Economic effect of pests and diseases on cocoa production and its implication on income of smallscale farmers in mankranso cocoa district.

Abstract

Pest and disease have been reported as one of the major factors that has caused steadily decline in cocoa yield and farmer‘s income from cocoa production. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used to assess the economic effect of pest and disease on cocoa production and its implication on livelihood outcomes (income) among small-scale farmers in Mankranso cocoa district. The population composed of all smallholder cocoa farmers who cultivate cocoa in the district under consideration. A total of 200 out of the 234 cocoa farmers responded the questionnaire. Structured interview guides in a face-to-face meeting in the Mankranso cocoa district was used in the data collection. The results revealed that, the main diseases that infest cocoa in the study area are Black Pod and Vascular Streak Dieback. Again, the major pest that attack cocoa in the study area were Capside, Stem borer, Anomis, Termites and Mistletoes. The average yield per hectare was 488.3kg. The mean technical efficiency of the cocoa farmers was estimated to be 64.5%. This implies that there is scope for cocoa farmers in the study area to increase their output by 35.5%, Furthermore, there was significant effect between disease and farmer income from cocoa production. The average income from cocoa production on hectare of land in Mankranso Cocoa District was 3980.80 Ghana cedis. It is recommended among others that, COCOBOD and MoFA must devise strengthen existing to pest and disease programs in the study area.