Struggles over staples production? Constraints and food crops technologies adoptions of smallholder cocoa farmers in Ghana’s Bono, Ahafo and Western North regions

Abstract

Issues of food insufficiency among smallholder cocoa farming households persist due to low attention paid to food crops production. Employing multivariate probit technique on cross sectional data collected from cocoa farmers in Ghana, the study assessed dynamics in acceptance of four complementary agricultural technologies including improved variety, inorganic fertilizer, row planting and plant spacing. Socioeconomic and institutional factors impeding acceptance of technologies were identified. The suggestions are that, timely supply of inputs and relaxation of rules of acquisition of credit should be established. Institutional factors could be tackled more by adequately resourcing research and extension linkage systems in the developments and dissemination of improved agricultural technologies.

Keywords

• Agricultural technology
• Credit facility
• Foodstuff
• Food insufficiency
• Multivariate probit
• Ghana