Smallholder Rice Farmers’ Information Needs And Access: An Empirical Study in the Asunafo North Municipality, Ghana.

Access to information is crucial to the development of agriculture and communities. However, a lack of access to information about agricultural production may affect farmers’ awareness of new farming practices and their ability to increase yield. Considering this as a potential driver for improving food security in poor regions, this study examined smallholder rice farmers’ information needs and access in the Asunafo North Municipality of Ghana. It focused on the socioeconomic factors affecting information access among smallholder rice farmers. This study used a multistage sampling technique to obtain information from 154 smallholder rice farmers. Descriptive statistics and a probit regression model were used for data analysis. The study revealed that respondents sourced major information from fellow farmers (98%), extension agents (79.2%), and the radio (75.3%). They needed information on high-yielding varieties (98.7%), credit support options (94.8%), market access (85.7%), and disease and pest management (85.1%). The inferential statistics show that gender, household size, farming experience, and household income significantly influenced respondents’ access to rice production information. This study recommends that efforts by policymakers to improve smallholder rice farmers’ productivity should consider social interventions (i.e., encouraging farmer group formation, expanding rural information networks, and strengthening extension capacity) that promote farmers’ information access. Policy implications include identifying and training community members to become information intermediaries to assist farmers in accessing the needed information for rice farming. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by understanding the socioeconomic factors that affect smallholder rice farmers’ access to information. The study further provides insight for agricultural policymakers to enhance smallholder rice farmers’ access to information in Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]