National outputs of cocoa beans in Ghana has seen appreciable increases in the last six years due in part to pragmatic policies including the national control of pests and diseases on all cocoa farms, the increased use of fertilizers on farmers' farms and increase in the producer price paid to farmers. However, productivity on farmers' farms remains low at 400 kg/ha against potential yield of over 2.5 tonnes per hectare. The continuous mining of inherent fertility of cocoa soils without replenishment has been identified as major cause of the low productivity of cocoa farms. Using structured survey instruments, this study sought to identify farmer soil fertility management practices that enhances yield and which could be improved by way of research outcomes. A total of 150 farmers from three districts in the Eastern region were randomly selected and interviewed on one-on-one basis between July and October 2008. Farmers' soil fertility management practices included chemical and organic fertilizer application, control of erosion and mulching. Farmers who are members of farmers' associations had better access to fertilizers and also applied the fertilizers correctly and at the right time. The effectiveness of fertilizer application was dependent on effective control of blackpod disease, capsids and judicious pruning and shade management. The findings imply that intensive education of farmers on the need to carry out recommended husbandry practices was critical if soil fertility management strategies are to be translated into improved on-farm productivity.
The main purpose is to review the state of cocoa extension system and its preparedness to meet the information needs of resource-poor farmers. It also sought to investigate the extent of farmer access to research-based information and how this access is influenced by certain farmer characteristics. Social survey involving questionnaire administration and statistical analyses were employed. Information was elicited from 278 farmers in ten communities in two political districts (Atwima Mponua and Amansie West) of Ashanti, Ghana. Contrary to recent review reports, this study found that 83.8% of farmers have not met an extension agent in the year preceding the study. Farmers relied heavily on their network of family members and friends for information on cocoa and only 13% regarded the extension system as reliable information source. The farmers preferred to receive information through the radio which almost all had. Of the farmer characteristics examined, only district of residence and class of farmer showed significant relationship with access to research-based information. The implications are that farmer access to research-based information is low such that the characteristics of the farmer are largely immaterial. The findings have implications for government policy on extension support systems to cocoa farmers. It suggests that the policy of merging cocoa extension with mainstream ministry of agriculture extension may be flawed because it was meant to improve farmers' access to information and as the findings of this study indicates, not much has been achieved in that direction. The study has practical value for policy formulation and the choice of appropriate media for interacting with farmers.
Extension as an activity is traditionally viewed as a means of transmitting knowledge to farmers by extension institutions. Extension activities are not the preserve of extension institutions alone. Research institutions, input distributors, produce buying agencies, non-governmental organisations and even individuals carry out extension activities in the cocoa sector in Ghana. Blackpod disease caused by Phytophthora palmivora and Phytophthora megakarya, Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus (CSSV) disease and mirids (capsids) are major constraints facing farmers and much extension efforts are directed at their management The Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), though primarily concerned with the development of sustainable cocoa production technologies, has stepped up its extension activities in recent times to meet the information needs of farmers. Some of these activities have included farmer educational campaigns on farmers' farms and on radio, the use of farmer field schools, active involvement in government control of cocoa pest and disease programme, introduction of the cocoa farmer' newspaper, onfarm studies and several socioeconomic surveys. This paper reviews these activities suggesting ways of improvement and concludes that CRIG's leadership role in integrating her activities into the wider cocoa knowledge and information systems is laudable and commendable.
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