Predictors of inoculant-based technology adoption by smallholder soybean farmers in northern Ghana: implications for soil fertility management

Abstract

Inoculant-based technologies are environmentally friendly and economic ways to improve soil fertility status by incorporating atmospheric nitrogen into root nodules of leguminous crops to increase crop yield. The uptake of inoculant-based technologies by smallholder farmers in Ghana is not well documented despite measures by research institutions to introduce these technologies to farmers. This study therefore sought to investigate the farmer characteristics, farm-level, input and institutional-level determinants of inoculant-based technology adoption by small-scale soybean producers in Northern Ghana, relying on cross-sectional data and double-hurdle modelling. This study identified the main drivers of inoculant adoption as farmers’ age, sex, educational status, household size, agrochemicals adoption, soil fertility status, extension contact, farmer group membership and participation in off-farm work. Intensity of adoption, expressed as expenditure per hectare on inoculants was significantly influenced by household size, degree of specialization in soybean production, agrochemicals adoption, cost of ploughing, cattle ownership and participation in off-farm work. The results showed that the decision to adopt inoculant technology and the intensity of adoption are influenced by different sets of variables. Improving smallholders’ access to agricultural extension and promoting participation in farmer groups are expected to enhance inoculant technology adoption to promote grain legume production.