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Cowpea, the first crop to be harvested in semi-arid regions is an important food crop that bridges that hunger gap that exists before cereal crops are harvested. This paper assesses the adoption of improved cowpea varieties with farmers in Northern Ghana. Semi-structured interviews were administered to 250 farmers: 230 male and 20 female farmers. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 4 districts, 8 communities and17 households in each community where quantitative and qualitative data was gathered. Farmers who had a history of cowpea production and communities with a history of access to improved cowpea seeds were interviewed. The questionnaire covered demographic aspects of the survey farm households, their production environment, the factors that influence the adoption or non-adoption of improved cowpea varieties, among other things. Results indicated that all farmers adopted cowpea varieties. With typical adoption attitudes, farmers adopt these varieties gradually which eventually peaks and drops depending on yield, amount of pesticides needed and the incidence of insect pest and diseases. In conclusion, due to the persistence of some pest and diseases on some crops, drought related problems, degrading soil fertility, dwindling farm land due to farm lands being taken over as residential plots, and low yields, farmers have found solace in the cultivation of improved varieties which are mainly high yielding, insect/disease resistant and drought tolerant.

Access to water is a matter of daily survival for people around the world. Water is crucial for human survival and also central to the development of every nation. The recent literature on world water suggests that the water crisis being experienced is related to governance and not a real crisis of scarcity and stress. This paper aims at identifying water governance practices and the challenges associated with water governance in Ghana. The paper reviews the literature on the implementation of policy directives and actions with specific focus on water resources governance aspects of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Ghana. Ghana's National Water Policy is expected to turn the fortunes of the country around in terms of water resources management. Concerning water resources management, the policy advocates for an IWRM approach. Since its implementation, certain setbacks have been challenging the effectiveness of the policy, such as inadequate institutional capacity, inadequate funding, ineffective enforcement of existing regulations, inadequate legal framework, and lack of adequate data. The paper suggests, among other things, the building of both human and institutional capacity, and making the environment a government priority, as ways to contribute to the effective implementation of the National Water Policy.

Governments around the world are increasingly adopting innovative ways that facilitate the easy provision of public sector services through efficient and effective ways. However, the linkages between ICT adoption, human resource (HR) quality, and public sector performance remains under-examined. This study examines the effects of ICT adoption and HR quality on public sector performance on one hand and the mediating effects of HR quality on the linkage between ICT adoption and public sector performance on the other using archival sources of data for 140 countries and a conceptual model based on the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework. The data analysis using partial least squares-structural equation modeling shows that ICT adoption influences HR quality but not public sector performance directly. However, HR quality was found to positively influence public sector performance. Furthermore, HR quality was found to significantly moderate the relationship between ICT adoption and the public sector performance.

The objective of the study was to explore the relationship between gender, group formation, mobility, age and innovation transfer in cowpea innovation transfer. Data collection was achieved through formal surveys, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and observations. A hundred and twenty individual interviews were conducted for the formal survey guided by questionnaire. While 275 community members made up of both male and female farmers, elders, the youth and traders were involved in five Focal Group Discussion Workshops. Results showed that group formation enhanced collective reaction and for that matter technological uptake to others within the group. Results indicated that linkages between men and between women point to a potential for sharing within and between families and villages. Rural urban migration was found to influence the likelihood of innovation adoption. This was a result of their exposure to innovative methods of farming outside the rural farming settings. In terms of age, younger farmers were found to adopt technologies faster though the younger farmers do not have the same years of farming experience. This was because, the young male farmers is prepared to be daring and to take risks, particularly if they control a substantial amount of finance. The high rate of adoption among young farmers also reflects their ability to understand and apply complex technological knowledge. However, the older men found it difficult to change their farming practices because they do not trust new innovations. In adopting an agricultural innovation, the research suggests depends upon a number of factors and these include: age, gender, mobility, being part of a group, availability of inputs and finance, effectiveness of the innovation, the role of traditional norms and values and the level of formal or informal education or what might be referred to as enlightenment. It must be noted that people adopt new agricultural innovations at different times and for different reasons. Group formation was found to positively influence the adoption of new and improved innovations. To promote the adoption of an innovation, age must be critically considered. It has been argued here that young farmers are more ready to adopt innovations than members of other age groups. Older farmers change their practices if there is no alternative to having good quality produce but practice local innovations in the main. In conclusion mobility, gender, group formation and age facilitates innovation adoption and transfer.