The Effect of Access to and Use of Agricultural Information on the Livelihood of Cocoa Farmers

Abstract

Cocoa remains Ghana’s most important crop, providing a means of livelihood to about two million people. As a result of the liberalization of the sector, there have been several providers of services to farmers particularly agricultural information. In agriculture, the role of information in enhancing the agricultural development cannot be over emphasized. Information is essential for increasing agricultural production and improving marketing & distribution strategies. Concerns still persist as to the differences in the access to and use of agricultural information leading to differences in livelihood outcomes of farmers. The study’s main objective was to assess the effect of access to and use of agricultural information on the livelihood of cocoa farmers. The study used survey research methodology with a sample size of 260 cocoa farmers within the Sefwi Bekwai Cocoa District of Ghana. Primary data was collected using structured questionnaires. The data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study showed that the cocoa farmers get information on cocoa farming mainly through radio (95.4%), Television (75.0%), Family/Friends (70.8%) and COCOBOD/MoFA (49.2%). The use of information from family/friends was the highest with a mean of (3.85) followed by information from agro - input dealers (3.64), COCOBOD/MoFA (3.47) and Farmer groups (3.33). The study also found that, there was a moderate level of access to agricultural information by the farmers as indicated by 62.3% of the respondents. Farmers’ level of use of accessed agricultural information was low, indicated by 48.1% of the respondents. The farmers’ characteristics and institutional factors significantly influenced access to agricultural information (R2 = 0.498, F (19, 240) = 12.515, p = 0.000), additionally it significantly influenced the use of agricultural information (R2 = 0.514, F (19, 240) = 13.365, p = 0.000). The significant predictor variables of farmers’ access to agricultural information were household size, labour availability, group membership, farmers’ information seeking behaviour and farmers’ attitude towards improved farming practices. The use of agricultural information was significantly influenced by household size, off – farm work, labour availability, group membership and farmers’ information seeking behaviour. There was a significant relationship between level of access to information and level of use of information (R2 = 0.897, F (5,254) = 440.16,of language used and the relevance of the information disseminated. A statistically significant relationship existed between level of farmers’ use of agricultural average annual income, extent of satisfaction of basic needs and basic household assets possession at 5%. There was a statistically significant relationship between the level of access to agricultural information and its use. The study revealed that sources of information that have direct contact with the farmers were highly used. It is therefore recommended that face to face interaction with the farmers should be frequent, timely training of input dealers to equip them with more technical knowhow and cocoa farmers should be encouraged to subscribe to the farmer groups that abound in their localities.