The Impact of Cooperative Membership on Rural Households’ Farm Income: The Case of Aquaculture Farmers in the Eastern Region of Ghana

Purpose: This study examined the effect of farmers’ involvement in aquaculture cooperatives on rural households’ farm income in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Approach/Methodology/Design: The data were gathered through questionnaires administered to four hundred (400) rural fish farming households. The endogenous switching regression (ESR) technique was used to resolve the self-bias of variables selection. For robustness of the results, Heckman selection model was later used to assess the treatment impact while accounting for endogeneity bias resulting from selection on unobservable variables. The heterogeneous analysis was performed to examine the impacts of cooperative involvement on rural fish farming households’ farm income. Findings: Based on the ESR outcomes, the study found that households’ credit access, extension services accessed by household heads, educational attainment by household heads, and household size significantly influence cooperative members’ farm income. However, farm (pond) size, household heads’ age, and households’ farming experience had no significant impact on cooperative members’ farm income. Using the problem confrontation index, the cooperative aquaculture farmers claimed that the deployment of primitive tools, high post-harvest losses, unavailability of improved feeds, high costs of chemicals, and low yield were the most severe obstructions in fish production. In contrast, the study established that the topmost pressing constraints confronting the non-cooperative member farmers were the inaccessibility to credit facilities, low productivity, high post-harvest losses, unavailability of improved feeds, and high costs of chemicals. Originality/value: This study highlighted that technical training, credit access, market outlets, bargaining power, input supplies, and increased prices of their products were the benefits the members derived from their involvement in aquaculture cooperatives in the study area

E-Commerce Adoption among Small and Medium Enterprises in Ghana

This study investigates the adoption of e-commerce among small and medium enterprises in Ghana. The quantitative survey approach was employed for the conduct of this study. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain data from a sample size of 291 representatives of SMEs across four (4) administrative regions in Ghana. This study applied the binary logistic regression model and Friedman test analytical techniques. The study's findings revealed that most SMEs in Ghana had adopted at least one form of e-commerce level. The study further revealed that the decision to adopt and implement e-commerce among SMEs in Ghana is dependent on perceived relative advantage, IT knowledge of owners/managers, perceived risk/ security factor, and perceived Compatibility with existing infrastructure, culture, and values of the firm. Significant challenges hindering e-commerce adoption among SMEs in Ghana as identified in this study include high internet traffic, cost of running and maintaining e-commerce operations reliability of service, internet connection failures, as well as doubts about having the implementation of economies of scale and scope in alliance with strategic networks, the maintenance of unblemished ethical conduct by retail e-commerce firms, and the incorporation of protection and privacy policy statement on electronic platforms of firms

The Impact of the Performance of Listed Banks on Their Profitability and Economic Growth of Ghana

This study examines the factors that influence the performance of listed banks and the impact of on Ghana's economic growth. The study used panel data from GCB Bank, HFC Bank, Ghana Economic Bank (EBG), SG-SSB Bank and CAL Bank for the period 2010 to 2019. The Hausman test for panel regression was employed to determine the best method between the fixed effect and random effect models. The results of the Hausman test show the fixed effect was the most efficient method of estimation. The findings of the fixed effect model show that liquid assets to short term liability and non-performing loan ratio have significant negative effect on return on assets.  Furthermore, non-interest expense income, return on assets and return on equity have high significant impact on economic growth. Capital adequacy ratio on the other hand adversely affect economic growth. The positive result of the profitability measures explains how a good financial sector can affect the state of an economy. The study therefore suggests that stakeholders, policymakers and Governments must implement pragmatic policies and enforce existing ones to encourage financial institutions to maintain disciplined and profitable management practices

Agricultural Credit Accessibility Determinants: Evidence from Ghanaian Smallholder Farmers

Agricultural credit is an essential input along with modern technology for increased in farm productivity hence serves as an intervention to eradicate rural poverty and increase in agricultural growth. It is believed that smallholder farmers growth in farm production will depend on the availability of agricultural credit. The study assessed on the heterogeneous effect of the factors on the source of agricultural credit (formal and informal) and the gender composition. The study utilized the quantitative research design, a total of four hundred (400) participants were randomly sampled from 4 selected districts and municipalities in the Eastern region of Ghana (Asuogyaman, West-Akim, Suhum and Birim South). A statistical test like the binary logistics regression model was used to predict whether or not smallholder farmers’ access to agricultural credit in the formal and informal source of credit and the gender composition is influenced by the determinants considered for the study. According to the findings of this study, it can be concluded that a lot of factors influence the smallholder accessibility to agricultural credit. The model showed a significant relationship between the determinant and accessibility of agricultural credit. This asserts that smallholder farmers’ accessibility of agricultural credit depends on these determinants for the purpose and the study area. The study, therefore, suggests that suppliers, borrowers and other interested stakeholders should be able to improve and intervene in the financial inclusion as well as that stakeholders in the agricultural industry such as MOFA, NGOs, FAO etcetera should include in their sensitization programs ways of enhancing farmers to adopt better farm management practices since they are variables influencing farmers used of agricultural credit