http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1093 2026-03-12T19:31:40Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/12070 Crop Diversification and Farm Optimization Among Smallholder Farmers in The Wassa East District of Ghana Eshun, Isaac Crop diversification is critical for smallholder farmers as far as farm optimization is concerned. This study examined crop diversification activities and farm optimization of smallholder farmers in the Wassa East District of Ghana's Western Region. A structured interview schedule was used to collect data using a cross-sectional survey design. The multistage sampling technique was employed to select 398 smallholder farmers, and Linear Programming (LP) model, crop diversification index, and Tobit model were used as analytical tools to analyze the data. The LP model was used to determine the optimal food crop combination that farmers should diversify to maximize income while at the same time satisfying their food subsistence and food security issues. Farmers in the study area identified cassava, plantain, maize, and sweet potato as the main crops. The results indicated that access to credit, land size owned, farming experience, off-farm activities, farm base organization, and optimum income statistically influence the extent of crop diversification. To achieve an optimum income of GH¢12927.9, farmer should cultivate 2.47 acres of maize, 0.22 acres of plantain, and 3.31 acres of cassava without growing any other crop. However, because the framers' goal extends beyond profit maximizing, the LP model introduces non-basic activities and offers farmers alternate crop combinations to address their problem of food subsistence. According to the LP model analysis, capital followed by land and labour were the most limiting constraints. The sensitivity study also showed that the LP model withstood up well to changes in labour, capital, and land. The study suggested that farmers should adopt appropriate optimum farm plan system to ensure income stability and food subsistence. Finally, credit opportunities from financial institutions should be made available to farmers to increase their productivity and income. xiii 120p:, ill 2024-02-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/11954 Poultry Husbandry Competencies of Farmers and Challenges Faced by Agricultural Extension Agents in Selected Districts in the Central Region, Ghana Abdoni, Emmanuel Many poultry farmers lack the skills and knowledge needed to effectively scale up their production, which limits their ability to meet growing demand and improve productivity. Essential competencies such as proper feeding, disease prevention, housing management, breeding techniques, and biosecurity measures are often missing, leading to challenges like disease outbreaks, poor waste management, and low profitability. These gaps stem from a lack of sufficient poultry husbandry competencies. The study examined farmers' poultry husbandry management competencies and the challenges of agricultural extension agents in selected districts in the Central region of Ghana. The study used a descriptive survey design and a census procedure to select respondents. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 130 farmers and 10 extension agents. Kerndall’s concordance of coefficient, stepwise regression, correlation coefficients, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that the farmers have a deeper understanding of determining appropriate sources of healthy birds, maintaining sanitation, identifying various poultry diseases, and selecting appropriate structure types for birds. However, significant gaps in knowledge were found in the periods of vaccination and disinfestation. Finally, agricultural extension agents faced significant challenges such as disease management. The study recommends a collaboration between universities and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to develop comprehensive training modules and effective methods for poultry husbandry management, aimed at training both extension agents and farmers. Further, MoFA should focus and improve on disease surveillance xii, 138p:, ill 2024-09-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/11951 Crop diversification and farm optimization among smallholder farmers in the Wassa East District of Ghana Eshun, Isaac Crop diversification is critical for smallholder farmers as far as farm optimization is concerned. This study examined crop diversification activities and farm optimization of smallholder farmers in the Wassa East District of Ghana's Western Region. A structured interview schedule was used to collect data using a cross-sectional survey design. The multistage sampling technique was employed to select 398 smallholder farmers, and Linear Programming (LP) model, crop diversification index, and Tobit model were used as analytical tools to analyze the data. The LP model was used to determine the optimal food crop combination that farmers should diversify to maximize income while at the same time satisfying their food subsistence and food security issues. Farmers in the study area identified cassava, plantain, maize, and sweet potato as the main crops. The results indicated that access to credit, land size owned, farming experience, off-farm activities, farm base organization, and optimum income statistically influence the extent of crop diversification. To achieve an optimum income of GH¢12927.9, farmer should cultivate 2.47 acres of maize, 0.22 acres of plantain, and 3.31 acres of cassava without growing any other crop. However, because the framers' goal extends beyond profit maximizing, the LP model introduces non basic activities and offers farmers alternate crop combinations to address their problem of food subsistence. According to the LP model analysis, capital followed by land and labour were the most limiting constraints. The sensitivity study also showed that the LP model withstood up well to changes in labour, capital, and land. The study suggested that farmers should adopt appropriate optimum farm plan system to ensure income stability and food subsistence. Finally, credit opportunities from financial institutions should be made available to farmers to increase their productivity and income. xiii, 120p:, ill. 2014-02-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/11928 Determinants Of Farmers’ Use Of Mobile Phone To Access Agricultural Information In Agona – East District Of Central Region, Ghana Cudjoe, Pious Ainoo The use of mobile phones has become important in the agricultural sector. However, little is known about its level of use and the factors that affect its use to access agricultural information in Agona – District, Ghana. The study employed a descriptive correlational survey design to determine factors that affect farmers’ use of mobile phone to access information. Multistage sampling technique and structured interview schedule were used to collect data from 182 farmers from 14 communities within the district. Frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations and Independent Sample t- test and multiple regressions were used to analyze the data. The study showed that males were dominant in the use of mobile phone to access agricultural information. Farmer’s knowledge and awareness of the use of mobile phone for agricultural information was relatively low. Majority of farmers agreed to benefiting from using mobile phone in receiving agriculture information. Financial services and reduced travel cost were the level of extent to which farmers use mobile phone. Again, high cost of call tariff and difficulty in texting message were the major challenges of using mobile phone. The five factors that best predict the extent of use of mobile phone by farmers were awareness of mobile phones, knowledge of mobile use, benefit of using mobile phones, farmers’ educational level and type of mobile used. The study recommends the need of telecommunication network companies and Ministry of Food and Agriculture to provide more training to farmers on the use of mobile phone for accessing agricultural information. xvii, 177p; , ill. 2023-06-01T00:00:00Z