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This study was about peer attachment and learning styles being moderated by a sense of belonging among students during the COVID-19 era. Using an analytical cross-sectional survey design, 284 final-year undergraduates were selected through stratified-proportionate and convenient sampling procedures. Data was gathered from the respondents using Learning Preference Scale (Owens & Straton, 1980), Adolescent Friendship Attachment Scale (Wilkinson, 2008) and Psychological Sense of School Membership (Goodenow, 1993). The data was analysed using descriptive (Frequencies and Percentages) and inferential statistics (Multivariate Multiple Regression, Simple Moderation with Hayes Process Macro and Multivariate Analysis of Variance).The study revealed that most students engaged in less peer attachment, felt less sense of belonging while secure attachment predicted the individual learning style of students. Furthermore, secure attachment and anxious attachments predicted the cooperative learning style of students while anxious attachment and avoidant attachment predicted the competitive learning style of students. Further, a sense of belonging moderated not peer attachment and learning styles of students, while no significant differences were found between male and female students in terms of peer attachment, learning styles, and sense of belonging. Therefore, it was recommended that students should practice individual learning styles most often but could collaborate with a few colleagues in some academic situations during this period of COVID-19. This is to help foster closeness and belongingness among the students.

Waste management is a global environmental problem. This article addresses research gaps in rural waste management in Ghana by establishing the willingness, and factors determining the willingness of rural residents to pay for waste management services (WMS). A Logit model was used to estimate the determinants of willingness to pay (WTP) for WMS, and a Tobit model was used to assess the determinants of the amount willing to pay for WMS. Factors that positively affect WTP for WMS are gender, marital status, education, monthly earnings, house ownership, mode of disposal, quantity of waste, and the distance to disposal. Age, household size, and adaptability have a negative effect. Gender, education, monthly earnings, house ownership, mode of disposal, the quantity of waste, and the frequency of disposal positively influence the amount respondents are prepared to pay, while age, household size, and adaptability to change negatively influence the amount to pay for improved WMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Promoting happiness has become increasingly important in old age for a wide range of reasons. In this study, we aim to examine the association between social inclusion (SI) and happiness among older adults in Ghana and identify the mediating factors. Methods: The study included 1201 community‐dwelling adults aged ≥50 (mean age = 66.4 ± SD 11.9 years; 63.3% female) from the 2016–2018 Ageing, Health, Psychological Well‐being, and Health‐seeking Behaviour Study. We assessed happiness with a self‐rated and cross‐culturally validated item on a five‐point scale. SI was operationalised using the modified Berkman–Syme Social Network Index. The hypothesised associations were evaluated by hierarchical regressions and bootstrapping techniques from Hayes' PROCESS macro programme. Results: The prevalence of happiness was 24.3% (all of the time), 43.6% (most of the time), 28.3% (little of the time), and 3.7% (none of the time). After controlling for potential confounders, higher SI was associated with increased levels of happiness (odds ratio (OR) = 1.36; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.16–2.51). Aside from family/friends contacts, all other SI domains positively influenced happiness (OR = 1.45–1.81). The link between SI and happiness was mediated by depressive symptoms (65.2%), generalised anxiety (30.1%), and sleep problems (9.5%). Conclusions: Our data suggest that psychological factors may largely explain the positive SI‐happiness link. Efforts should target these factors to promote happiness in old age. Longitudinal analysis may confirm our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low level of technological innovation adoption among farmers has been a development concern. However, not much attention has been paid to how agricultural innovation system actors contribute to the adoption of technological innovations among farmers. This paper, therefore, analyzed the factors that drive the adoption of technological innovations using the agricultural innovation system concept. The study adopted a mixed method approach where qualitative data from focus group discussions were used to triangulate findings obtained from the quantitative data analyzed. A two-period panel data of 3486 observations of randomly sampled agricultural households across Ghana was analyzed using descriptive statistics and the multinomial logit regression model. Findings showed that farmers with strong ties in the innovation system had a higher probability of adopting multiple sets of innovations, compared to those with weaker linkages. Platforms that encourage actor interactions such as innovation platforms should be strengthened to increase the innovative performance of smallholder farmers. This study is one of the few that have quantified the effect the agricultural innovation system has on the adoption of innovations and hence makes a positive contribution to the budding literature regarding the importance of unpacking actor interactions whilst considering a holistic inquiry of the agricultural innovation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation platforms promote interactions among actors in an innovation system. Given the importance of the cocoa sub-sector to the Ghanaian economy, having an innovation platform is imperative for increasing innovative performance. Using qualitative data collection tools we obtained in-depth information on the roles and linkages of actors to provide options for the establishment/strengthening of the cocoa innovation platform in Ghana. Findings from the thematic and social network analysis suggest that stimulating the participation of farmer groups, actors in research, extension, policy, and the private sector is important as they have the power to attract and sustain relevant actors to the network and hold the structure of the cocoa innovation platform together. The study contributes to the literature by being the first study that has applied the SNA tool to the cocoa innovation system in Ghana and also by emphasizing the prominent role farmers and private sector actors play in such networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aims to examine the association between mobility limitations and emotional dysfunction among older Ghanaians and evaluate the buffering effect of physical activity (PA) and social ties in this association. Methods: The analysis included 1201 adults aged ≥50 from the 2016‐17 Aging, Health, Psychological Well‐being, and Health‐seeking Behavior study. The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form‐36 (MOS SF‐36) assessed mobility limitations and emotional dysfunction. We measured PA using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ‐SF). Hierarchical OLS regressions were performed to evaluate the hypothesized direct and interactive relationships. Results: The mean age of the sample was 66.2 (SD = 11.9), and 63.3% were women. After full adjustment for potential confounders, OLS regressions found that mobility limitations increased the risk of emotional dysfunction (β = 0.113, p = 0.004). Moreover, social ties (β = −0.157, p < 0.001) and PA (β = −0.096, p < 0.001) were independently and negatively associated with emotional dysfunction. We finally found a significant effect modification of the association of mobility limitations with emotional dysfunction by PA (β = −0.040, p < 0.002) and social ties (β = −0.013, p = 0.013). Conclusions: Mobility‐enhancing strategies such as engagement in positive behavioral choices, focusing on regular PA, and maintaining resourceful interpersonal social networks can mitigate the impact of mobility limitations on emotional dysfunction in later life. Key points: This study included a large, representative older sample with and without mobility limitations in an innovative setting of the sub‐Saharan African context.Mobility limitations were significantly and independently associated with the risk of emotional dysfunction (β = 0.113, p < 0.005).The physically active and socially connected older persons experienced lower mobility‐induced emotional dysfunction than their physically inactive and socially isolated counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local Private-Public-Partnerships It was observed that public services (extension, mechanization, fertilizer subsidy and grain purchase) were hired or used to specifically support the contractual arrangements, sometimes in formal PPPs, in [...]