groundnut growing districts in the Transition agro-ecology; Nkoranza, Wenchi East and Wenchi West and four districts in the Guinea Savannah agro-ecology; Bawku West, Kasena Nankana, Talensi Nabdam and Builsa were studied between August 2006 and January, 2007. Three separate questionnaires were developed to target producers, marketers and consumers in this study. The study confirmed more females (63%) produced bambara than males (37%). More farmers produced bambara solely for cash in the Transition (73%) whereas in the Guinea Savannah most farmers produced for cash and subsistence (78%). Most farmers (65%) depend on farmer saved seeds for planting. Sellers and consumers preferred white or cream seeds with large sizes. The major problem with bambara is the long cooking time of mature seeds

Yield and Growth Performance of Drought Tolerant Maize Varieties in the Forest-Savanna Transition zone of Ghana

Drought stress has deleterious effects on seedling establishment, vegetative growth, photosynthesis, root growth, anthesis, anthesis-silking interval, pollination and grain formation in maize crop. Drought is a major constraint to crop production in many tropical cropping systems where irrigation use is low and rainfall distribution is erratic. As a result of this, the performance of maize (Zea mays L.) in the major producing areas of Ghana is below its potential yield. The study evaluated drought tolerant maize varieties in the forest transition zones of Ghana. The study was carried out at Techiman and Wenchi districts both in the Forest Savannah transition agroecology in the minor season of 2013. The objectives of the study were to determine the performance of drought tolerant maize in the drought prone areas of Ghana using researcher managed mother and farmer managed baby trial design. For each of the parameters measured such as mean grain yield and non-productive parameters, the improved varieties performed better than the local varieties probably due to a prolonged mid-season dry spell, which coincided with silking and grain filling stages and affected the performance of the non-drought tolerant varieties. Mean grain yields ranged between 5195 and 6831 kg/ha and 3679kg/ha and 5225 kg/ha for the early maturing mother and baby trials, respectively. Yields ranged from 3638 to 6203 kg/ha and 2246 kg/ha to 6073 kg/ha for medium maturing mother and baby trials, respectively. Several drought tolerant varieties were identified as promising and a strategy is needed to achieve widespread adoption of these varieties in drought prone areas of Ghana. In general, the use of drought tolerant maize is seen as a panacea in mitigating the menace of climate variability on maize productivity in Ghana. Keywords: Drought tolerance, Maize, Hybrids, Mother and Baby, Participator

Growth, Development and Yield of Cassava Progeny as Affected by Nutrient Status of Mother Plant 1

Cassava is a very important staple crop in Ghana, contributing significantly to the country's Agricultural GDP. Majority of farmers in eight out of the ten regions in Ghana cultivate the crop due to its ability to grow on marginal lands. The crop has until recently seen little improvement in their husbandry practices. Cassava yields on farmers’ fields are low (8-10 t/ha) with potential yields of 30 to 40 t/ha. A major factor contributing to this low yield is the low soil fertility and the poor quality of the planting material. The study investigated the effect of fertilizer application of the mother plant on the growth, development and yield of progenies from these plants. Cassava genotype Dabo was sown in June 2013, at 1 m x I m at CSIR-Crops Research Institute, Kwadaso, Kumasi, Ghana. There were four fertilizer treatments: NPK 30:30:45, 60:30:45, 45:30:45, and Control. The experiment was arranged in a randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates. NPK was applied at one month after planting and Muriate of potash three months after planting. The mother plant was harvested in June, 2014. Cassava yields for all the fertilizer treated plots were significantly higher than the control plot (12.1 t/ha) with yield difference ranging between 68% (20.3 t/ha) and 278 % (33.7 t/ha) in the first year. Cuttings from the mother plants were planted with no fertilizer application in July, 2014. Progeny from the treatment that gave the highest yield in Year 1 (45-30-45, N:P:K) gave the greatest yield (24.0 t/ha) relative to the control (10.3 t/ha) in year two, (233%) higher. Commercial cassava planting material producers should boost the quality of the cassava planting material through fertilizing the mother plant. Farmers can also fertilize a small portion of their cassava farm and use cuttings from the fertilized plot as planting material. Key words: cassava, fertilizer, planting material, potential yields Croissance, développement et rendement de la descendance du manioc affectée par le statut nutritif de la plante-mère 1. Le manioc est une culture de base très importante au Ghana, contribuant pour environ 22% du PIB agricole du pays. Environ 90% des agriculteurs de huit des dix régions du Ghana cultivent la culture en raison de sa capacité à pousser sur des terres marginales. La culture a jusqu'à récemment vu peu d'amélioration dans leurs pratiques d'élevage. Les rendements de manioc dans les champs des agriculteurs sont faibles (8-10 t / ha) avec des rendements potentiels de 30 à 40 t / ha. Un facteur majeur contribuant à ce faible rendement est la faible fertilité du sol et la mauvaise qualité du matériel végétal. L'étude a étudié l'effet de l'application d'engrais de la plante mère sur la croissance, le développement et le rendement des descendances de ces plantes. Le génotype de manioc Dabo a été semé en juin 2013 à 1 mx 1 m au CSIR-Crops Research Institute, a Kwadaso, Kumasi, Ghana. Il y avait quatre traitements d'engrais: NPK 30:30:45, 60:30:45, 45:30:45 et Control. La conception expérimentale était un design de bloc complet randomisé (RCBD) avec trois répétitions. Le NPK a été appliqué un mois après le semis et le Muriate de potasse trois mois après la plantation. La plante mère a été récoltée en juin 2014. Les rendements de manioc pour toutes les parcelles traitées aux engrais étaient significativement plus élevés que la parcelle témoin (12,1 t / ha) avec une différence de rendement comprise entre 68% (20,3 t / ha) et 278% (33,7 t / ha) la première année. Les boutures des plantes mères ont été plantées sans application d'engrais en juillet 2014. La descendance du traitement qui a donné le rendement le plus élevé en année 1 (45-30-45, N: P: K) a donné le rendement le plus élevé (24,0 t / ha ) par rapport au témoin (10,3 t / ha), 233% plus élevé. Les producteurs commerciaux de matériel végétal de manioc devraient améliorer la qualité des plants de manioc en fertilisant la plante mère. Les agriculteurs peuvent également fertiliser une petite partie de leur exploitation de manioc et utiliser les boutures de la parcelle fertilisée comme matériel de plantation.Mots-clés: manioc, engrais, matériel végétal, rendements potentiel

Logistic analysis of factors and perception of smallholder rubber farmers to intercrop: a case study involving rubber and plantain intercropping system in Ghana

Even though rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is a major tree crop and is lucrative for small holder' farmers in Ghana, the 6 years waiting period to maturity constraints its establishment. Intercropping of rubber with food crops has been found to be a solution to this production constraint in most rubber producing countries. The objective of this study was to empirically assess farmers' perception on rubber/plantain intercropping and factors that directly affect rubber farmers' decision to intercrop rubber plantations with plantain. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 200 rubber farmers from the Central and Western regions of Ghana. Both descriptive and logistic regression models were used to analyze the data. About 83% of the rubber farmers were males. Based on the logit model analysis, gender, level of education, household size, farm size, member of association and experience in rubber farming were found to have significant influence on the adoption of rubber/plantain intercrop. Respondents see the potential adoption of rubber/plantain intercropping system as a means to improve food security, farmers' income and livelihood. Non-governmental organizations, Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) and Government should focus on strengthening its extension arm to develop more interpersonal contacts with potential rubber farmers. Policy makers, researchers and extension providers should closely work together with rubber farmers in identifying suitable rubber/plantain spacing and varieties on a case by case basis to ensure effective adoption and scaling out.Keywords: Food security, Ghana, GREL, Livelihood, Rubber and plantain intercroppin