Institutional dimensions of veterinary services reforms: responses to structural adjustment in Northern Ghana

Amankwah, K.; Klerkx, Laurens; Sakyi-Dawson, O.; Karbo, N.; Oosting, S.J.; Leeuwis, C.; Zijpp, A.J. van der

doi:10.1080/14735903.2014.909635

Cited by 17 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…In Ghana, however, the institutional context was determined by the political wish to establish institutional price-setting mechanisms for export products (Quarmine et al 2014), to create structural reforms in agriculture through decentralization and privatization of services (Amankwah et al 2014), and to enhance access to market segments by demanding improved quality (Osei-Amponsah et al 2014), i.e. the context was economic libertarianism.…”

Section: Country Comparisonmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In some studies, the constraints were poor institutions to properly manage resources; examples include the lack of a properly functioning oil-palm seed and seedling distribution system (Akpo et al 2014) and the lack of proper land tenure arrangements (Yemadje et al 2014). In other cases, constraints consisted of a lack of incentives, for example in the commercial production systems for small ruminants (Amankwah et al 2014), to produce high-quality oil (Osei-Amponsah et al 2014) or cocoa beans (Quarmine et al 2014) or to invest in managing a value chain (Sidibé et al 2014). Some of the studies highlight the need to negotiate competing claims, for example in the management of water from agro-pastoral dams (Kpéra et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Unravelling institutional determinants affecting change in agriculture in West Africa

Struik

Klerkx

Hounkonnou³

2014

International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability

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This paper compares lessons learned from nine studies that explored institutional determinants of innovation towards sustainable intensification of West African agriculture. The studies investigated issues relating to crop, animal, and resources management in Benin, Ghana, and Mali. The constraints addressed were agronomic or economic (e.g. low production, yield, quality, prices) and institutional (e.g. poor access to resources and constraining regulations) and were analysed using an array of research approaches. The studies showed that political ambitions to foster institutional change were often high (restoring the Beninese cotton sector and protecting Ghanaian farmers against fluctuating cocoa prices) and that the institutional change achieved was often remarkable. However, flexibility of institutions, co-evolution of technical and institutional change, and increased transparency are needed to make institutional change successful. The programme Convergence of SciencesStrengthening Agricultural Innovation Systems encouraged interventions where needed and enabled researchers and stakeholders to acquire the change capacities required to identify the need and potential for change and to make change happen. More research is needed to design pathways towards sustainable intensification based on social and technological innovation. Policy-makers should create space for institutional experimentation and empower smallholder farmers in West Africa to create resilient, local food systems to feed burgeoning urban populations.

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Section: Country Comparisonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Unravelling institutional determinants affecting change in agriculture in West Africa

Struik

Klerkx

Hounkonnou³

2014

International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability

Self Cite

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“…Agricultural extension, in general, has witnessed dwindling prospects over the years as a key driver of agricultural innovation in Ghana due to a major drift in agricultural policies over the years. The result is that public delivery of veterinary services, like other sectors, has received progressively dwindling financial and human resources while there has been little investment in physical infrastructure (Amankwah et al, 2014). Employment in the agricultural sector, like other sectors, has stagnated in recent years.…”

Section: Access To Extension Servicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Socio-economic attributes of guinea fowl production in two districts in Northern Ghana

Issaka¹,

Yeboah²

2016

Afr. J. Agric. Res.

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The search for a sustainable solution to the growing household food insecurity in many Ghanaian homes calls for an effective harnessing of locally available resources for increased agricultural production. The study was conducted against the background that, although several studies have been conducted on the guinea fowl in Northern Ghana, very little attention has been paid to the socioeconomic attributes of production. Such information is critical to understand the behaviour of farmers, especially, about technology adoption by understanding the opportunities and constraints confronting farmers. This allows a more holistic and informed approach to solve the problems of farmers. The study employed descriptive statistic by means of percentages, statistical means and frequency tables. The results indicate that guinea fowl keepers in both districts keep the birds for economic and sociocultural reasons. Like any other economic venture, guinea fowl production is not without constraints. The main constraints to guinea fowl production include high keet mortality rates, inadequate access to veterinary services, low productivity of local breeds, unstable prices and poor management practices. It is recommended that there should be increased research to increase the productivity of local breeds of guinea fowls.

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“…The Veterinary Services Directorate (VSD) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture is responsible for animal health service delivery in Ghana. In addition, many private veterinary service providers have gained recognition since the country adopted the Structural Adjustment Policy (SAP) in the 1980s (Amankwah et al, 2014;FAO, 1999;Turkson, 2003). The importance of the animal health care systems is not only to sustain and improve livestock production through animal disease and parasite prevention, but also to protect humans against zoonotic diseases and infections (Amankwah et al, 2014;Okereke, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, many private veterinary service providers have gained recognition since the country adopted the Structural Adjustment Policy (SAP) in the 1980s (Amankwah et al, 2014;FAO, 1999;Turkson, 2003). The importance of the animal health care systems is not only to sustain and improve livestock production through animal disease and parasite prevention, but also to protect humans against zoonotic diseases and infections (Amankwah et al, 2014;Okereke, 2012). Therefore, providing quality animal health care service is essential for efficient livestock production and quality animal products for human consumption (Turkson, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determinants of small ruminant farmers decision to participate in veterinary services in Northern Ghana

Adams¹,

Ohene-Yankyera²

2015

J. Vet. Med. Anim. Health

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This study analysed the determinants of small ruminant farmers' participation in veterinary services in Northern Ghana. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to collect data on 249 farm households in different locations in Northern Ghana. Analytical tools including frequencies, means and logistic regression model were used to analyse the data. The regression analysis indicates a positive relationship between participation in veterinary services and sex of household head (p<0.05), education (p<0.05), household income level (P<0.05), herd size (p<0.05), and affordability of veterinary service (P<0.01). In addition, the study shows that diseases and pests menace, insufficient veterinary offices and animal health professionals were the major three constraints affecting animal health management in northern Ghana. In order to improve quality delivery of veterinary service in the area, the result of the logistic model provides a guideline to select farm households for implementation of veterinary extension programs in the region. Such guideline should be based on the important socioeconomic and farm-related variables identified from the regression analysis. Furthermore, sustainable livestock production can be enhanced when animal health centers and professionals are made visible at local farming communities. Therefore, policies that provide an enabling environment for more private veterinary practice is relevant. More so, more qualified animal health professionals need to be trained to commensurate with the increasing number of livestock smallholders in the country.

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Institutional dimensions of veterinary services reforms: responses to structural adjustment in Northern Ghana

Cited by 17 publications

References 21 publications

Unravelling institutional determinants affecting change in agriculture in West Africa

Unravelling institutional determinants affecting change in agriculture in West Africa

Socio-economic attributes of guinea fowl production in two districts in Northern Ghana

Determinants of small ruminant farmers decision to participate in veterinary services in Northern Ghana

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