Dadson Awunyo-Vitor

Agricultural credit rationing in Ghana: what do formal lenders look for?

Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants of agricultural credit rationing by formal lenders in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach - – This study employed descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Heckmans two-stage regression model to identify types of rationing faced by farmers and investigate factors that influence agricultural credit rationing by formal financial institutions. Data used in this study are gathered through a survey of 595 farmers in seven districts within Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. Findings - – The result reveals that farmers face three types of rationing. Evidence from the Heckman two-stage models shows that engagement in off farm income generating activities, increase in farm size, positive balances on accounts and commercial orientation of the farmers has the potential to reduce rationing of credit applicants by formal lenders. Practical implications - – The results provide information on the factors that need to be considered as important in an attempt to reduce agricultural credit rationing by formal lenders. Originality/value - – The value of this study is that farmers would use the results of this study to improve access to required amount of agricultural credit from formal financial institutions. The information would also benefit stakeholders in the agricultural sector, particularly youth in agriculture program organized by Ministry of Food and Agriculture in Ghana as how to improve access to credit and reduce rationing of program participants by formal financial institutions.

Adoption of organic agriculture: Evidence from cocoa farming in Ghana

Abstract Cocoa farmers in Suhum area have been cultivating conventional cocoa for several years. However, as at 2012 about 1,000 farmers had switched to the cultivation of cocoa organically. The question that arises is, what factors could have influenced this small fraction of farmers to adopt organic production practices, whilst the majority continue in conventional cocoa production? Using data on 280 organic cocoa farms and 378 conventional cocoa farms from Suhum Cocoa District in Ghana, a probit model was fitted to the data. Being male positively influenced adoption of organic cocoa production. Smaller households have a tendency of adopting organic technology. Less cocoa farming experience led to probability of adoption of organic cocoa production. Access to extension services promotes adoption of organic cocoa technology. Access to credit positively influenced adoption of organic cocoa production with a marginal effect value of 0.1295. Therefore, increased and effective extension and credit services are recommended to enhance adoption of organic cocoa production.

Determinants of Antenatal Healthcare Utilisation by Pregnant Women in Third Trimester in Peri-Urban Ghana

Access to quality healthcare still remains a major challenge in the efforts at reversing maternal morbidity and mortality. Despite the availability of established maternal health interventions, the health of the expectant mother and the unborn child remains poor due to low utilisation of interventions. The study examined the socioeconomic determinants of antenatal care utilisation in peri-urban Ghana using pregnant women who are in their third trimester. Two-stage sampling technique was used to sample 200 pregnant women who were in their third trimester from the District Health Information Management System software. Well-structured questionnaire was the instrument used to collect data from respondents. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics including binary logit regression model were used to analyse the data with the help of SPSS and STATA software. The results showed varying utilisation levels of ANC. From the regression result, age, household size, and occupational status were identified as the important socioeconomic determinants of antenatal care utilisation among the respondents. The important system factors which influence antenatal care utilisation by the respondents are distance to ANC, quality of service, and service satisfaction. The study concludes that socioeconomic and health system factors are important determinants of antenatal care utilisation. Stepping up of interventions aimed at improving the socioeconomic status and addressing health system and proximity challenges could be helpful in improving antenatal care utilisation by pregnant women in Ghana.

Firm-specific determinants of stock prices in an emerging capital market: Evidence from Ghana Stock Exchange

Abstract This study seeks to examine the influence of firm-specific determinants of stock prices in an emerging market with particular reference to firms listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange. The study employs a data-set from all listed firms on the Ghana Stock Exchange from 2008 to 2014. The study used panel regression analysis to analyse the data. In general, the study found that accounting information, specifically earning per share, return on equity, book value and market capitalization of the firms, is relevant in explaining stock prices after the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Ghana. This study contributes to the ongoing debate on the firm-specific factors influencing share price in an emerging market with particular reference to Ghana Stock Exchange. It is recommended that the Directors of the firms listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange introduce policies which would have a positive impact on their return on equity and earnings per share to significantly influence their stock prices positively.

Do oil prices influence economic growth in Ghana? An empirical analysis

Abstract The study examined the causal linkage between oil price change and economic growth. The study made use of secondary data that were extracted from World Development Indicators and International Financial Statistics. Descriptive statistics, unit root test, Johansen cointegration test and Granger causality test were employed to analyse the data. The results of the study revealed that there exists an inverse relationship between oil price change and economic growth in Ghana. However, the effect of oil price change on economic growth is statistically insignificant in the long run. The result of the Granger causality similarly revealed a unidirectional causality between oil prices and economic. In conclusion, the variation in oil price has no effect on the growth of the Ghanaian economy; hence, policies to influence economic growth should be independently pursued of oil price changes.

Achieving sustainable development goals on no poverty and zero hunger: Does technical efficiency of Ghana’s maize farmers matter?

BackgroundWhether or not maize farmers are technically efficient determines their choice of productivity improvement strategy and very important for achieving the sustainable development goals on no poverty and zero hunger. This study examined technical efficiency and its determinants of Ghana’s maize farmers. Analysis of the determinants is crucial to devising strategies aimed at improving technical efficiencies of the farmers as well as ensuring no poverty and zero hunger.MethodsThe study used cross-sectional data collected from 576 maize farmers in the four main agro-ecological zones of Ghana with the aid of structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and the stochastic frontier production function were the methods of analysis used.ResultsThe results showed that the mean technical efficiency estimate for maize farmers in Ghana was 58.1%. They also revealed that an increase in educational level, maize farming experience, extension contact as well as uses of fertilizer and improved seeds would increase the technical efficiency of maize producers in Ghana. Similarly, male Ghanaian maize farmers were more technically efficient than female farmers. Furthermore, membership of a farmer association will increase their technical efficiencies. Finally, an increase in farm size and land fragmentation will decrease technical efficiency of the maize farmers.ConclusionEfficiency improvement programmes by stakeholders in the maize industry could target literate maize farmers since education enhances the managerial and technical skills of farmers and also increase farmers’ ability to utilize existing technologies. Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) could also liaise with Ministry of Education to provide maize farmers with no formal education with special training prior to introducing new efficiency enhancing programmes to them. MOFA should analyse the problems extension officers face in the discharge of their duties to pave the way for the provision of appropriate incentives to extension officers by stakeholders in the maize industry.

Impact of Irrigation Ecology on Rice Production Efficiency in Ghana

Irrigation production is a means by which agricultural production can be increased to meet the growing food demands in the world. This study evaluated the effect of irrigation ecology on farm household technical, allocative, and economic efficiency of smallholder rice farmers. Cross-sectional data was obtained from 350 rice farmers across rain fed and irrigation ecologies. Stochastic frontier analyses are used to estimate the production efficiency and endogenous treatment effect regression model is used to estimate the impact of irrigation ecology on rice production efficiency. The impact of irrigation ecology on technical efficiency is about 0.05, which implies farmers producing under irrigation ecology are more technically efficient in their rice production than those in rain fed production. The impact of irrigation ecology on allocative efficiency is about 0.33, which shows that farmers participating in irrigation farming are more allocatively efficient in their rice production than those in rain fed production. The impact on economic efficiency is about 0.23, meaning that farmers participating in irrigation farming are more economically efficient in their rice production than those in rain fed production. Irrigation ecology has positive impact on production efficiency; hence farmers should be encouraged to produce more under irrigation for increased yield and profit.

Growth performance and economic evaluation of broiler Chicken fed with rain tree (Samanea saman) seed meal

Abstract An 8-week experiment was conducted to assess the growth performance of broiler chicken served with rain tree (Samanea saman) seed meal as alternative source of protein. The study was conducted at the Animal Science Department at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana. The chicks were divided into four treatments and each treatment was replicated thrice with 20 chicks per replicate in a completely randomised design. S. saman seed meal was included at 20, 40 and 60 g in the diets as replacement for fish meal and soybean meal from the 3rd to 8th week. The results of the analysis indicated that 20 g S. saman seed meal diet resulted in higher weight gain (1.02 kg) and feed intake (1.48) but lower feed conversion efficiency (69%). Control treatment containing 100% fish meal and soybean meal had the best feed conversion efficiency (92%). The result of this study shows that 100% fish meal and soybean meal diet (0 g of S. saman seed meal) was more expensive Gh¢ 46.65 per kg of feed than the S. saman seed meal at 60 g (Gh¢ 44.62 kg; 1

Resource use efficiency among maize farmers in Ghana

= 3.92 Gh¢). The cost and return analysis shows that 20 g diet gave the highest return (Gh¢ 5,905.08), followed by 0 g of S. saman seed meal (Gh¢ 4,346.07) and Gh¢ 2,380.20 for 40 g S. saman seed meal diet. For improved growth rate and higher profit margin, it is advisable to include 20 g S. saman seed meal per 100 kg broiler chicken diet.

Impact of Formal Financial Market Participation on Farm Size and Expenditure on Variable Farm Inputs: The Case of Maize Farmers in Ghana

BackgroundDespite the enormous importance of maize in Ghana, maize farmers in the country continue to experience low yields, making Ghana self-insufficient in the production of the crop. For maize farmers to be helped to increase productivity, the focus should not only be on whether or not they have adopted productivity-enhancing technologies, but it is necessary to carefully examine whether they are even making maximum use of the technologies or inputs available to them. This study analysed resource use efficiency for Ghana’s maize farms.MethodsThe data used were obtained through a cross-sectional survey of 576 maize farmers in the Northern Savannah, Transitional, Forest and Coastal Savannah zones of Ghana using structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, stochastic frontier analysis and the ratio of marginal value product to marginal factor cost were the methods of analysis employed.ResultsThe results showed that generally, maize farmers in Ghana were inefficient in their use of resources available to them. Fertilizer, herbicide, pesticide, seed, manure and land were underutilized, while labour and capital were overutilized by the farmers. The results further showed that maize farmers in Ghana exhibit increasing returns to scale, indicating that the famers can increase their output by increasing the use of some of the key resources.ConclusionIncentives and strategies aimed at encouraging farmers to optimize the use of fertilizer, herbicide, pesticide, seed, manure and land are recommended to ensure improved maize productivity in Ghana. Currently, incentives and strategies could take the form of better management by government of the current fertilizer subsidy programme and efficient input distribution through farmer-based organizations to ensure easy access by farmers.