Empirical Analysis of the Role of Extension Programmes on Adoption of Improved Cocoa Seedlings and Productivity in Ghana

Adwoa Benewaa Opoku, BSc

Master's thesis

Abstract:

The Ghana Cocoa Board has introduced productivity-driven extension programmes such as the free improved hybrid cocoa seedling to boost national cocoa production. Yet not all cocoa farmers in Ghana have enrolled on these extension programmes. This research examines i) the drivers of farmer participation in cocoa extension programmes, ii) the effect of participation on the uptake of improved hybrid seedlings, and iii) the subsequent impact on cocoa productivity. We used multistage sampling, comprising purposive, convenience and simple random samplings, to select 293 extension participants and 193 non-participating smallholder cocoa farmers from 2 districts within Ahafo Ano in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The thesis adopted logit regression to test our assumptions on the drivers of extension participation and the effect of participation on farmers' adoption or non-adoption of hybrid seedling. We then analysed the impact of adopting a hybrid seedling on cocoa productivity using linear regression. Our findings indicate that i) large household size, personal farm ownership, accessing off-farm income, membership of farmer groups, increased training on good cocoa management, and proximity from district market to farm increased participation in extension programmes; ii) participation in coco extension increases farmers’ propensity to adopt hybrid cocoa seedling, iii) which in turn raises productivity. Therefore, to increase farmers’ productivity, we recommend extensive spread of information on the free hybrid seedling programme among non-participants of cocoa extension programmes. In particular, the delivery of extension should include non-members of farmer groups and those who do not receive training and are located far from the district market.

Keywords

Cocoa extension programmes, Ghana Cocoa Board, Hybrid cocoa seedlings, Productivity, Regression analysis

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 27. 4. 2024

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 3. 6. 2024
• Supervisor: doc. Ing. Miroslava Bavorová, Ph.D.
• Reader: Edvin Zhllima, externi

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Master programme:
International Development and Agricultural Economics