Socio-economic impact and acceptance study of drone-applied pesticide on maize in Ghana

The general consensus among agricultural stakeholders is that smallholder farmers need to become more productive and profitable on a sustainable basis. Unmanned aerial system (UAS) – or drone-based system – services can contribute towards these goals by bringing some of the tools of digital agriculture to agribusiness enterprises, including large and medium-scale holdings, and associations of small-scale farmers growing the same crop on contiguous areas. In Africa, UAS services can be described as nascent and are usually provided by entrepreneurs who invest in the equipment and necessary skills to use the technology, and go on to conduct or sub-contract data analysis, interpret the findings and advise customers. Cutting edge use of specially designed drones allows the devices to be used for agrochemical application on crops

Pesticide Use and Health Hazards among Small-Scale Commercial Vegetable Growers in the Nsawam Adoagyiri Municipality in the Eastern Region of Ghana

This study examined pesticide use practices and related health hazards in a specific region in Ghana. A cross section survey design was conducted among a sample of 150 small-scale commercial vegetable growers in the Nsawam Adoagyiri municipality in the Eastern region of Ghana. Information on demographic characteristics, pesticide practices and knowledge of health hazards in the interview schedule was administered to the respondents. Univariate and bivariate analyses were then conducted. The results of the study indicate that the mean score for all the various technical competencies of the vegetable farmers is 4.10 on the Likert scale of 1 to 5 and this could be attributed to training they received on pesticide use from extension agents. Not surprising, the respondents generally reported low levels of symptoms from health hazards with mean scores of headaches (1.5), excessive sweating (1.37), dizziness (1.22), diarrhea (1.06) and vomiting (1.04). However, the mean scores for eye irritation (2.65) and skin irritation (2.61) suggested they were common among many respondents based on not using personal protective clothing, including hand gloves (95.3%), face masks (98%), or overalls (96%). It is recommended that small-scale commercial vegetable growers’ access to and usage of personal protective clothing be promoted to reduce skin and eye irritation. Keywords: Pesticides, health hazards, commercial vegetable growers, small-scale farms  

Effect of pineapple waste biochar and compost application on the growth and yield of pineapple varieties in Ghana

IntroductionBiochar is one of the commonly used soil amendments for sustainable agriculture. The effect of biochar on crop yields depends on the quality of the biochar, which is influenced by feedstock type and pyrolysis conditions. Sole application of pineapple waste biochar and compost, and their combination has not been rigorously investigated. In this study, we investigated the effects of pineapple waste biochar and compost applied solely or in combination on growth and yield of pineapple on a coastal savanna Acrisol in Ghana.MethodsThe split-plot design with three replications was used, with pineapple varieties as the main plot and fertilizer application rates as the sub-plots.Results and discussionThe results showed that sole application of biochar and compost or their combination as a soil amendment increased pineapple growth and yield as compared to the unamended soil. Biochar applied in combination with compost/or inorganic NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) fertilizer significantly increased plant height and the number of leaves of pineapple plant, which resulted in improved fruits yield of the three (sugar loaf, MD2 and smooth cayenne) pineapple varieties at maturity over control, sole application of biochar, compost and inorganic NPK fertilizer. The Smooth cayenne variety outperformed MD2 and Sugar loaf variety.ConclusionIn conclusion, the results revealed that biochar applied solely or in addition to compost or inorganic NPK fertilizer has the capability to enhance soil quality and improve pineapple yield. Application of biochar in combination with compost/or inorganic NPK improves pineapple growth and yield

Assessing the Effectiveness of Government Communication on Public Policy in Ghana: The Case of Planting for Food and Jobs Policy

This paper examined the effectiveness of government communication on public policy in Ghana using the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) policy as a case. Data was obtained from 412 inhabitants from the Western Region who responded to a set of questionnaires and a structured interview guide. Means, standard deviation, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Kruskal Wallis test were employed for data analysis. The study established that though respondents perceived the PFJ policy as highly relevant to job creation and food production, the overall effect of the policy on job creation was low. No significant differences existed in the views of male and female respondents regarding the perceived effect of the policy on job creation and food production. Government communication strategies to promote awareness, public dialogue, shared understanding, and public support towards the policy were all perceived as moderately effective. However, government communication activities to explain the policy details to the public, mobilize citizens and communities to support the policy, and promote positive behavior change for the policy were perceived as lowly effective by the respondents despite the differences in their ethnic backgrounds. Government press releases and press conferences on the progress of the policy were lowly effective. Though government communication at the implementation stage of the policy was effective, it was generally ineffective during the formulation, monitoring, and evaluation stages of the policy. Measures suggested to sustain the policy include increased commitment from state authorities, increased participation by all stakeholders, improved communication on the policy, grassroots ownership, and de-politicization of the policy

Socioeconomic Factors Influencing Adoption of Codapec and Cocoa High-tech Technologies among Small Holder Farmers in Central Region of Ghana

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao Linn.) is single most important agricultural export crop and major source of foreign exchange to Ghana. This study examines the socioeconomic factors affecting adoption of CODAPEC and Cocoa High-Tech Technology packages introduced by Ghana government into cocoa production system to address the dwindling levels of productivity. The study employed a multi-stage random sampling technique to select 250 households from 25 communities in five of the eight cocoa districts in Central Region of Ghana. Tobit multivariate regression model was used to understand socioeconomic factors influencing farmers’ decision to adopt these technologies. Results generally indicate experience, training, age of household head, household size and social capital as the key variables that positively influence decision of farmers to adopt Cocoa Pest and Disease Control (CODAPEC) and Cocoa High-Tech Technology packages. Very old cocoa farms contribute to the non-adoption of these technology packages by the farmers

The challenge of participation in community development activities in rural Ghana: implications for effective development communication

Despite increasing calls for adequate measures to promote participatory development, stakeholder satisfaction with participation in development projects remains a challenge. This study explored the views of beneficiaries of Cocoa Life Project interventions and local authorities of Wassa East District of Ghana regarding their satisfaction with participation during the planning, implementation and evaluation stages of a development project. The study used sequential-dependence mixed methods design. A total of 410 respondents including farmers, members of Village Savings and Loans Groups, Head of District Agriculture Department, Head of Business Advisory Centre, District Education Planner and Extension Agents were selected for the study. Interview schedule, focus group discussion and interview guides were used for data collection. The study found that, apart from awareness creation on development problems and problem identification, project beneficiaries and local authorities were lowly satisfied with participation in planning activities. Again, satisfaction with participation in evaluation activities of the project was low among beneficiaries and local authorities. Also, no significant difference manifested in the overall satisfaction with participation among project beneficiaries irrespective of differences in sex and marital status

Household welfare outcomes of access to and use of agricultural radio broadcast by women cocoa farmers in Tepa district, Ghana

Ghanaian women play a significant part in the country's agricultural marketing, processing and production, yet the gender information gap is severe. This survey aimed to evaluate women's access to and use of agriculture radio broadcasts in the Ashanti Region's Tepa district, Ghana. A descriptive research design and quantitative research method were employed, with a sample size of 300 determined using Cochran's formula. The results indicate that women cocoa farmers have high access to and use cocoa-related information through radio broadcasts. Socio-economic factors such as age, ownership of radio sets, cooperative membership, farm size, and land tenure system significantly affect women's level of access and use of cocoa-related information from radio broadcasts. Women cocoa farmers who utilize the information received from radio broadcasts have improved their household welfare; income, productivity, and livelihood assets. Poor radio signals, lack of finance, and inconvenient broadcast times for women farmers were found to be the most severe constraints. To improve women's household welfare, government agencies should pay more attention to women's information needs

A crossnational study of agricultural and extension education competencies

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