College of Basic and Applied Sciences

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A Dynamic Software Startup Competency Model
(2019) Assyne, N.; Wiafe, I.
Current literature suggests that the engineering activities of software engineering and software startup engineering differ. Thus, there is a need to elicit competencies specific to software startup engineering. This paper proposes a model that provides the various types of competencies and their respective relevance at the various stages of software startup evolution.
Academic Performance in a University with Senior High School Entry Grades
(University of Ghana, 2012) Kobina, F.
The objectives of this study are to determine if Senior High School entry grades used for university admission could predict final performance in Methodist University College Ghana (MUCG) and to establish the relationship that exist between entry grades E, D7 or E8 and final performance of students who entered MUCG with these grades. The study population comprises of students who entered MUCG with Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE)/West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results. Out of this population, 888 students were selected from the academic years 2000/2001 to 2007/2008 for the study. Multiple regression, chi-square test of independence and correlation were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that there is a weak correlation between entry grades E, D7 or E8 and final cumulative grade point average in MUCG. Based on the findings, it is recommended that a standardized entrance examination should be conducted for Senior High School students who are not able to meet the initial admission requirement, especially those with at most two subjects being grades E/D7/E8.
Acceptance of New Ideas by Mothers Regarding Infant Feeding Practices and its Impact on Infant Feeding Behaviour of Mothers in some selected Polyclinics in the Accra Metroplos
(University of Ghana, 2000-12) Owusu-Bempah, J.; Fiadjoe, F.Y.M.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Extension
For proper human development to occur, people should have access to information. If people utilise the information received and improve on what they are doing, then proper human development would be achieved. The Extension Unit of Ministry of Health (i.e. Public Health Unit) is charged with making information regarding infant feeding practices available to mothers with the aim that if mothers use the knowledge embodied in the information, they would feed their infants well, thereby reducing the incidence of malnutrition in Ghana. However, the rate of malnutrition is still high. It therefore became important to investigate the reasons for this high malnutrition rate in Ghana, since majority of the pregnant women attend pre and post natal clinics where they are given information on proper ways to feed infants by the public health nurses. A total of 100 mothers were randomly selected from the five polyclinics in the Accra Metropolis for the study. A pre-test of the structured interview schedule was carried out at the Maternal and Child Health Unit of the Achimota Hospital. The main concepts considered in the study are the mothers background characteristics, methods/channels of information delivery/acquisition, knowledge levels of mothers and changes in infant feeding practices. Data on these attributes were collected using a structured interview schedule. Frequencies and percentages were generated from the coded data using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The results indicated that none of the personal characteristics such as educational background, age, experience and contact with extension agents of the mothers have any significant influence on the mothers’ knowledge. The findings again suggest that receiving information from interpersonal sources such as mother-to-mother played a significant role in information dissemination among mothers. However radio, as a source of mformation was not so much used. This could mean that either infant feeding program are not transmitted through such source or the mothers do not like listening to radio. This suggests the need for extensionists to be well versed in the use of multiple information delivery channels. It also suggests that a critical situation analysis of the target beneficiaries can help in categorising target groups into specific recommendation domains to bring a change in knowledge. Again the findings also suggest that, the changes that would occur in clients invariably depend on the type of information received. This implies that extension agents should be very careful to deliver only messages that have been planned to bring desired changes in their clients. The findings show that knowing per se is different from practising since the trialability of the idea was found to influence the mother's decision-making behaviour regarding infant feeding behaviour.
Access To And Management Of Credit By Rice Farmers At The Kpong Irrigation Project.
(University of Ghana, 2013-07) Konu, L.M.A.; Gadegbeku, C.; Hevi-Yiboe, L.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
The study was conducted in the Dangbe West District of the Greater Accra Region. The main objective of the study was to find out how rice farmers access and manage credit to improve their families standard of living. The specific objectives were to find out about available credit packages for rice farmers at the Kpong Irrigation Project, examine why rice farmers at Kpong Irrigation Project access credit, determine the benefits rice farmers may derive from using credit, evaluate the problems (if any) that rice farmers encounter with the use of credit and also access how rice farmers manage the credit taken. It was hypothesized that Ho1 There is no relationship between source of credit accessed and the use of credit. Ho2 There is no relationship between type of credit facility accessed andannual income. The snow ball sampling was used to select two hundred rice farmers for the study. Six key informants were also purposively selected. The respondents were interviewed using a structured interview guide. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software to generate frequency and percentage distributions. The chi-square statistic was used to test the null hypotheses. The results revealed that majority of rice farmers were aware of two or more sources from which they could access credit. These sources include formal, semi-formal and informal sources. Respondents accessed loans to finance their farming activities in areas such as land preparation, purchasing farm inputs such as seed rice, agro chemicals as well as for harvesting and threshing. The results revealed that respondents derived benefits from the use of credit including purchasing inputs and use of machinery to ensure high yield, undertaking land preparation, attending to welfare needs of family members as well as marketing their produce from accessing credit. Challenges encountered include small loan sizes, delays in disbursements and high interest rates. The chi– square analyses revealed a significant difference between source of credit and use of credit so Ho1 was rejected. It was concluded that rice farmers had adequate knowledge about credit facilities and accessed credit from a variety of formal, semi-formal and informal sources to help in their farming activities. Farmers derived benefits from these loans in the short run. They faced certain challenges like late disbursement of loans. Due to training given to clients before and after disbursement of loan, rice farmers were able to use loans effectively for the intended purpose. It is recommended that credit providers repackage loans to make them more attractive, and also intensify training programmes so that loans are used for the intended purposes and encourage more women to undertake rice farming so as to improve standard of living of families.
The Activities of Cattle at Pasture
(University of Ghana, 1966) Fianu, F.K.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science
The need for the study of pastirrin ■ activities of indigenous animals is outlined as a possible basis for improving animal production. The study is in three parts:- (i) Under local husbandry, free ranging, on natural grassland, to find out hew ranch browse tha animals take on free range. It is estimated that the local animal takes about 20$ browse and 80J? grass, in the dry season under conditions akin to Katsmensu. this supplies about 0,©lb digestible protein which satisfies the estimate r® uired for rapid growth. This contrasts with about 0,371b estimated for Ashaley Botwey and explains the differences in condition of animals in the 2 places. (ii) On woody pastures to find out how much Grewia, in ample supply, would contribute to the diet of the local animal, The proportions recorded are about UO'/i 60^- of brcTsae to grass, (iii) On Centrosema-Bangola pastures? to study the reaction of local animals to artificial pasture. The factors affecting behaviour are discussed, referring to work elsewhere. Uie relevance of the behaviour patterns observed is discussed with respect to husbandry implications. It is shown that the grazing times recorded in the 3 situations are not necessarily proportional to respective intakes.
Activities of Cattle at Pasture
(University of Ghana, 1966) Fianu, S.K.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness
Adaptation of Computed Radiographic System for Treatment Setup Verification in External Beam Radiotherapy.
(University Of Ghana, 2018-07) Sandy, F.
In radiation therapy, the traditional way of providing accuracy of megavoltage radiation treatment fields, is by the use of portal radiographs. In these radiographs the film detector is positioned at the exist point of the beam beside the patient and details of its anatomical parts located within the field borders are taken. There is poor visualization of landmarks in portal films due to the high energy of photons used for treatment. Due to this draw-back, an electronic portal imaging device (EPID) is now being assembled with modern therapy machine. This device uses kilovoltage energies for treatment setup verification, which provides clear anatomical landmarks of patient for treatment. The importance for field edges verification is to: Verify the shape of the radiation beam. To establish a coordinate system common to both reference and portal image in which to account for deviation in patient setup. The aim of this study was to assess the possibility of using computed radiography (CR) system instead of the conventional film in the use for treatment setup verification with the telecobalt machine at the radiotherapy department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. In diagnostic radiology, the use of CR has been long in existence to obtain digital radiographic images which help in providing picture archival communication system (PACS). The film is substituted with a photostimulable phosphor plate (PSP) in CR system. Energies deposited by the X-ray beam on the PSP are read by the scanner laser beam in the CR reader. After the PSP has been scanned by the reader, it can also be ready for reuse by exposing it to light for about forty seconds for the erasure of any remaining image on the plate. A phantom was constructed and fabricated from a perspex which compensates for the human tissue. The phantom was irradiated using cobalt-60 source in which both the CR and the radiographic film were used as detectors to detect the images of the built phantom. These images were scanned using the scan maker 9800 XL. This thesis defines the use of the current image quality matrices such as Modulation Transfer Function (MTF), Contrast to noise ratio (CNR) and Signal to noise ratio (SNR) which show a practical easy-to-use software based program Image J for measurable assessment of digital (CR) and conventional detector system (film). From the results obtained, the CR demonstrated superior values in CNR and SNR than that of the radiographic film, which shows better quality of images on CR. Notwithstanding these qualities in CR, the film also showed a better resolution than that of the CR. Therefore digital treatment portal and simulation images, can easily be obtained with CR system which offers a base for a picture archival communication system in radiation oncology. Simulation and digital portal images will ease verification of treatment setup.
Adaptation Strategies of Cocoa Farmers to Climate Change at New Tafo in East Akim Municipality of the Eastern Region of Ghana
(University of Ghana, 2018-07) Seidu, A.
The main issue of this thesis was to assess the adaptation strategies of cocoa farmers and the external support system in the face of climate change. The study was aimed at assessing the adaptation strategies of cocoa farmers to climate change at New Tafo in Ghana, the influence of the adaptation strategies on cocoa yield and the roles of local institutions in cocoa farmers’ adaptation strategies. Mixed method considering both quantitative and qualitative research design was adopted. With the quantitative method, a questionnaire was designed and distributed to cocoa farmers to assess their adaptation strategies to climate change in the community. A semi structured questionnaire was also designed and administered to local institutions to assess their roles in cocoa farmers’ adaptation strategies to climate change. In the study, the Slovin formula was used to determine the sample size where 120 cocoa farmers were attained from 171 sample population. Supply response model which is based on the production theory was used to assess the influence of adaptation strategy on cocoa yield. Agronomic practices were more important adaptation strategies than socio economic practices. The results of the regression model showed that sale quantity of cocoa beans, practice of soil conservation and agroforestry and fertilizer application were critical in high cocoa yields. The local institutions studied provided mainly technical information, financial assistance and material inputs towards cocoa farmers’ adaptation to climate change. The study recommends that socio-economic factors such as religion and finance should be considered in stakeholder choice of adaptation interventions in cocoa farming communities. Local agricultural extension workers should be supported to provide farmers with effective technical information on inputs and managerial practices in relation to climate change adaptation measures. Farmers’ concerns should be adequately integrated during the design and implementation of climate change adaptation policies.
Adaptive Capacity and Cassava Farmers’ Adoption of Soil Conservation Techniques in the Wenchi Municipality of Brong Ahafo Region, Ghana
(University of Ghana, 2017-07) Asiamah, R.N.
Climate change and its variability are serious issues in the agriculture sector. They have serious consequences on the soil, hence, affecting agricultural production which in turn affects food security. As a result of the impacts of climate change on the soil, farmers need to adopt techniques that conserve the soil but the techniques cannot be adopted except the farmer has the capacity to adopt them. Hence, this study assesses farmers’ capacity to adopt three of the soil conservation techniques (mulching, ridging and mounding) as an adaptation strategy to climate change in the Wenchi Municipality. In assessing farmers’ adaptive capacity, the study described farmers’ perception of climate change and its variability using descriptive statistics. Adaptive capacity index using attributes (knowledge, use, availability, accessibility and consultation about the three techniques) were developed to determine farmers’ capacity to adopt the soil conservation techniques. Scores from 0.25 to 1 were assigned to the attributes depending on the farmer’s level of the attributes. The ordered logit model was used to estimate factors that affect farmers’ adaptive capacity, and the effect of adaptive capacity on the adoption of these techniques using multinomial logit. The results reveal that farmers perceived changes in climate variables. It is shown that on the average, farmers in the Wenchi Municipality have moderate capacity to adopt the three soil conservation techniques. The ordered logit model reveals that geographical location (Akrobi), farm size, access to extension services, other sources of income, and perception of a decreased rainfall are factors that influence the capacity to adopt soil conservation techniques. The multinomial logit model revealed that high adaptive capacity has a positive effect on the level of adoption of the soil conservation techniques. Therefore, the study recommends policy makers such as MOFA and extension officers to encourage farmers to adopt the soil conservation techniques and initiate trainings to enhance farmers’ adaptive capacity as high adaptive capacity is positively related to the adoption of the techniques.
Adaptive Hybrid Collaborative Filtering Recommendation System (AHCF)
(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Agboyi, R.
Recommendation systems play a vital role in boosting the organization’s profit, especially for e-commerce platforms such as Amazon. These systems focus on targeting specific products to users and predicting user preferences and interests. However, recommendation systems are plagued with many challenges, such as adapting them to changes in user preferences and taste, and the effectiveness of recommendations made also determines the ability to retain and engage new users, as new user conversion to clients. This thesis proposes to use an adaptive hybrid collaborative approach to making recommendations to users. Four algorithms are combined: the Alternate Least Squares (ALS), KMeans clustering, Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) and KMeans streaming. The recommender engine developed is in itself a multi-hybrid system as it not only combines four (4) algorithms but also combines the collaborative technique and content-based techniques of making a recommendation. Thus, the approach adopted can be used on datasets that contain rating information, textual descriptions or both. Three servers are leveraged in the implementation, consisting of the Scala server, PHP and Angular JS server and the MySQL database server for the storage of the results from the recommender engine. Various industry-standard metrics are adopted for the individual algorithms in addition to their computational times. These metrics include Root Mean Square Error(RMSE) for the ALS, Within Cluster Sum of Squares(WCSS) for KMeans, Log Perplexity and Log-Likelihood in the LDA. The memory estimates footprints and computational time on retraining the model are recorded for the KMeans streaming. The recommender engine is tested primarily on the 100K and 1M movieLens datasets and some portions of the 20M dataset are used. The implementation is compared with benchmark recommender algorithms via GitHub and existing offline implementations. In terms of retraining, the Adaptive Hybrid Collaborative Filtering Recommendation System(AHCF) developed improves a recommendation’s computational time concerning the offline model by 50%. The AHCF has an accuracy measure of 0.88-3.0 on RMSE values for the chosen datasets on increasing rank but less than 8 for 5 other datasets adopted. The other datasets range from restaurant datasets, anime, dating datasets, books and e-commerce. These results are taken for the 1M and 100K datasets. The unique contributions made in this research include combining multiple algorithms into one recommender engine that leverages textual and rating information at the same time. Improvements in computational efficiency as against offline models that are designed for a real-time update of recommendations by half on retraining. The generic nature of the algorithm also makes it useful to be used in many domains that leverage informative text and rating information. The model is also open source and available to all users. In a nutshell, the research embraces the efficiency of updating user preferences in real-time and making personalized recommendations by adapting to user preferences over short time intervals.
Adherence To Treatment Protocol Among Diabetics And The Impact On Nutritional Status
(University of Ghana, 2013-07) Brenya, A.S.
Background: Diabetes is a chronic disease and has been found to be the fourth or fifth leading cause of death in most developed, developing and newly industrialized countries. The growing middle class and ever changing lifestyle in developing countries have led to the rapid increase in the burden of diabetes (Type 2) even among the poor. The epidemiological trend has caught up with Ghana. Medical research has found that dietary treatment is the best control for type 2 diabetes. However, little is known about patients’ adherence to treatment protocol and the management of the disease in Ghana. Aims: This research therefore sought to identify and evaluate the nutritional management procedures for diabetics in the Agona Swedru municipal and to assess the adherence to treatment protocol by diabetic patients as well as the effect of adherence on their nutritional status. Methods: There was an enquiry about the nutritional protocol for diabetics at the hospital and this was compared to the GHS protocol for evaluation. A total of 90 diabetics who were 40 years and older attending review at the Agona Swedru hospital were enrolled in the study. Questionnaire was used to collect data under the following sections; sociodemographic characteristics, nutritional knowledge, lifestyle practices, dietary habits and measurement. The data collected under the measurement section, represented the nutritional status of the diabetics. To describe the socio-demographic characteristics, descriptive analysis was employed, while all of the other various sections of the questionnaire were scored. Correlations were used to find out if the scores from nutritional knowledge, dietary and lifestyle practices had associations with the nutritional status score. Adherence was measured by looking at patients’ scores on both their lifestyle and dietary habits. Person’s correlation was used to find out if adherence had an association with nutritional status. Results: The nutritional management procedures for the diabetics at Agona Swedru protocol was identified and found to be in need of updating as there were lapses when compared to the GHS protocol. More than half of the patients had a poor nutritional knowledge of diabetes though this did not have any association on nutritional status. More than half (82%) of total patients reported to be adhering to protocol; however more than half (71%) of total patients had poor nutritional status. Reported adherence for treatment did not improve the nutritional status of most of the diabetics in this study. Poor nutritional and health status was found to be high among more than half of sedentary group of patients. Conclusion: Generally, though most patients reported to be adhering to standard protocol, their nutritional statuses remained poor with inadequate physical activity level. It is therefore important that the Agona protocol is updated taking into consideration, the association between energy intake and energy expenditure in order to cause some weight loss (10%) during adherence for especially overweight and obese diabetics.
Adopting Zero Inflated Models For Claim Counts And The Gamma Regression Model For Claims Cost In Determining Actuarial Premiums
(University Of Ghana, 2022-04) Amenu, F.M.
Insurance is the exchange of risk by an insured person through the payment of premiums for financial protection and economic benefit. The problem is how premiums should be charged so as to keep the industry alive to perform this basic function of insurance. Because of the Bonus-Malus system, or Hunger for Bonus system (also called No Claim Discount), and deductibles, most claims are not reported by policyholders, causing the number of claims to be dominated by zeros, which leads to over-dispersion in the data. In modeling the claim frequency, the Zero-Inflated Poisson (ZIP) and Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial (ZINB) models were adopted. The Gamma regression model was used to fit the claims cost data. The claim frequency regression model that best fits the claim frequency with the Gamma model for the claims cost was combined in determining the actuarial premium. These models were numerically illustrated with data obtained from a major non-life insurance company in Ghana and French Motor Third- Party Liability data from https://www.kaggle.com/datasets/karansarpal/ fremtpl2-french-motor-tpl-insurance-claims. The score test demonstrated the inability of the Poisson model to appropriately model the claims data due to the inflation of zeros in the data. The ZIP and ZINB were both found to be superior to their conventional equivalents based on the Vuong test statistics. The ZIP was chosen as an appropriate model for analyzing claim frequency data for both the French and Ghanaian data based on the values of the AIC and BIC. The risk factors that were found to influence claim frequency and claim cost were discovered to be different when both datasets were used. It is recommended that a separate analysis of claim frequency and claim cost be conducted with claim frequency receiving a high rating power.
Adoption of Agricultural Innovations a Case Study of Maize Narrow-Crib in Southern Benin
(University of Ghana, 1999-03) Hounkpe, E.R.C.; Geker, J.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Extension
An important aspect of agricultural development involves, the adoption of innovations by farmers. Several activities were put in place by extension services in Benin to get wide spread adoption of innovations by farmers. One of these actions was the introduction of maize narrow-crib in rural areas in Benin; but still some farmers are not adopting. After four years of the introduction of this maize narrow-crib, it is important to appreciate the factors that are affecting the adoption of this storage device. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the factors which are related to the adoption of the maize narrow-cribinnovation. The findings from the research will contribute to how to enhance adoption of the maize narrow-crib technology in Benin. In total, 160 maize farmers were selected at random in 16 villages where the crib was introduced. A pretested structured questionnaire was administrated by trained enumerators. The data was analysed using the Chi-square test, the relative frequencies, the Probit and the Logit models. The result of analysis indicated that study sample was composed of mainly men (87%). Even though, in certain regions some women cultivate more maize than men. Most of the farmers were about 31 to 40 years old. The Chi-square test shows that the following variables significantly influence the adoption decision behaviour of the farmers: the household head age, the region (culture and the availability of sustainable bulding materials for the maize narrow-crib construction in the region), the trial ability of the innovation, the language spoken by the farmers and the extension officer, the household size, the leadership status of the household head, the innovation cost, the extension contact with the farmer, the need identification and the farmers' perception about the necessity to build a maize narrow-crib. The Logit test shows that the region, the household size, the leadership status, the source of information, the extension contact, the need identification and the necessity to build a maize narrow-crib significantly influence farmers' behaviour with regard to maize narrow-crib adoption. The number of agricultural active members of the household, the type of education the household head has and his experience in farming since he became a decision maker on his own field, his wealth, his cosmopolitness, the availability of subsidy, the trail ability of the innovation and the construction difficulties were not found to influence farmer' decision making behavior with regard to the adoption of maize narrow-crib.
Adoption Of An Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (EbA) Approach In The Face Of Climate Change: Improving Livelihoods In Fringe Communities Around The Worobong South Forest Reserve
(University of Ghana, 2017-07) Kyei-Mensah, C.
Extreme human activities couple with climate change have the potential to reduce the resilience of communities whose livelihoods depend on the forest ecosystem services. As a way of building resilience of society using the same resource also has the capacity to derive co-benefits for the forest ecosystem upon which livelihoods activities operate. To this end, the study sought to adopt the Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) to identify Ecosystem services of the Worobong South Forest Reserve (WSFR), assess how these services have been impacted by climate variability or change, the vulnerability of fringe communities and proposed the appropriate EbA strategies needed to improve their livelihoods while enhancing the ecosystem. The study selected five communities around the Worobong South Forest Reserve (WSFR). Questionnaires were administered to 250 respondents, one focus group discussion was held, and three key informant interviews with officers of the Forestry Commission (FC), and Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and a chief were also conducted. As part of the findings, the respondents perceived changes in rainfall and temperature which corroborated the time series data from GMeT, and these, probably may have affected crop production, supply of bush meat, freshwater, barks, leaves among others which they identified as ecosystem services. To build resilient livelihoods and ecosystem, locals suggested provision of irrigation facilities, enhanced agroforestry with a benefit sharing regime, change of planting time and enforcement of forest regulations. It is recommended that, capacity building efforts and effective stakeholder engagements should be a continuous exercise, while as part of the benefit-sharing scheme for agroforestry, participants can be given 15% of the 40% right to trees planted ahead of maturity as motivation and this will resolve the apprehension of waiting for several years before deriving the full benefits and this can sustain EbA initiatives.
Adoption of Animal Traction Technology in the Builsa District of Upper East Region of Ghana
(University of Ghana, 2003-12) Akpeintuik, C.A.; Atengdem, P.B.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Extension
The Builsa district is a peasant farming community. It had a problem of recurrent food shortage. The use of animal traction was one of the suggested solutions to this problem, hence its introduction in 1937. Reports suggested its low adoption. The study was to verify the veracity and the causes of the low adoption. A conceptual framework was developed. The concepts include: the farmers' sieve system, characteristics of animal traction technology and environmental influences. Adoption was found to be high (91%). At 5% significant level, the Fisher exact two-tailed test showed no significant difference by ages, family size, ownership of donkeys, credit received, use of lecture method of training, demonstration/lectures and demonstration/group discussion categories and adoption. Those variables that showed significant difference include ownership of cattle, farm size, those who received training in AT, those who received training through demonstration alone and those who received training through group discussion alone. It is recommended that when introducing a new technology into a peasant farming community like the Builsa District beneficiaries should express the need for the technology. Traditional leaders should be involved. Financial institutions should get to the doorsteps of farmers and educate them, on how to access credit facilities. Further research should look into the effects of the use of AT on the environment and schooling in the study area.
Adoption of Animal Traction Technology in the Builsa District of Upper East Region of Ghana
(University of Ghana, 2003-12) Akpeintuik, A.C; Atengdem,P.B.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Extension
The Builsa district is a peasant farming community. It had a problem of recurrent food shortage. The use of animal traction was one of the suggested solutions to this problem, hence its introduction in 1937. Reports suggested its low adoption. The study was to verify the veracity and the causes of the low adoption. A conceptual framework was developed. The concepts include: the farmers' sieve system, characteristics of animal traction technology and environmental influences. Adoption was found to be high (91%). At 5% significant level, the Fisher exact two-tailed test showed no significant difference by ages, family size, ownership of donkeys, credit received, use of lecture method of training, demonstration/lectures and demonstration/group discussion categories and adoption. Those variables that showed significant difference include ownership of cattle, farm size, those who received training in AT, those who received training through demonstration alone and those who received training through group discussion alone. It is recommended that when introducing a new technology into a peasant farming community like the Builsa District beneficiaries should express the need for the technology. Traditional leaders should be involved. Financial institutions should get to the doorsteps of farmers and educate them, on how to access credit facilities. Further research should look into the effects of the use of AT on the environment and schooling in the study area.
Adoption of Animal Traction Technology in the Builsa District of Upper East Region of Ghana
(University of Ghana, 2003-12) Akpeintuik, C.A.; Atengdem, P.B.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Extension
The Builsa district is a peasant farming community. It had a problem of recurrent food shortage. The use of animal traction was one of the suggested solutions to this problem, hence its introduction in 1937. Reports suggested its low adoption. The study was to verify the veracity and the causes of the low adoption. A conceptual framework was developed. The concepts include: the farmers' sieve system, characteristics of animal traction technology and environmental influences. Adoption was found to be high (91%). At 5% significant level, the Fisher exact two-tailed test showed no significant difference by ages, family size, ownership of donkeys, credit received, use of lecture method of training, demonstration/lectures and demonstration/group discussion categories and adoption. Those variables that showed significant difference include ownership of cattle, farm size, those who received training in AT, those who received training through demonstration alone and those who received training through group discussion alone. It is recommended that when introducing a new technology into a peasant farming community like the Builsa District beneficiaries should express the need for the technology. Traditional leaders should be involved. Financial institutions should get to the doorsteps of farmers and educate them, on how to access credit facilities. Further research should look into the effects of the use of AT on the environment and schooling in the study area.
Adoption Of Bioenergy Crops, Income And Contract Preferences Among Farmers In Northern Ghana: The Case Of Jatropha
(University of Ghana, 2018-02) Guentang, L.S.B.
In order to solve the crisis faced by the energy sector in Ghana, Jatropha has been promoted as a panacea and promising crop for bioenergy generation. Like other crops, Jatropha cultivation comes with opportunities. The study aims at analyzing how Jatropha adoption influences the level of crop incomes of farmers and the preferences for production contracts in Northern Ghana. The first objective is to identify the factors explaining farmers’ adoption and land allocation of Jatropha in Northern Ghana. The second objective is to identify the factors explaining farmers’ decisions to adopt Jatropha either on fertile or marginal lands in Northern Ghana. The third objective of the study measured the impact of Jatropha cultivation on farmers’ crop incomes in Northern Ghana. The fourth objective is to identify farmers’ preferences for contracts attributes in Jatropha cultivation in Northern Ghana. A double hurdle model is used to analyze Jatropha adoption decisions and its extent, in terms of land allocated to the crop. A bivariate Probit model is also used to analyze Jatropha adoption decisions taking into account the type of land (fertile vs marginal). A Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method is used to measure the impact of adopting Jatropha on total crop incomes of farmers. Through a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE), a Random Parameter Logit (RPL) model is used to identify farmers’ preferences for contract to produce Jatropha. The results show that farm and farmer’ characteristics (District, age, number of adult members in the household, off-farm activities, hired labour, gender, and distance to market), institutional factors (extension services, FBO and access to credit) and risk preferences have a significant role in explaining farmers’ adoption decision on bioenergy crops such as Jatropha. The influence of these factors differs when the type of land used to grow the crop is taken into consideration. Factors such as District, off-farm activities engagement and credit access are significant only on marginal land though the number of adults in the household, education, hired labour, age, extension services, FBO and risk attitude are significant on fertile land only. The study also finds that Jatropha adoption significantly reduces the level of total household crop income per hectare of farmers. The study finds a significant and positive standard deviation coefficient for all contract attributes (written contract, support from the buyer in the form of “Seeds, technical training, fertilizers and pesticides only”, “Seeds, fertilizers and pesticides only”, “Seeds and technical training only” and renegotiation option) revealing then heterogeneity of preferences for these attributes among farmers. Farmers require an additional compensation ranging from GH₵ 0.16 to GH₵ 2.27 per kilogram of Jatropha harvested for the inclusion of these contract attributes. The promotion of Jatropha cultivation should to be properly regulated to avoid the use of fertile land for Jatropha cultivation. There is a need to develop appropriate strategies and a regulatory framework to harness the potential economic opportunities from Jatropha cultivation, while protecting rural people from converting part of their fertile lands to Jatropha cultivation at the expense of food crops.; the availability of institutional facilities such as access to credit to promote Jatropha adoption decisions on marginal lands will sustain farmers’ interest in production. The study recommends Jatropha contract design based on written contract where the contents of the contract and risks between farmers and the investors (buyers) are clearly stated. A contract containing support from the buyer in the form of seed, technical training fertilizers and pesticides should be encouraged.
Adoption of Improved Cowpea Preservation Technologies in Theakatsi District of the Volta Region, Ghana
(University of Ghana, 2000-02) Anku-Tsede, C.; Sakyi - Dawson, O.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Extension
Enhancing the adoption of Improved Cowpea Preservation Technologies (ICPTs) can contribute greatly to food security in low- income countries such as Ghana. However, although such improved technologies have been the focus of technology development and extension effort for sometime now in Ghana, there is a dearth of studies on the extent of adoption of ICPTs and its determinants. Among others, current adoption of technology literature suggests that target or potential user’s perceptions of technologies are likely to influence adoption. However, this paradigm has not been studied in Ghana for ICPTs. This thesis therefore examined the relationship between cowpea farmers’ and traders perceptions and the adoption of ICPTs in the Akatsi district of the Volta Region, Ghana. Specifically, it attempts to answer the question – how does their perceptions of characteristics of four ICPTs (namely the use Actellic liquid, Actellic dust, Phostoxin and edible oil in preserving cowpea), mode and effort of extension delivery, determine the pattern of utilization of ICPTs. Data was collected using questionnaires from sixty cowpea producers, twenty-five cowpea traders and fifteen Agricultural extension Agents (AEAs) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA). In addition, the Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) methods for focus group discussions, was used to collect contextual information. Data analysis included frequency distribution, chi-square tests and the Spearman’s rank order correlation co-efficient. The results show that apart from respondents gender and the quantity of cowpea stored, there was statistically no significant difference between the characteristics of cowpea producers and traders. Cowpea producers were mainly males and the traders were solely females. Traders also stored more cowpea than producers did and they stored if for a longer period of time. Extension agents delivery efforts on the selected ICPTs was mainly by a combination of interpersonal (individual and group) methods and contact tended to be more frequent (thrice or more within a month). However, cowpea traders were contacted less frequently than producers. Traders are however more important with regards to preservation of cowpea than producers yet, they have little access to ICPT messages. It is therefore suggested that extension agents need to direct more cowpea preservation messages to traders. There was substantial knowledge of cowpea pests and their control in the study area. Comparatively, the level of awareness of traditional cowpea preservation technologies was higher than that of ICPTs. Level of awareness of ICPTs in descending order is similar - Actellic dust, Actellic liquid, Edible oil and Phostoxin (Producers - 52%, 37%, 35%, 21% and Traders - 48%, 32%, 24%, 16% respectively). The study established that Phostoxin had a higher range of positively perceived attributes by producers and traders and edible oil had the least. Analysis of the relationship between adopter characteristics and perception of attributes revealed that with the exception of Actellic liquid, these variables did not make a difference in perception of ICPTs. The extension method used did not bring about a difference in perception of overall attributes of ICPTs but made a difference in perception of general attributes (Relative Advantage and Complexity) of Actellic liquid. With the exception of Actellic liquid, the frequency of contact of AEAs with the respondents did not bring about any significant difference in perception of ICPTs. An increase in the frequency of contact of AEAs with the respondents resulted in more positive perception of attributes of Actellic liquid but not the other ICPTs. There was a positive relationship between respondents positive perceptions of selected ICPTs and adoption levels. Producers’ perceptions of specific attributes gave the closest prediction of adoption levels whereas traders overall perceptions of attributes gave the closest prediction of adoption level. It shows that to an extent, perceptions of attributes reflect their adoption levels. It is suggested that AEAs need to re-examine and refine ICPTs, taking the negative perceptions of attributes of ICPTs and their inverse relationship with adoption levels into consideration. In order to enhance adoption of ICPTs, AEAs should deliver detailed technical knowledge, emphasising positive attributes. This can be done through regular contact (thrice or more withi a month) and the use of interpersonal channels of extension delivery (use of a combination of the group and individual methods of extension delivery) for increased adoption of cowpea preservation technologies.
Adoption of Improved Maize Technologies and Maize Yield in The Kwahu Afram Plains North District
(University of Ghana, 2016-06) Owusu, W
The study focuses on improved maize technology adoption and maize yield in the Kwahu Afram Plains North District. Specifically, the study seeks to assess the maize farmers‟ awareness level on improved maize technologies and this was analyzed with simple descriptive statistics. The two-mean comparison test was used to analyze maize yield difference between non- adopters and adopters of improved maize technologies and constraints to improved maize technology adoption were identified and ranked with the Kendall‟s coefficient of concordance. The factors which influence improved maize technology adoption were determined by the use of logit model. In collecting primary data, structured questionnaires were administered to two hundred (200) maize farmers in the study area using a two-stage sampling approach. In the first stage, ten (10) maize producing communities were purposively selected based on their importance in terms of maize production. In the second stage, a list of fifty (50) member maize farmer groups in each of the ten (10) communities was made and twenty (20) farmers randomly selected using random numbers generated with Microsoft Excel. In addition, literature was reviewed and research scientists from Crop Research Institute (CRI) were interviewed to identify some of the improved maize technologies that have been developed and released to maize farmers in Ghana. In this study, four (4) different improved maize technologies were identified based on the type of improved maize variety and the associated agronomic practices used by the farmers. Three out these technologies; Obatanpa, Mamaba and Golden Crystal were released by the Government of Ghana through Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Panaar was released by a private agency. Only 0.05% of farmers were not aware of improved maize technologies and 79.5% of maize farmers were adopters. With a rate of adoption of 52%, Obatanpa variety and its agronomic practices was identified as the most widely adopted technology. Adoption rates for other varieties were 14% for Mamaba, 9% for Golden crystal and 5.5% for Panaar. The number of visits by Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs) or extension contacts, educational level, maize farming experience, age of farmer, farm size, and farmers belonging to a farmers‟ group (FBO) were the factors found to have a positive and significant effect on improved maize technology adoption. The age of the farmer was the only factor that had a negative influence on improved maize technology adoption. However, the gender of the farmer, access to credit, family labour and other sources of income had no significant effect on improved maize technology adoption. The study concludes that statistically, there is a significant difference in maize yield of maize farmers who adopt and those who do not adopt improved maize technologies with adopters securing greater yields. It is recommended that maize farmers should be educated on the need to use improved maize technologies by intensifying campaign through regular farmer field days and visits by researchers and extension workers. Government should design strategic and sustainable input subsidy mechanisms to augment the constraint of high cost of production. Government and donor agencies should increase funding for technology dissemination and adoption projects. Maize farmers should encourage the formation of FBOs and be motivated to welcome ideas of extension agents to acquire more knowledge about improved maize technologies. Maize farmers should see farming as a business, commercialize their farms and adopt improved maize technologies for greater returns through higher crop yields.

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