Seed yam demand and supply gap in Ghana: Implications for commercialisation of seed yam production

The paper examined seed yam supply and demand across four yam producing districts in Ghana. Primary data were obtained from 108 yam farmers who were selected through a multistage random sampling approach. Data collection was done through personal interviews with the use of standardised structured questionnaires. Purely descriptive statistics and pictograms were used to analyse the data. The results showed that about 40 per cent of seed yam suppliers only sold surplus seed yams after planting their own yam fields. About 52 per cent of yam producers had difficulties in obtaining seed yams for cultivation. The demand for seed yams in Ghana far exceeds supply. About 30 per cent of seed yam demand was hardly met in the past three seasons (2007 – 2009). This unfulfilled demand for seed yams in yam producing districts presents a business opportunity for private investors to produce the commodity in commercial quantities. A more commercial approach to seed yam production could bridge the demand-supply gap by linking seed yam and yam producers through urban and local markets in the producing districts

Financial performance and constraints in Gari Production in Kumasi, Ghana

Gari is a crisp and crunchy West African food made from grated cassava with the excess liquid dried out. It is a major food security product  consumed by most households and students in second cycle institutions in West African. Gari production is an important source of livelihood for many women in the informal sector in Ghana. It serves as a vital avenue for value addition to cassava, thus helping to address the problem of post-harvest losses and generating income for producers. This study assessed the financial performance and constraints in gari production in Kumasi, Ghana. Primary data from a cross-sectional survey of 46 gari producers who were identified using snowball sampling technique was used. Descriptive statistics, profitability indicators, and a 5-point Likert scale were used to analyse the primary data. Results showed that gari production ispredominantly done by women 30-75 years old with a mean age of 50 years. Majority of producers had no formal education (57%) and had been in production for an average of 24 years. It was found that gari production in Kumasi is financially profitable, with all the profitability indicators employed showing positive returns on inputs employed in production, although the values were less competitive relative to other producers’ valueselsewhere. The profit margin was favourable at 22%, return on capital employed (ROCE) at 29% and operating expense ratio at 76%. The relatively low ROCE of 29% compared with the opportunity cost of capital (31%) by commercial banks in the study area indicates the underutilization of producers’ capital in gari production. Key constraints identified in the gari production business were seasonality and high cost of cassava. Adoption of cost-effective management strategies and release of all year round cassava varieties could help improve gari production and livelihoods of producers and other actors along the cassava value chain. Key words: Cassava, Gari, Production, Profitability, Constraints, Women, Livelihood, Kumasi-Ghan

Diffusion and adoption of new rice varieties for Africa (Nerica) in the Gambia

Rice ( Oryza sativa ) is one of the most important cereal crops cultivated in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It is ranked as the fourth most important crop in terms of production after sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor ), maize ( Zea mays ) and millet ( Eleusine coracana ). The objective of this study was to establish adoption rates, and their determinants, of the New Rice Varieties for Africa (NERICA) in the Gambia. We used data from a stratified sample of 600 rice farmers and applied the Average Treatment Estimation (ATE) framework to establish rate of adoption and associated factors. The results revealed that NERICA adoption rate was barely 40% falling far below the expected 83%. The shortfall was due to the incomplete stakeholder exposure to NERICA in the period before 2006. The introduction of NERICA to villages was found to be a significant determinant of both exposure and adoption of NERICA varieties.Le riz ( Oryza sativa ) est l\u2019une des c\ue9r\ue9als les plus cultiv\ue9es en Afrique Sub-Saharienne. Il est la quatri\ue8me culture la plus importante en terme de production apr\ue8s le sorgho ( Sorghum bicolor ), le ma\uefs ( Zea mays ) et le millet ( Eleusine coracana ). L\u2019objectif de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait de \ue9tablir les taux d\u2019adoption et d\ue9terminants de nouvelles vari\ue9t\ue9s pour l\u2019Afrique (NERICA) en Gambie. Nous avons utilis\ue9 des donn\ue9es issues d\u2019un \ue9chantillon stratifi\ue9 de 600 riziculteurs, et le mod\ue8le d\u2019Estimation de la Moyenne de Traitements (ATE) \ue9tait appliqu\ue9 pour \ue9tablir le taux d\u2019adoption et les facteurs associ\ue9s. Les r\ue9sultats ont r\ue9v\ue9l\ue9 que le taux d\u2019adotpion du NERICA \ue9tait d\u2019environ 40% ce qui est en contraste avec le taux esp\ue9r\ue9 de 83%. Cette baisse \ue9tait due \ue0 une imparfaite pr\ue9sentation du NERICA aux partenaires avant l\u2019ann\ue9e 2006. L\u2019introduction du NERICA aux villages \ue9tait un d\ue9terminant significatif de la pr\ue9sentation et l\u2019adoption des vari\ue9t\ue9s NERICA

SPARC 2017 retrospect & prospects : Salford postgraduate annual research conference book of abstracts

Welcome to the Book of Abstracts for the 2017 SPARC conference. This year we not only celebrate the work of our PGRs but also the 50th anniversary of Salford as a University, which makes this year’s conference extra special. Once again we have received a tremendous contribution from our postgraduate research community; with over 130 presenters, the conference truly showcases a vibrant PGR community at Salford. These abstracts provide a taster of the research strengths of their works, and provide delegates with a reference point for networking and initiating critical debate. With such wide-ranging topics being showcased, we encourage you to exploit this great opportunity to engage with researchers working in different subject areas to your own. To meet global challenges, high impact research inevitably requires interdisciplinary collaboration. This is recognised by all major research funders. Therefore engaging with the work of others and forging collaborations across subject areas is an essential skill for the next generation of researchers

Resource Use Efficiency for Cowpea Production in Akatsi District of Ghana

Cowpeas have been identified as one of the crops with the highest and cheapest source of protein which can be relied on to help curb malnutrition problem in most developing countries. Farmers in most farming communities in Ghana, such as Akatsi in the Volta region, still practice the „tradition bound‟ agriculture. The returns from such production system are estimated to be below potential levels. Assessment of the productivity of major inputs employed in the production of cowpeas in the study area indicates that outputs are below maximum potentials. The level of inputs such as farm size, labour, pesticide, and ploughing (land preparation) were found to be positively related to output, while quantity of seed was negatively related to output. The marginal value products (MVPs) of the inputs were lower than their unit costs. It is anticipated that farmers could increase production beyond current levels, if the resources employed are utilized efficiently. Among the problems identified to affecting the production of cowpeas in the study area include: unfavorable climate, incidence of pests and diseases, land tenure problem, lack of credit for operation, lack of storage facility, transportation and lack of ready market for the produce. To help improve the production, and hence farmers‟ income and their living standards, there is the need for an accelerated education programme to provide information on the appropriate methods of production, especially on how inputs could be allocated by the resource-poor farmers

Social cost-benefit analysis of investment in rehabilitation of multipurpose small reservoirs in northern Ghana using an ecosystem services-based approach

Multipurpose small reservoirs are essential infrastructure in providing water for irrigation and non-irrigation uses in water stress areas of northern Ghana. Unfortunately, the flow of multiple ecosystem services from small reservoirs have been declining over several years due to lack of rehabilitation and poor management. Using selected multipurpose small reservoirs and available secondary and survey data, this paper applied an ecosystem services-based approach in the economic analysis of investment in rehabilitation of small reservoirs in northern Ghana. The findings reveal that private financial returns from irrigated crops have negative net present value (NPV) and an internal rate of return (IRR) lower than the cost of capital, implying a lack of economic incentive for private investors in their rehabilitation. However, accounting for the multiple ecosystem services such as livestock watering, fisheries, recreation services, domestic water, and climate regulation show positive NPV and high return on capital (IRR up to 43%). Policy choices would be biased against reservoir development if stakeholders consider only irrigation benefits. Based on the findings we recommend public investment in rehabilitation of multi-purpose small reservoirs to harness the multiple ecosystem services and community livelihoods. We further recommend public–private-user partnership business model to address current management inefficiency and optimize the flows of ecosystem services from small reservoirs to wider community

Accounting for Training Effectiveness: The Case of MIDA Training in Enterprise and Commercial Agriculture on Behaviour and Practices of Rice Farmer-Based Organisations

This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of a Farmer and Enterprise Training in Commercial Agriculture (FETCA) programme on behaviour and practices of rice farmers in the Sekyere East District of Ashanti Region of Ghana. For this purpose, the study adopted the Kirkpatrick framework as a guide in assessing training effectiveness and used the before- and after-tests to assess change in behaviour. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analysed through descriptive analytical statistics and the z-test. The results of the study revealed that the MIDA-Farmer and Enterprise Training in Commercial Agriculture (FETCA) programme significantly upgraded the technical know-how of members of Farmer-Based Organisations (FBOs) to adopt key recommended production practices and improved their organisational capacity building behaviours. There is evidence of shared knowledge and experiences in production-based rice activities, building capacity and developing financial skills with colleague farmers, farm family and farm workers, indicating a multiplier effect of the FETCA programme. The results reinforces the view that focus on Organisational Capacity Building modules, Technical Capacity and Business Development modules, are important in FBO training programmes in Ghana

Diffusion and Adoption of new rice varieties for Africa (Nerica) in the Gambia.

Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the most important cereal crops cultivated in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It is rankedas the fourth most important crop in terms of production after sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), maize (Zea mays)and millet (Eleusine coracana). The objective of this study was to establish adoption rates, and their determinants,of the New Rice Varieties for Africa (NERICA) in the Gambia. We used data from a stratified sample of 600 ricefarmers and applied the Average Treatment Estimation (ATE) framework to establish rate of adoption andassociated factors. The results revealed that NERICA adoption rate was barely 40% falling far below theexpected 83%. The shortfall was due to the incomplete stakeholder exposure to NERICA in the period before2006. The introduction of NERICA to villages was found to be a significant determinant of both exposure andadoption of NERICA varieties

Diffusion and adoption of new rice varieties for Africa (Nerica) in the Gambia

Rice ( Oryza sativa ) is one of the most important cereal crops cultivated in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It is ranked as the fourth most important crop in terms of production after sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor ), maize ( Zea mays ) and millet ( Eleusine coracana ). The objective of this study was to establish adoption rates, and their determinants, of the New Rice Varieties for Africa (NERICA) in the Gambia. We used data from a stratified sample of 600 rice farmers and applied the Average Treatment Estimation (ATE) framework to establish rate of adoption and associated factors. The results revealed that NERICA adoption rate was barely 40% falling far below the expected 83%. The shortfall was due to the incomplete stakeholder exposure to NERICA in the period before 2006. The introduction of NERICA to villages was found to be a significant determinant of both exposure and adoption of NERICA varieties.Le riz ( Oryza sativa ) est l’une des céréals les plus cultivées en Afrique Sub-Saharienne. Il est la quatrième culture la plus importante en terme de production après le sorgho ( Sorghum bicolor ), le maïs ( Zea mays ) et le millet ( Eleusine coracana ). L’objectif de cette étude était de établir les taux d’adoption et déterminants de nouvelles variétés pour l’Afrique (NERICA) en Gambie. Nous avons utilisé des données issues d’un échantillon stratifié de 600 riziculteurs, et le modèle d’Estimation de la Moyenne de Traitements (ATE) était appliqué pour établir le taux d’adoption et les facteurs associés. Les résultats ont révélé que le taux d’adotpion du NERICA était d’environ 40% ce qui est en contraste avec le taux espéré de 83%. Cette baisse était due à une imparfaite présentation du NERICA aux partenaires avant l’année 2006. L’introduction du NERICA aux villages était un déterminant significatif de la présentation et l’adoption des variétés NERICA

Asssesing the effectiveness and impact of agricultural water management interventions: the case of small reservoirs in northern Ghana

Agricultural water management, particularly management of multi-purpose small reservoirs (SRs) in drier savanna areas of the northern Ghana, is being promoted as a key solution to improve agricultural production, enhance food security and livelihoods of smallholder farm households. However, little empirical evidence exist on how effective these small water infrastructures are in terms of delivering multiple benefits and their impact on the livelihood of smallholder farmers. This study assessed the effectiveness and impact of the small reservoirs on smallholder vegetable farmers in northern Ghana. A participatory rating method using a 5-point Likert-scale was used to assess the effectiveness of SRs in delivering multiple livelihood benefits and an endogenous switching regression model was applied to assess the SRs’ impact using a primary data collected from 328 randomly sampled vegetable farmers. Results from the Likert scale analysis show that most of the SRs are either dysfunctional or underutilized and not effective in delivering multiple benefits. Results from the endogenous switching regression model show that there is only about 3% increase in the income of vegetable farmers participating in irrigated vegetable production using SRs against the counterfactual situation but this change is insignificant statistically. The current low level effectiveness and impact of SRs could be enhanced by improving their management, for example, through the provision of incentive mechanisms such as subsidies to the private sector involvement in rehabilitation, management and irrigation service provision and strengthening the capacity of existing water users associations. Furthermore, small reserviors should be recognized not only as water sources for small scale irrigation but also as providers of multiple livelihood benefits to local communities and consequently should attract due attention in public resource allocation in their rehabilitation and management/institutional capacity building