IMPACT OF NO-TILL TECHNOLOGIES IN GHANA

In the 1990s, no-till with mulch, a sustainable agricultural alternative, was introduced to Ghanaian farmers through a joint program between the Crops Research Institute in Kusami, Ghana, Sasakawa Global 2000, and the Monsanto Company. The package was disseminated to farmers in the Forest, Transition, and Guinea Savannah Zones, and rapidly adopted. In 2000, it was estimated that 100,000 small-scale farmers practiced no-till on 45,000 hectares of land. This study examines the impact of no-till on farmers who adopted the technology in the three zones, and to a lesser extent, the reasons for non-adoption. The impact of no-till among agrochemical dealers was also evaluated. The report found that no-till brought important changes to farmers using the technology and expanded the market for agrochemicals. It calls for more research on machinery for the technology, crop rotations, and the dynamics of diseases and weed and pest populations. More research on the organization and performance of agrochemical markets is also needed to identify bottlenecks that hamper the dissemination of no-till.Farm Management,

Beyond Violence and Justice: The Transformative Role of Counselling for Survivors of Domestic Violence

Counselling service is essential for healing the emotional and psychological trauma of survivors of domestic violence (SDV). For this reason, the study explored the views of participants of the study on the transformative role of counselling for SDV. The instrumental case study was adopted. A theoretical sample was used to purposively select 23 participants which were made up of three officials of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), two counsellors and 18 SDVs. An interview guide was used to collect the data.   The data was analysed using Open and selective coding and thematic content analysis. The findings indicated that counselling plays a transformative role for SDV through the use of counselling skills and techniques to heal psychological and emotional pain. Based on the findings, it is recommended that a counselling unit should be set up at all regional offices of DOVVSU, to provide counselling services to SDV for psychological and emotional recovery

Design of Solar Drying Technology Equipment for Drying Food Consistent with Farmers' Willingness to Pay: Evidence from Ghana

In this study, a survey of two hundred and fifty-five (255) farmers, sampled from the Akuapim South District in the Eastern Region and the South Tongu District in the Volta Region of Ghana was undertaken to determine their willingness to adopt and pay for solar drying technology for drying food. Using descriptive statistics, farmers’ awareness, willingness to adopt and willingness to pay for solar drying technology were analyzed. A Logit model analysis was employed in identifying factors influencing farmers’ willingness to adopt the technology. The empirical results reveal a low level of awareness of the solar drying technology (27%) among the farmers. However majority (94.5%) were willing to adopt the technology and (88.2%) willing to pay for the technology. The modal amount farmers were willing to pay was GH¢100.00 and the highest amount GH¢1000.00. The modal amount of GH¢100.00 ($66.00) can produce a 4sq meter simple box type solar dryer that has a drying capacity of 50kg per sq meter, which guarantees the farmers shorter drying time and lower final moisture content. The study also found incentive provision, total monthly income of farmers and space to accommodate a solar dryer as the factors influencing farmers’ willingness to adopt the solar drying technology. In this respect, sensitization campaigns should be intensified to create more awareness of the solar drying technology among small holder farmers. In doing so, farmers should be introduced to varied designs and varied costs of the technology in order for them to make their own choice. Solar dried food products should be differentiated and considered for higher prices, ready market and export to motivate farmers to adopt the technology. Further, there is the need for the provision of space (land) by the District Assemblies in the various communities where these farmers can conveniently place their solar dryers for the purpose of drying the food products. Finally, since income is a factor that significantly influences farmers’ adoption of the technology, it is imperative that the government provides the solar drying equipments at vantage points in the communities that farmers could use to dry their products, even if at an affordable fee.Key words: Design, solar drying technology, drying food, adoption, farmers’ willingness to pay amount, Binary Logit Model, Ghan

Studies on the Contribution of Fertilizers to Heavy Metal Levels in Soils and Cocoa from some Cocoa Farms in the Western Region of Ghana

Continuous applications of fertilizers to soils are known to increase heavy metal concentrations to levels that may eventually exceed natural levels in soils. In this study, the levels of heavy metals comprising, Cu, Pb, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cd, Cr, and Fe in five major fertilizers namely, Cocoa Asaasewura; Sidalco Balanced; Sidalco Potassium Rich; Cocofeed; and Nitrabor usually supplied by Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to cocoa farmers, were determined. In order to assess the possible contributions of these fertilizers to the background levels in the soil and cocoa beans, the levels of the heavy metals were also determined in farm soils and cocoa bean samples from farms that have been fertilized for at least three years. Results from the analyses indicated that in general, Sidalco Balanced and Sidalco Potassium Rich had relatively very high levels of Mn, Cu and Zn but low levels of Pb, Ni and Cd. Cocofeed and Asaase-wura also had very high levels of Fe, Ni, Pb and Cd. Nitrabor generally had the least levels for almost all the metals. Fe occurred as the highest metal in all cases while Zn was the least recorded metal in the fertilizers. In general, contributions from the fertilizers to the metal levels in the soil and in the cocoa beans have been found to be minimal and fall within acceptable limits in the cocoa beans. . Keywords: Fertilizers, Heavy metals, Soils, Coco

Seed management by small-scale farmers in Ghana. A study of maize and cowpea seed in the Brong-Ahafo and Volta regions (NRI Bulletin 68)

Field surveys of on-farm maize and cowpea seed management in two regions of southern Ghana are described. The survey included seed obtained off-farm. Samples of seeds were collected just prior to planting and assessed for germination potential. Conclusions are given on the general status and potential for improving seed quality and on farmer seed management. Notes are included on farmer seed management of millet and sorghum in the Upper East Region

The Influence of Adoption of Improved Oil Palm Production Practices on the Livelihood Assets of Oil Palm Farmers in Kwaebibirem District of Ghana

A number of improved oil palm production practices have been introduced to assist small-scale oil palm farmers increase yield and improve on their livelihoods. This study was conducted to examine the influence of adoption of improved oil palm production practices on the livelihood assets of oil palm farmers in Kwaebibirem District of the Eastern Region of Ghana. In all, 120 oil palm farmers were randomly selected and interviewed using structured questionnaires. Results revealed farmers’ characteristics such as level of education and farm size had significant influence (p<0.05) on the adoption of improved oil palm production practices whilst farmers’ age, gender, farming experience did not exhibit significant influence (p>0.05). Significant differences were observed among farmers who fully adopted improved oil palm technology than the non adopters in acquiring the following: more physical assets in the form of houses and household appliances; financial assets such as access to credit, increased income and savings; participation in group activities as a social asset and human capital in the form of ability to pay children’s school fees. It is recommended that extension services should cover more farmers who should be encouraged to adopt improved oil palm production farming practices and therefore improve on their livelihood assets. Keywords: Oil palm, Adoption, Livelihood Asset

Analysis of Life Insurance Lapses and Utility-Maximization of Shareholders’ Expected Profit

The problem of experiencing early terminations of life insurance contract has greatly affected insurers and yet, is one of the areas in the actuarial literature in which has received little attention. As a result of this, insurers guarantee a high yield, and sometimes offer high payouts (surrender and maturity values) in order to avoid surrenders. This makes the pricing of insurance contracts and also, the management of the corresponding asset portfolio difficult. Therefore, we have proposed methods or techniques to minimise the impact of surrenders on the life insurance company’s fund. Particularly, we have looked at the impact of lapses on the performance (leading to profit/loss) of life insurance funds- a profit/loss model has been developed to be used by actuaries to determine the cost of the surrender option arising from the effects of financial and non-financial adverse selection in this regard. As a result, we have proposed techniques that will involve the policyholder in sharing the cost of surrender due to the option available to him, usually, at times which are favourable to him. Further, numerical optimization routines and stochastic simulation techniques have been used to determine optimal strategic decisions that maximize the expected shareholders’ profit. It links the approaches of utility theory and mean-variance analysis in obtaining numerical solutions (optimal values). In view of the fact that the life office could lose most of its prospective policyholders as a result of charging a higher premium (the proposed strategy), we have introduced a premium penalty model to take care of this effect. In the case where there is a financial incentive to surrender, the optimal strategy is to impose a low premium loading for all values of r, which is different from the market loading and a low surrender penalty. By this strategy, the volume of business is expected to increase and so is the shareholders’ expected profit. However, for the case where there is no financial incentive to surrender, the optimal strategy is to impose a high premium loading, not too close to the assumed market loading and charge a higher surrender penalty for relatively risk tolerant investors (for r > /2). This was found to increase the corresponding shareholders’ expected profit. Also, the results show that an optimal way of regulating the surrender basis is to change the surrender basis whenever the rate of investment return on assets rises by one and half percent or falls by a little above one percent. In view of the fact that the strategic decisions are considered in the context of utility theory, the results of the analysis have been shown to be similar to those of modern portfolio theory, as presented by Markovitz (1952). Finally, we have shown that the use of incorrect strategies can have an important effect on the shareholders’ expected profit

Rethinking empowerment: Young African migrants’ understandings of power and empowerment in Ghana

Concepts of empowerment pervade popular discourses on youth and the term is often applied uncritically as a means to leverage young people’s perspectives on matters that affect their lives. Despite such focus, little critical work exists that unpacks young people’s own meanings of the term, or indeed considers the possible unintended consequences that may emerge from these framings. Drawing on interviews and focus groups with 59 young African migrants aged 15–24 years in Ghana, we examine young people’s understandings of empowerment and consider the concept’s usefulness for supporting young lives. Findings were analysed thematically and highlighted how socioeconomic conditions shaped young people’s agency and (limited) the opportunities to effect change. Our analysis raises critical questions about the relevance of empowerment to the lives of marginalised youth who live and work in contexts of vulnerability. The paper advances the conceptual elaboration of empowerment as it relates (or not) to the lives of young African migrants and considers how best to harness these perspectives in actions that support positive youth futures

Adoption of improved cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) technologies in Ghana

The Ghana Grains Development Project has developed and disseminated improved cowpea production technologies to farmers in Ghana since 1985. These technologies were improved varieties, row planting, and the use of pre- and post-flowering insecticides. To assess the extent of adoption of these technologies by farmers, eight cowpea production districts were surveyed across four agro-ecological zones in 1995 in Ghana. A random sample of 313 cowpea farmers participated in the survey. Results indicated that 70 per cent used recommended pre-flowering insecticides, and 26 per cent adopted post-flowering insecticides across the ecological zones. The highest adoption rate for improved varieties was observed in the Forest Zone (97 %). The adoption of row planting was highest in the Forest Zone (100 %), followed by the Guinea Savanna Zone (92 %), and lowest in the Coastal Savanna Zone (58 %). Most farmers agreed that by adopting improved production technologies, their yields and overall production increased, and they made more profit from cowpea cultivation.The whole family participates in various activities associated with cowpea production. However, men do strenuous work like land preparation, weeding and spraying of insecticides, while women and children participate in less strenuous work such as planting, harvesting and threshing. Le Project de Développement des Grains du Ghana a developpé et disséminé les technologies de la production de dolique amélioré aux cultivateurs au Ghana depuis 1985. Ces technologies étaient les variétés améliorées, la culture en lignes et usage d'insecticides avant et après la floraison. Pour évaluer le degré d'adoption de ces technologies par les cultivateurs, un sondage a été entrepris en 1995 en 8 districts de production de dolique à travers quatre zones agro-écologique au Ghana. Un échantillon pris au hasard de 313 cultivateurs de dolique participaient au sondage. Les résultats indiquaient que 70% utilisaient les insecticides d'avant floraison recommandés et 26% adoptaient les insecticides d'après floraison à travers les zones écologiques. La proportion d'adoption la plus élevée pour les variétés améliorées était observée dans la zone forestière (97 %). L'adoption de la culture en lignes est la plus élevée dans la zone forestière (100 %) et suivi par la zone savane-guinéenne (92 %) et la plus faible dans la zone savane-littorale (58 %). La plupart de cultivateurs étaient du même avis que par l'adoption des technologies de production améliorée, leur rendements et la production globale augmentaient, et ils avaient tiré plus de bénéfice de la production de dolique. Toute la famille participent aux activités différentes liées à la production de dolique. Cependant le travail ardu tel que la préparation de terre, le désherbage et la pulvérisation d'insecticide sont faites par les hommes alors que les femmes et les enfants participent aux travaux moins ardus tels que la plantation, la moisson et la battage. Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science Vol. 39 (1) 2006: pp. 25-3