Search

Purpose: Various models and approaches are implemented to provide technical assistance and support to improve cocoa farmers' welfare in Ghana. The Farmer Business School (FBS), which is analogous to Farmer Field School (FFS), is one of the few initiatives of GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) and Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD). The main aim of the initiative is to train smallholder cocoa farmers to perceive cocoa production as a business. However, there is limited or conflicting evidence as to the effect of FBS on productivity and food security, especially in Ghana. This study assessed FBS participation and the participation's impact on productivity and food security of cocoa farmers. Design/methodology/approach: The study used primary data collected from 542 cocoa farmers in Central and Western North regions of Ghana and employed descriptive statistics, perception index and Endogenous Switching Regression (ESR) as analytical tools. Findings: The results, which reported an overall perception index of 0.7, indicated that the farmers had a strong positive perception on the FBS program. The results also showed that sex of a farmer, number of years of formal education, farm size, extension contact, perception, distance to extension outlet and membership of farmer-based organizations (FBOs) significantly influenced the decision to participate in FBS program. Also off-farm income, years of education and household size significantly influenced farm productivity and household food security. The results further showed that participation in FBS improved productivity and food security of cocoa farmers. Research limitations/implications: The study used data from two regions of Ghana, namely the Central region and the Western North region. Findings from studies using data covering all cocoa growing areas of Ghana could be more informative in formulating policies aimed at encouraging participation in FBS and consequently help improve cocoa productivity and food security. Originality/value: This article offers insights into the welfare effects of FBS on cocoa farmers as previous similar studies are without this information.

ABSTRACTThis paper aims to assess the financial and economic viability of Moringa oleifera production as well as processing yield using data collected from 75 moringa farmers and a processing firm in the Bono East Region of Ghana. Descriptive statistics, as well as the discounted and non-discounted measures of project worth, were employed as analytical tools. A three-scenario based sensitivity analysis followed this to measure the robustness of the viability indicators to varying parameter values. The results revealed that an investment in Moringa oleifera production has a payback period of 1 year, 10 months, NPV of GH₵ 4,857.46(US$ 833), a BCR of 1.65 and an IRR of 63%, indicating Moringa oleifera production in the Bono East Region is viable. Considering the viability of this plantation and the potential it portrays for sustainable development, income generation, and job creation, we recommend that governments, Non-Governmental Organizations, and donor agencies support, invest, and encourage the cultivation, consumption, and activities of value addition to Moringa oleifera in their programs. This will lead to nutritional security, youth empowerment and liberation of villages and rural communities from intense poverty. It is also recommended that the government includes moringa plantation in its planting for food and jobs programs.

This study examined the perception and adoption of artificial pollination among cocoa farmers in Ghana. It used cross-sectional data collected from 206 cocoa farmers selected through multi-stage sampling technique. Descriptive statistics, Likert Scale and the Tobit regression model were the methods of analysis. With an adoption rate of 49%, the study revealed that cocoa farmers have a positive perception towards adoption of artificial pollination technology. The results also showed that age of farmer, extension visits, yield and household size have significant positive effects on the probability of adoption of artificial pollination among cocoa farmers, whereas farm size has a significant negative effect on adoption. Leveraging on the positive perception generated, we encourage extension agents to sensitize farmers on the importance of artificial pollination through continuous awareness creation and promotion of the benefits of adopting the technology. Furthermore, given cocoa farmers’ positive perception on artificial pollination, Ghana’s cocoa production and marketing regulatory body (COCOBOD) should take steps in implementing the technology. Implementers of this technology should also target younger farmers since age has a negative influence on adoption of artificial pollination. Finally, this paper contributes to the literature by focusing on the perception and the factors that influence adoption of artificial pollination in cocoa production which currently has not been researched and documented in the cocoa production literature.

ABSTRACTRather than decimation and devastation, COVID-19 appears to reveal Africa’s innovation and resourcefulness in fighting disease, but this has largely escaped scholarship. Using various search engines, keywords and phrases, we conducted a scoping review of common key innovations and strategies Africa’s 54 countries deployed to fight COVID-19. Our results show that African countries have used old tools and approaches in new ways, developed and adapted new technologies, and creatively used limited resources. Thus, COVID provides an opportunity for unparalleled transformation in health care and economy. We offer some policy options for scaling up and sustaining this positive transformation.

Leadership is crucial to the development and diffusion of e-government. But there is limited research that empirically validates this claim. This study thus examines the moderating effect of leadership commitment on the impact of infrastructure availability, financial capacity, literacy, and government policy and regulation toward the adoption of e-government. Data was obtained through a convenient sampling of Ghanaian citizens. The theory of the technology acceptance model (TAM) was applied, and the structural equation model technique was used to undertake the data analysis. The results showed that while leadership commitment significantly moderated the impact of infrastructure availability, finance capacity, and government policy and regulations on the perceived usefulness of e-government, its moderating effect on education/literacy on the perceived usefulness of e-government was not significant. Infrastructure, finance capacity, literacy, and government policy and regulations were significant predictors of e-government usefulness. Managerial and practical implications are discussed.

Doxorubicin (Dox) is a potent chemotherapeutic agent, but its usage is limited by dose-dependent cardiotoxicity. Intracellular calcium dysregulation has been reported to be involved in doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy (DICM). The cardioprotective role of RyR stabilizer dantrolene (Dan) on the calcium dynamics of DICM has not yet been explored.

Purpose: In order to improve access to resources for smallholder farmers, efforts are being made to promote contract farming in Ghana. This is seen as a strategy to increase agricultural productivity of farmers, give better market access and guarantee adequate supply of raw materials to agro-based industries. However, the challenge is whether contract farming leads to improvement in food security status of farmers. The study therefore seeks to explore to what extent farmers' food security status is influenced by their participation in contract farming activities. Design/methodology/approach: Using Cragg's double-hurdle model to analyse participation in contract farming, the authors control for selection bias using propensity score matching applied to a data set of 336 observations to examine the impact of contract farming on the food security levels of rice farmers in Ghana. Findings: The results of this study show that yield of paddy and the wealth of the farmer are the main factors that influence the quantity of paddy rice to be contracted in contract farming arrangements. This study also finds that participation in contract farming will increase food security by 109%. In conclusion, contract farming has a significant positive impact on the farmers' food security status. Originality/value: Agricultural policies and rural development initiatives supporting the promotion and expansion of contract farming should be pursued to persuade more farmers to produce under contract farming agreements.

Purpose: Even though many studies identify positive effects of contract farming (CF) on the livelihood of farmers, the use of CF as a tool to increase farm performance is unsettled debate. Information on CF is relatively not available in staple food chains. Theoretical considerations have shown that there are challenges in employing CF in staple food chains such as rice. With the increasing trend of rice CF in Ghana, it is very critical to establish its performance in rice production in Ghana. It is therefore imperative to analyse the impact of CF on the performance of smallholder rice farmers. Design/methodology/approach: A survey was conducted where 350 rice farmers selected through a stratified sampling technique using structured questionnaires were interviewed. Descriptive and inferential statistics including stochastic frontier analyses and endogenous treatment effect regression were used to analyse the data. Findings: The results from the endogenous treatment effect regression model show that CF improves rice farmers' technical, allocative and economic efficiencies by 21, 23 and 26%, respectively. Farm size and CF were identified as common factors influencing technical, allocative and economic efficiency measures of the farmers positively. It further identified age of farmer, educational level and household labour as factors influencing farmers' participation in CF positively. Research limitations/implications: It is recommended that CF is a good tool to enhance rice production efficiency, and hence, farmers should be encouraged to participate in CF as strategy to enhance the local rice production in Ghana. Social implications: The outcome of this study has the potential to influence rice production in the country. The country is a net importer of rice and just about 35% self-sufficient in rice production. Originality/value: This study is the first to assess performance of CF in rice crop production in Ghana and also one of the few to use efficiency as a performance measure.

The planetary boundaries framework proposes quantified guardrails to human modification of global environmental processes that regulate the stability of the planet and has been considered in sustainability science, governance, and corporate management. However, the planetary boundary for human freshwater use has been critiqued as a singular measure that does not reflect all types of human interference with the complex global water cycle and Earth System. We suggest that the water planetary boundary will be more scientifically robust and more useful in decision-making frameworks if it is redesigned to consider more specifically how climate and living ecosystems respond to changes in the different forms of water on Earth: atmospheric water, frozen water, groundwater, soil moisture, and surface water. This paper provides an ambitious scientific road map to define a new water planetary boundary consisting of sub-boundaries that account for a variety of changes to the water cycle.