Determinants of Rice Yield in Northern Region of Ghana, the Role of Policy

Abstract

The paper estimates factors responsible for the variation of rice yield in Northern region of Ghana. A multivariate empirical regression model was used to determine the parameters of the internal and external factors that influence rice yield. The results from the double logarithmic regression model indicate that yield increased with producer price of rice and labour availability because of improvement in purchasing power and labour efficiency in farming activities. It was decreased with increasing harvested area and price of fertilizer due to fertility inadequacy in application and also increased with a rise in producer price of maize because of a shift in resource allocation in favour of maize production. It is important for government to improve farmers' access to fertilizer and credit. This would increase fertilizer application on farms and strengthen the purchasing power of farmers to boost local rice production. The regressors explain about 77.24% of the total variation in rice

Application of Multinomial Logistic to Smallholder Farmers’ Market Participation in Northern Ghana

“…The need for Ghana to develop using the agricultural sector as the engine of growth has motivated the participation of many smallholder farmers in marketing their produce. In Ghana, smallholder farmers cultivate over 60% of the total cropped land and produce more than 75% of the total agricultural output [1]. Considering the agricultural led industrialization strategy for development and the dominance of smallholder agriculture in Ghana, it is important for smallholder farmers to be transformed from the subsistence based production where they concentrate production for house consumption, to a market oriented production system popularly called commercial agriculture.…”

“…Agriculture is a critical sector in the growth and development of many countries, and for a country to develop through industrialization, the key pillar or foundation should be agriculture. Agricultural sector functions as the food basket of a country, takes the greatest share in the GDP of many developing countries and employ over 50% of most developing countries' population [1]. The contribution made by the agriculture sector is achieved largely through the efforts of smallholder farmers who constitute majority in developing countries like Ghana.…”

“…Smallholder farming in Ghana is characterized by small land size farms which range from 0.5 to 2 hectares, food crops production for the purpose of consumption, use of simple farm tools such as hoes and cutlasses, and less participation in the marketing of their produce. Usually, surplus outputs are sold at the late time where prices are not attractive [1].…”

Incidence of seed borne fungi in farm saved rice seeds, quality declared seed and certified seed in Morogoro Region in Tanzania

“…Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a globally important staple food for more than half of the world's population (Khush et al, 2013). The crop is increasingly becoming an important staple food and cash crop in Africa (Tanko et al, 2016). In this continent, 15 million tons of rice is produced annually (Ronald et al, 2014).…”

Contribution of Masara N’arziki Programme in Alleviating Farmers` Poverty in Northern Region of Ghana

“…Hence, investments in smallholder farms is relatively advantage in the case of increases in income levels in rural areas and ensuring a trickle down effects to poverty reduction on a sustainable basis. According to Tanko et al, (2015), the frequent and significant changes in the political, economic and social situations in Ghana inversely affects smallholders, but some positively affected. For instance, change in development policies, low investments and reduction in productivity, withdrawal of state support and institutions aiding the development of the smallholder sectors due to change in government are limiting small holder farmers of becoming the engine of growth that many development partners are expecting them to exist.…”