No abstract

2016-12-23T18:49:38

The study analyzes factors influencing agricultural credit allocation and constraint condition of maize farmers in the Upper-Manya Krobo District in the Eastern region of Ghana. The study uses primary data solicited from 130 maize farmers through the administration of a structured questionnaire. Using the paired sample t-test to test for significant differences between the amounts of credit demanded and the amount received by farmers, it is revealed that the amount of credit received was significantly lower than the amount of credit demanded by farmers. The Probit regression model was then used to estimate the parameters of the determinants of credit constraint condition of the farmers. The empirical results reveal that gender, household size of farmers, annual income of farmers and farm size have significant influence on credit constraint conditions of the farmers. The Tobit regression model was also used to estimate the parameters of the determinants of the rate of agricultural credit allocated to the farm sector. The empirical results of the Tobit regression model reveal that age, bank visits before credit acquisition and the amount (size) of credit received have significant influence on the rate of agricultural credit allocation to the farm sector. The study provides the following recommendations: it is imperative that bank officials visit farmers on their farms before granting them loans, and also farmers must be granted the required amounts of loan to enhance the rate of agricultural loan allocation to the farm sector to ensure increased productivity of crops grown for increased welfare and livelihood of these farmers and the citizens of the country as a whole.

No abstract

The sustainable development of the rice sector in Ghana is constrained by environmental, socioeconomic, research and development factors. Productivity is generally low, about 1 mt/ha under upland and rain-fed lowland rice ecologies which dominate rice production systems in the country. The release and diffusion of the New Rice for Africa (NERICA) varieties across many countries in Africa (including Ghana) brought renewed hope to both farmers and the research community because of the desirable qualities associated with the NERICAs, and therefore their potential to improve food security on a sustainable basis. This study therefore sought to assess the extent of exposure and adoption of the NERICA varieties across the rice growing districts in Ghana, and determine the key factors that affect adoption. A total of 489 rice producing households from three districts (Ejura-Sekyedumase, Hohoe and Tolon-Kumbungu) were involved in the study. The study employs the average treatment effect (ATE) methodology which provides an appropriate framework for the identification and consistent estimation of the population adoption rate and that of the determinants of adoption. The study finds that exposure to NERICA varieties is generally low in Ghana with an average rate of about 6%. Similarly, the adoption of improved rice varieties is low, and the adoption of NERICA varieties is about 6% of the total sample surveyed. The study shows that experience, education and location are important determinants of exposure, while age and access to extension also affect adoption. It is therefore recommended that much effort and resources should be invested in promotional activities to facilitate both the exposure and adoption of the NERICAs among farmers in Ghana.