Preference for improved varietal attributes of Bambara groundnut among smallholder farmers in Ghana

Abstract

This paper examines farmers’ preferences for an improved Bambara groundnut variety, the key attributes desired, factors influencing preference, and the number of attributes desired by smallholder farmers in Ghana. Using data collected from 113 randomly selected households growing Bambara in the Wenchi and Nkoranza municipalities in southern Ghana, we estimate the factors influencing preference decisions and the intensity of the desired attributes using probit and Poisson regression models respectively. Preference for an improved Bambara variety is influenced by experience in farming, availability of extension services, credit access, membership of farmer-based organisations, plant type, seed colour, household size and yielding capacity. The attributes desired the most by farmers are high yielding capacity, high protein content, branched plant type and seeds that are dark or brown in colour. Furthermore, key factors influencing the number of attributes desired in an improved Bambara variety include the farmer’s sex, education, years of experience in Bambara cultivation, household size, membership of farmer-based organisations and extension services. There is a need to consider these varietal attributes and the factors as integral to research and development efforts, as well as to the policy agenda, to enhance the adoption of improved Bambara varieties for increased productivity and incomes of smallholders in Ghana.

Exploring Gender Differences in the Role of Trait Preferences among Stakeholders in the Rice Value Chain in Ghana

“…Engagement in an off-farm activity was found to influence adoption decisions for jasmine and Amankwatia varieties among women rice farmers, but not among men rice farmers. This result corresponds with findings of [42], who found nonfarm income to influence technology adoption decisions among women farmers. However, farming experience was significant among men farmers with positive and negative effects on AGRA rice and Amankwatia but insignificant among women farmers.…”

“…Furthermore, household size also had a negative influence on the decision to adopt the AGRA rice variety among men farmers. Similar findings have been found in previous studies where the adoption of improved technologies correlated with household size [42,48]. Frequency of cultivation had a positive influence on adoption of the Amankwatia variety among women and men farmers, but had a negative effect on the Togo Marshall variety among men rice farmers only.…”

“…is the standard normal density. Following Asante et al [42], the Tobit model for examining the intensity of rice purchasing among men and women rice consumers is empirically specified as:…”

“…Education only influenced the adoption of AGRA rice positively among women farmers, while among men it had a positive effect on the adoption of AGRA rice and jasmine, and a negative effect on Togo Marshall. Education empowered farmers to appreciate the importance of improved technologies [42,55] and hence increased the rate of uptake of these improved rice varieties. Engagement in an off-farm activity was found to influence adoption decisions for jasmine and Amankwatia varieties among women rice farmers, but not among men rice farmers.…”

“…Participation in a farmer-based organization (FBO) had a positive influence on the adoption of the AGRA rice variety and a negative effect on the adoption of the Togo Marshall rice variety among the women farmers. Generally, farmers' groups such as FBO tended to train and motivate farmers to adopt modern productivity-enhancing technologies [42]. The market proximity variable had a positive influence on the adoption of the AGRA rice variety for men and women rice farmers but a negative effect on the adoption of the Togo Marshall variety for women farmers alone.…”