Victor Afari-Sefa

Improving the productivity and income of Ghanaian cocoa farmers while maintaining environmental services: what role for certification?

Ghana, as the second largest global producer of cocoa, is strategically positioned on the world market. Consumer concerns over ethical and environmental issues associated with cocoa production are a potential threat to its position. These concerns have given rise to certification. Certification dictates the way cocoa can be produced and consequently affects producers’ incomes and environmental services. The expected profitability, yield, and environmental impact of Rainforest Alliance certified shade-grown cocoa production (RA-Cocoa) is estimated and compared to an extensive shaded production system (Ext-Cocoa) and an intensified full sun production system (High-Tech). Ext-Cocoa represents most cocoa production systems in Ghana, while High-Tech is promoted by the government as a tool for attaining its target output of 1 million tons. Under the baseline assumptions High-Tech was the most profitable; RA-Cocoa generated positive returns, while Ext-cocoa was a break even proposition. Simulation of different policy scenarios did not affect the rank order of the baseline outcome. The Ext-Cocoa yield was 28% of the RA-Cocoa yield, which was 78% of the High-Tech yield. The environmental services maintained at the plot level of RA-Cocoa production system are greater than those of the High-Tech production system. However, the 228,000 ha of additional forest land required to produce 1 million tons with RA-Cocoa questions which system would impact environmental services the least.

Vegetable diversification in cocoa-based farming systems Ghana

BackgroundAs part of dynamic livelihood coping strategies, some farmers in Ghana’s cocoa belt have diversified away from traditional cocoa production to other high-value crops including vegetables, to the extent of diversifying within vegetables. This study assessed the extent of diversification of vegetables among farmers in Ghana’s cocoa belt and determined the factors that explain the variability in the diversification indices. A small-sample-size formula (http://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm) that was based on an estimated population of the sample was used to arrive at 621 farmer respondents from the Ashanti and Western Regions of Ghana. A combination of proportional and random sampling was employed to select farmers for the interview.ResultsMarital status of the household head and total land endowment were the major determinants of diversification.ConclusionsUnlike most other studies found in the crop diversification literature, this study used econometric data reduction procedures to select the appropriate diversification indices, and selected the most appropriate fractional regression functional form from the four modelled. Vegetable diversification offers great potential for improving livelihoods of cocoa-based farm households in the study area.

Analysis of good agricultural practices in an integrated maize-based farming system

ABSTRACT Profitability due to use of good agricultural practices (GAPs) is important for improving farmer return on investment. Although GAPs are theoretically expected to be profitable, actual returns accrued to farmers may not necessarily be realized due to shortfalls in profit to farmers after harvest. Farmers cultivate vegetables because of their high farmgate values and profitability per unit area compared to field crops. However, farmers sometimes experience reduced profits due to lack of awareness and technical know-how on improved technologies, lack of bargaining power at market, and lack of access to market information and high-value markets. The objective of the study was to measure gross margin of GAPs introduced to farmers using a financial cost–benefit analysis approach. In 2013, a field survey of 45 randomly selected farm households was administered to elicit enterprise data on production practices including Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and other crops before intervention of GAPs. A similar survey was carried out in the GAP intervention area in 2014 from 55 randomly selected farm households. Integrating GAPs within existing maize-based farming systems yielded an average gross margin of US

Adoption behavior of market traders: an analysis based on Technology Acceptance Model and Theory of Planned Behavior

1870·ha−1 for vegetable producers who primarily produce tomato, African Eggplant (S. aethiopicum L.), cv. DB3, and Amaranth (Amaranthus spinosus L.), cv. Madiira 1, compared to standard farmer practices that yielded a gross margin of US

Increasing Income of Ghanaian Cocoa Farmers: Is Introduction of Fine Flavour Cocoa a Viable Alternative

1846·ha−1 during the study. Profit from the introduced GAPs was not statistically different from traditional practices within the short time duration. Whether the introduced GAPs could enhance farmer net crop income and livelihood over the long term needs to be determined.

Value Chain Analysis of Indigenous Vegetables from Malawi and Mozambique

High tomato losses in the fruit supply chain can be prevented by use of improved or new technologies but these are not usually adopted where adoption behavior is barely known. Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Technology Acceptance Model, this study analyses socio-psychological factors that influence the adoption behavior of traders on new postharvest handling technology, as exemplified by the use of lining material for improving tomato packaging in Tanzania. The study results conclude that the perceived behavioral control and subjective norm were the most important factors explaining respondents’ behavioral intention. Attitude, though found not to be a significant determining factor, was however significantly influenced by perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. As technology adoption is a prerequisite for structural transformation of developing economies, our results provide new insights in the field of behavioral acceptance research in the tomato production sector of relevant developing countries.