Department of Agricultural Extension
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Item 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 ExtensionFor 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.Item 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 ExtensionAn 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.Item 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 ExtensionThe 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.Item 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 ExtensionThe 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.Item 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 ExtensionThe 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.Item 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 ExtensionEnhancing 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.Item Adoption of Mucuna (Mucuna Utilis) as Soil Management Crop in Republic of Benin(UNIVERSITE NATIONALE DU BENIN, 1998-06) Marcellin, A.C.; Fiadjoe, F.Y.M.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural ExtensionMost extension services are actively engaged in promoting new technologies among farmers. Resources are invested in various extensions activities, such as field days or demonstrations, and extension service may undergo considerable reorganization, such as the training and visit system (T & V) (Benor and Harrison 1977). There is a widespread need to place emphasis on monitoring the result of technology transfer and eliciting farmers feedback. Organization responsible for developing new technology need to know if the transfer process is functioning, if their message is being heard. Base on this reasoning I choose to study adoption of Mucuna as soil management crop in Benin. SG2000 project started extension work on Mucuna as technology for recovery of land invaded by imperata and striga and for improving fertility to over exploited or poor soils in Benin since 1992. The major concerns for the study is: suggest ways in which more farmers could adopt Mucuna as a soil fertility management crop. The target population for this study was Benin's farmers. Since the time and the means can not permit to work with all of Benin's farmers, one region was selected in each of the ecological zones of the country. In each region five villages were selected using simple random sampling and in each village ten farmers were selected at simple random sampling. To be sure that all our respondents have equal chance to hear about the innovation (Mucuna for soil management and weed control), the selected villages were those in which SG2000 has an extension agent. Frequencies and percentages were used in respect to demographic data collected. Chi-square, were used to see whether there is a significant difference between selected regions, or if there is any relationship between adoption and some selected variables or between innovation characteristics and farmers adoption behavior. This study conducted with the help of five field assistants lead to the findings summarized as follow. Majority of farmers selected (92 percent) were male, and 8 percent were female. Age of respondents ranges from 20 years old to more than 40. Majority of respondents (51.3%) have more than 40 year old. Average number of children is seven. Majority of farmers (71.3%) are illiterate. Language spoken differ from one area to an other. There are national extension services and NGO's which help farmers to improve their farming conditions. Analysis of data revealed primarily that there is a significant difference between selected regions as far as adoption of Mucuna is concerned. Because of land availability and efficiency of extension activities Borgou region offers to farmers the best conditions to adopt Mucuna as soil management crop, compared to others selected regions. Chi-square computation revealed that there is a significant difference between the three selected regions with regards to extension activities. Level of education do not have any significant relationship with adoption of Mucuna therefore this innovation is consider not to be complex. Labor availability has been found to have also a significant relationship with adoption of Mucuna. Other socio-economic characteristics of farmers like: number of children, marital status, age, land origin have no significant relationship with adoption of Mucuna. All the variables used to measure extension influence on adoption of Mucuna have a significant relationship with Mucuna adoption. Participation to meeting organized by VEW, adequacy of training given by VEW, clarity of the extension message for farmers, contact with extension agent were found to have significant relation with adoption of Mucuna. It was also found that there is no significant difference between selected regions as far as opinion of respondent about importance of the innovation is concerned. Majority of the respondent recognize that fertility of their soil have been improved after Mucuna fallow. They also know that Mucuna is not edible but do not prevent it growing for soil improving. Analysis revealed that there is no significant relationship between Mucuna edibility and its' adoption.The study reveals that disadopters are those who don't have enough land or have problem of labour. Some of them are those who got bad results from their first experience ; their soil have not been improved or Mucuna couldn't irradicate spear grass of their field. As the study reveals, must of adopters are SG2000 contact farmers. This shows that SG2000 strategy has improve adoption rate of Mucuna in Benin. Strategy use by SG2000 offers good opportunity for farmers to make decision after going through all the decision making process stages. This study shows that promotion of Mucuna technology need to consider sociological factors, environmental factors, and an adequate extension methodology.Item Analysis Of Technology Transfer Process And Its Implication On Adoption Of Improved Palm Oil Processing Technology By Women In Ho District(University of Ghana, 2000-08) Asamoah, B.C.; Boateng, S.D.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture,Department of Agricultural ExtensionOil palm processing is one of the occupations of women in the Dodome and Tsyome communities in the Ho district of the Volta Region of Ghana. To assist women to increase production, Agricultural Sector Improvement Project (ASIP) and Helping Hand Association for Women’s Development (HHAWD) have introduced improved palm oil processing technologies into these communities. However these technologies are not being used. The study was conducted to determine the technology transfer process used and also identify problems that are militating against the trial and the subsequent adoption of the improved technology. A descriptive research was employed to collect data. A sample of 132 small-scale palm oil processors was randomly selected for the study. In addition, 8 officials from ASIP and HHAWD were purposively sampled to provide information about the improved technology. Interviews and self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data. Data was coded and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The study revealed that the beneficiaries of the improved technology saw the need for the technology. However, factors such as Technical fault on the equipment, problems combining processing using the improved technology with farming, lack of credit, management problems among others have negatively influenced the trial and adoption of the technology. The failure of the people to try and adopt the improved technology has been attributed to the following: • Some vital principles of technology transfer, such as the determination of the resource base of the beneficiaries, the involvement of the beneficiaries in the selection and introduction of the equipment and thorough training of the beneficiaries in the use of the equipment, were not followed during the transfer of the technology. • Economic activities such as farming, petty-trading among others are more lucrative to the people than palm oil processing. • There are some technical problems with the equipment. It is recommended that: • Decisions to transfer improved technologies in the form of equipment to clients in rural areas must be demand-driven if they are to be accepted. • Thorough investigations of the needs and priorities and the resource base of beneficiaries should be carried out so as to make sure the innovations meet the felt needs of the people. -• Beneficiaries of improved technologies are involved in the selection and introduction of the technologies so as to avoid their rejection. • There should be an organisation of adequate training for beneficiaries in the use of improved technologies especially machinery. • Institution of credit facilities for beneficiaries to enable them acquire the necessary inputs. Monitoring of rural projects by implementers needs to be intensified so as to ensure that problems with such projects are readily identified and solved.Item Assessment of the Potential of Agricultural Extension Delivery on Guinea Fowl (Numidea Meleagris) Production by Small Scale Farmers in the Upper East Region of Ghana(University of Ghana, 2013-06) Alhassan, Z.; Atengdem, P.B.The guine fowl is an abundant species in almost all the traditional homes, providing meat eggs and swerving as a source of income. The guinea fowl production is however read extensively in almost all house households in the three Northern Regions. The birds are left on free range to feed themselves. A few farmers however provide some form of accommodation during the night. This study was conducted to assess the Potential of the Agricultural Extension Delivery on Guinea fowl (Numidea meleagris) Production by Small Scale Farmers in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Questionnaires were used to purposively collect data from 120 farmers and 18 Agricultural Extension Agents (A.E A). Descriptive statistics and chi-square were used for statistical analysis. The study found that the major problems of the small scale farmers were high keet mortality. The problem was further made worse due to low knowledge of extension agents to deliver extension messages that address the problems of the farmers. The results from the survey showed that the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers had an influence on their agricultural information search behaviour. The study specifically found that 92.5% 0f the respondent earn less than GH¢1000.00 per annum and this had an influence on the level of their operation and the technology uptake as 64.2% of the farmers practice the free range (traditional) system of management. On extension delivery the result showed that farmer‟s participation in extension programme development could influence the process of extension delivery. Majority of the farmers preferred interactive methods and channels. 59% preferred communicating to them using group approach to organising farmers. Agricultural Extension Agents remained a major preferred channel of extension delivery to the small scale farmers in addition to input dealers and the use of mobile phones. The study found that only 16.9% of the respondents were reached by Extension Agents on fortnightly basis. The curricula of agricultural training institutions and the in-service trainings offered by Ministry of Food and Agriculture are not adequate to the needs of the guinea fowl farmers. This has led to low knowledge and skills of Extension Agents on fowl husbandry. Though MoFA is a preferred organization by many of the respondent in terms of extension delivery the private organization were ranked 66% against 41% in terms of reliability of extension messages on guinea fowl production. The study then proceeded to recommend a review of the curricula of the agricultural training institutes to make them more relevant to demands of the small scale guinea fowl farmers. A collaborative approach of institutionalized training programme on guinea fowl production could be designed by the actors as well as promoting the Public Private Participation in extension delivery to address the shortfall in extension delivery the small scale guinea fowl farmers.Item Barriers to Entry and Farmers Participation in Dry Season Irrigation Farming in the Upper East Region of Ghana(University of Ghana, 2013-07) Wekem, A.D.; Sakyi-Dawson, O.The main objective of the study was to determine if there were differential barriers to entry into dry season farming in the Kassena Nankana East and Bongo Districts of the Upper East Region of Ghana and if so, how this affects participation and to what outcome. The types of barriers identified as important from the literature were categorized into economic, institutional, technical and socio- cultural barriers. The research design was a case study and used both quantitative and qualitative methods. Data collection involved focus group discussions (FDGs) with different categories of farmers, key informant interviews with selected management of Irrigation Company of Upper Region (ICOUR) as well as interviewer administered survey of 300 farmers randomly selected from three (3) communities each in the Kassena Nankana East and Bongo districts. The communities were randomly selected from ones around the Vea and Tono Irrigation Schemes. Analysis of quantitative survey data was carried out using SPSS, and involved frequencies, percentages and ranking, with statistical tests using chi square (χ 2 test) for categorical data and Spearman‘s Rank Order Correlation (r s ) for ranked data to test the association between different farmer attributes and levels of barriers. Thematic content analysis was used for the qualitative data. The main attributes use for categorizing the farmers are gender, educational levels and wealth status. There was statistically no significant correlation in the ranking of economic barriers based on educational status (r cal =0.68Item Communication Channel Preference and Its Relationship With Accessibility to Information(University of Ghana, 2001-10) Adugu, E. K.; Fiadjoe, F. Y. M.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural ExtensionThe study aimed at researching into communication channel preferences and how it relates to accessibility to information, the study was carried out in the Ho district of the Volta Region of Ghana, Data was collected from four communities in the Ho district. These are: Tanyigbe, Hodzo-Ve, Dave and Gbleve. Volta Community Water and Sanitation Program (VCWSP) ranked Tanyigbe community highest in terms of socio-economic status. Hodzo-Ve, Dave and Gbleve communities had the same lower level of ranking with respect to socio-economic status. The above four communities were purposively selected. The oldest males and females in every fifth house in all the selected communities were interviewed. Fifty-nine males and sixty-one females were interviewed. In all, one hundred and twenty beneficiaries were interviewed in the selected communities. With respect to the extension agents, the following were interviewed: The regional extension supervisor of VCWSP, the Ho district extension supervisor of VCWSP, the regional software officer of VCWSP and the regional gender officer of VCWSP. The prior state of beneficiaries was marked by water and sanitation practices, which created conducive conditions for the health problems and hazards facing them. In response to this situation, innovation information packages were developed by the VCWSP in collaboration with beneficiary communities and disseminated to them. The aim of the innovation information transfer was to change the knowledge and practices of beneficiaries from the prior state to the desired State. Based on the channels used by the source for information dissemination and the preferred channels of the beneficiaries, three categories of beneficiaries exposed to innovation information emerged. These are: A: Beneficiaries who preferred a particular channel and it was used by the source for information delivery to them. B: Beneficiaries who preferred a particular channel but it was not used by the source for information delivery to them. C: Beneficiaries to whom the source used a particular channel for information delivery but it was not their preference. For those in category “A” where preferred channels are used, accessibility to innovation information is high. For those in categories “B” and “C” where preferred channels are not used and the channels used are not preferred respectively, accessibility to information was lower compared with the cases where preferred channels are used. It follows that the higher the extent to which preferred channels of beneficiaries are used, the higher the accessibility to information. Where preferred channels of beneficiaries are used, limitations imposed on beneficiaries due to their peculiar circumstances are taken into consideration. Issues relating to opportunity to interacting with and accessing information are considered. It is for these reasons that throughout the various stages of the innovation decision process, the selfemployed, those employed by others and the unemployed indicated that their channel preferences would enable them undertake their economic activities more effectively. This is reflected in the self-employed having higher frequency of acquisition of information from the source compared with the other types of employment. However, due to the utility of the information to solve problems confronting beneficiaries in their prior state, even where channels used were not convenient to them, they exposed themselves to the information. This was likely due to the fact that they were in dire need of information to solve water and sanitation problems confronting them. All the categories of beneficiaries exposed to innovation information from the source indicated that there had been a change in knowledge with respect to their prior state and are practicing the suggested changes. These occurred in spite of the fact that the channels used by the source were not the preferred channels of beneficiaries to various extents resulting in different levels of accessibility to information. This is due to the fact that all beneficiaries exposed themselves to the innovation information whether channels used by the source were preferred or not preferred. Beneficiaries exposed themselves to innovation information because it was congenial with their beliefs and more importantly their critical need situation. In conclusion, in development communication, relevant information is best communicated to and with the ultimate users of the information through the use of appropriate channels in order to influence their behaviour in the desired direction. Behaviour modification can be achieved faster when the communication channels preferred by the target beneficiaries are used in the information exchange process since this ensures maximum information accessibility.Item Communication Strategy and Adoption of Integrated Pest Management (Ipm) Practices by Vegetable Farmers At The Weija Irrigation Project, Ghana.(University of Ghana, 2001-06) Osei, A.; Sakyi-Dawson, O.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural ExtensionTo enhance food security, crop losses due to disease and pest damage must be reduced. Improved technologies for pest control using appropriate and environmentally sound technologies to promote food security is a major priority for many developing nations. Integrated Pest Management, IPM (also referred to as Integrated Crop Management (ICM)) is one of such approaches to promoting food security. Its adoption by farmers is therefore critical. In Ghana, few empirical evidence about the communication strategies employed to effectively disseminate IPM practices exists. This study .therefore examines the influence of communication strategies on adoption of IPM. The findings are based on data collected from farmers at the Weija Irrigation Project which typifies intensive vegetable farming in the Greater Accra District. It has also been the centre o f a lot of agricultural projects especially in the area of Agricultural Extension, such as the IPM Farmers’ F ield School. (IPM/FFS). Data were collected from 105 vegetable farmers comprising 55 FFS participants and 50 non-participants using structured interview schedule from March to April 2000. The analysis involved frequencies, percentages, cross-tabulations and chi-square test. Practices incorporated in the IPM/FFS for vegetable farmers in the study area and which the study focused on include: use of neem seed extract as bio-pesticide, manure application, mulching, use of improved seeds, reduction or avoidance of use of chemical pesticides, scouting and row planting. The study reveals that there were generally high levels of awareness of all the practices incorporated in the IPM for vegetables in the study area. The main sources of information were AEAs through FFS, agricultural input sellers, co-operative society, other farmers, friends and relatives. Communication strategy used were mainly individual and group methods and Participatory Action Research (PAR). The adoption rate of Farmers’ Field Schools participants was significantly higher than non-participants. Farmers also testified to the advantages of using the IPM practices. These include higher yields, decreased incidence of pests and diseases and increase in crop diversity. However, identified constraints to adoption of IPM practices included: tediousness of some of the practices (high labour input), high cost and lack of availability of some of the inputs. The use of Farmers' Field Schools, which is a Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology, is recommended since programmes are planned with active involvement or participation of the target beneficiaries, and at their level of information uptake and learning.Item Comparative Study of Performance of Middle and Junior Secondary School Leavers Farming in North Tongu District, Volta Region, Ghana(University of Ghana, 2000-06) Asiegbor, I.K.; Atengdem, P.B.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural ExtensionThe Study on Basic School Agriculture outcomes was conducted in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region of Ghana from May to June 1998. The main objective of the study is to compare the impact of the differences in the Middle School and Junior Secondary School Agriculture programmes on the performance of the graduates in farming. The Middle School Agriculture programme was vocational/practical without teaching or learning of theoretical knowledge while the Junior Secondary School Agriculture Programme was academic-vocational (Integrated). Specifically, the study compares and explains the differences between Middle School and Junior Secondary School leavers by: age, gender and marital status, use of school-based agricultural knowledge in home farming while in school, levels of agricultural knowledge, ranking of factors influencing the choice of farming, ranking aims for farming, utilisation of formal agricultural knowledge in farming, achievements from farming, security in life and the needs of the respondents in farming. The survey research methodology was employed. With a personal interview schedule, the snowball non probability sampling technique was used to gather information from the Middle School and Junior Secondary School graduates farming in the North Tongu District. With questionnaires, stratified random sampling was used to collect information from Agricultural Extension Agents, Junior Secondary School Agriculture Teachers, District Director of Agriculture and District Agricultural Education Officer. The Statistical Package for the Social Scientist (SPSS) was used to analyse the data. The performance of the farmers was compared using the following statistics: percentages, rank scores, The Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney Test and The Kendall Coefficient of Concordance. The study shows that Junior Secondary School graduates are better farmers than Middle School leavers in the North Tongu District because their performance is related to the type of Agricultural Education programme they pursued. Junior Secondary school graduates tend to be more independent, think and act abstractly in selecting farming practices that have abstract advantages while Middle School leavers appear to be more dependent and select yield optimising practices with easily observable advantages. The performance of the Junior Secondary School graduates is explained by their use of school-based agricultural knowledge in home farming while in school, ranking of school training as a factor influencing the choice of farming, ranking of aims in farming, ranking of crop yield optimisation practices and attainment of higher tangible achievements from farming. A similar performance is observed on the basis of gender. However, the perceived levels of security in life and needs of the respondents have not been explained by the differences in the Basic School Agriculture programmes they pursued. The study provides information on the study of Basic School Agriculture outcomes and the intervening factors in the utilization of formal agricultural knowledge for farming.Item Comparative Study of Performance of Middle and Junior Secondary School Leavers Farming in North Tongu District, Volta Region, Ghana(University of Ghana, 2000-06) Koku, A.I.; Atengdem, P.B.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural ExtensionThe Study on Basic School Agriculture outcomes was conducted in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region of Ghana from May to June 1998. The main objective of the study is to compare the impact of the differences in the Middle School and Junior Secondary School Agriculture programmes on the performance of the graduates in farming. The Middle School Agriculture programme was vocational/practical without teaching or learning of theoretical knowledge while the Junior Secondary School Agriculture Programme was academic-vocational (Integrated). Specifically, the study compares and explains the differences between Middle School and Junior Secondary School leavers by: age, gender and marital status, use of school-based agricultural knowledge in home farming while in school, levels of agricultural knowledge, ranking of factors influencing the choice of farming, ranking aims for farming, utilisation of formal agricultural knowledge in farming, achievements from farming, security in life and the needs of the respondents in farming. The survey research methodology was employed. With a personal interview schedule, the snowball non probability sampling technique was used to gather information from the Middle School and Junior Secondary School graduates farming in the North Tongu District. With questionnaires, stratified random sampling was used to collect information from Agricultural Extension Agents, Junior Secondary School Agriculture Teachers, District Director of Agriculture and District Agricultural Education Officer. The Statistical Package for the Social Scientist (SPSS) was used to analyse the data The performance of the farmers was compared using the following statistics: percentages, rank scores, The Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney Test and The Kendall Coefficient of Concordance. The study shows that Junior Secondary School graduates are better farmers than Middle School leavers in the North Tongu District because their performance is related to the type of Agricultural Education programme they pursued. Junior Secondary school graduates tend to be more independent, think and act abstractly in selecting farming practices that have abstract advantages while Middle School leavers appear to be more dependent and select yield optimising practices with easily observable advantages. The performance of the Junior Secondary School graduates is explained by their use of school-based agricultural knowledge in home farming while in school, ranking of school training as a factor influencing the choice of farming, ranking of aims in farming, ranking of crop yield optimisation practices and attainment of higher tangible achievements from farming. A similar performance is observed on the basis of gender. However, the perceived levels of security in life and needs of the respondents have not been explained by the differences in the Basic School Agriculture programmes they pursued. The study provides information on the study of Basic School Agriculture outcomes and the intervening factors in the utilization of formal agricultural knowledge for farming.Item A Comparative Study of the Credit with Education (CWE) and the Village Savings and Loans (VSLA) Methodologies of Microfinance Services on Rural Livelihoods(University of Ghana, 2012-10) Alerigesane, A.A.; Atengdem, P.B.; Boateng, S.D.The study was set up to compare the Credit with Education (CwE) and the Village Savings and Loans (VSL) methodologies of microfinance services and how they influence rural livelihoods. The field survey methodology was involving both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Common services (financial and non-financial) offered to client groups in both the VSL and CwE models as implemented by Plan Ghana-an international non-governmental organization (INGO) and partner local non-governmental organizations (LNGOs) in the case of the former and the latter by the Bawjiase Area Rural Bank (BARB) in the Awutu district of the Central Region of Ghana. It then assessed in comparative terms the influence of these microfinance models on clients’ livelihood strategies and activities, the resulting outcomes and ultimately their impact on clients as search for livelihood. In all 202 respondents were sampled, one hundred and one in each category and the data collected in the month of March, 2012. Descriptive statistics were mostly employed for the analysis of the data. The study found that apart from the financial intermediation, social intermediation services such as enterprise development, gender trainings, reproductive health, diarrhea prevention and management in children and infants, importance of breastfeeding, infant and child feeding, HIV/AIDS prevention, malaria prevention and management and family planning were offered in both programmes. In all, services such as gender trainings; agro-forestry practices and cottage industry as livelihood strategies; and livelihood outcomes including enterprise expansion, bulk purchase for cost reduction, accessing cheaper credit sources, initiating new enterprises, selling in new markets, investment in structures for marketing and production, clients preferred places of savings, amounts saved, calculation of profits based on costs and earnings, having fixed location for sales and production purposes, allowing credit sales, household diet characteristics and perception of limited credit availability all showed significant differences between the CwE and VSL clients and by extension groups. Overall, the study found that the programmes had positive influences on clients’ livelihood strategies and activities, the outcomes of those strategies and activities and the eventual impact. The study recommends that topical issues such as gender that alter power relations within households positively, food security that innovatively link households of programme participants directly into food chains with long term positive effects on nutrition of children in particular and the incorporation of health products such as the NHIS should be intensified in programmes. Also, programmes such as the VSL contemplating linking groups to formal microfinance institutions (MFIs) and/or commercial banks should assess the repayment capacities of groups incrementally, and credit extended accordingly in order to avoid defaults and promote sustainability.Item A Comparative Study of the Representational Capacity of Three Apex Farmer Organisations in Ghana(University Of Ghana, 2015-05) Amoako, B.OMost Apex Farmer Organisations continually state as part of their mission and objectives that they exist to “represent farmers’ interests and give farmers a voice”; however, most farmers’ have not benefitted much from these Apex Farmer Organisations. The study was structured to assess the representational capacity of three Apex Farmer Organisations in Ghana: Apex Farmer Organisation of Ghana (ApFOG), Ghana Cocoa Coffee Sheanut Farmers’ Association (GCCSFA) and Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG); in representing the interests of their primary farmer groups and meeting the expectations of the farmers’. This study used the case study/ survey research methodology with a sample size of 205 farmers and leaders of the Apex organisations within the Central, Eastern and Greater Accra regions of Ghana. Primary data was collected by the use of interviews and questionnaires. Data was analysed using inferential and descriptive statistics. Using the three different dimensions of capacity representation namely: formal, descriptive and participatory representation; the study found that all three organisations have some form of formal representation but are low in participatory representation. However, ApFOG and GCCSFA had a high descriptive representation score than PFAG. Externally, they are all affected by the economy and policy situation of the country. In satisfying the needs of the farmers with regards to certain services, using the Kruskal-Wallis test, GCCSFA ranked highest, followed by ApFOG and then PFAG. It can be recommended that, these three Apex Farmers’ Organisations need to restructure and make their farmers aware of what they do and interact more with their farmers so that the farmers do not have expectations that the Apex organisations cannot meet.Item Comparison of Extension Delivery System available to Farmers of the Ministry of Agriculture and Ghana Tobacco Company Limited at Wenchi and Ejura District in Ghana(University of Ghana, 1981-08) Okrah, J.A.; Geker, J.K.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture,Department of Agricultural ExtensionThis study attempted to compare and contrast the effectiveness of the extension delivery systems available to farmers and staff of two agricultural institutions namely:- The Ministry of Agriculture (Government controlled and financed) and the Ghana Tobacco Company limited (a private participation). Specifically the study was designed to determines (1) The extension teaching methods used by the two organizations. (2 ) Farmers source of farm information. (3) The degree of contact between the farmers and the field extension staff and its effect or impact on agricultural extension and finally (4) To find out whether extension addressed itself to farmers needs and problems. The research findings were based upon a study of both food and cash crop fanners and field extension staff of the two organizations. The study revealed that the G.T.C. extension services to their farmers were more effective in terms of provision of production inputs and extension teaching methods used than those of the Ministry of Agriculture. The effectiveness of G.T.C. extension services seems to have been greatly enhanced by (1 ) the low staff/farmer ratio as compared to a high ratio of f' the Ministry of Agriculture. (2 ) The high mobility of G.T.C. staff and (3) The regularly monitored activities of G.T.C. staff by their supervisors. Both G.T.C. and the Ministry of Agriculture use group teaching method particularly, demonstration and farmers meeting as forms of educational instructions with their farmers. Both groups of farmers realise the positive contribution extension plays in their farming education and adoption of new practices but found extension staff effort to assist them woefully inadequate. lack of transportation, poor service conditions and lack of farm inputs were some of the problems hampering field extension staff in their work. Teaching methods and extension programmes designed were more service rather than education oriented.Item Comparison of Extension Delivery System Available to Farmers of the Ministry Of Agriculture and Ghana Tobacco Company Limited at Wenchi and Ejura Districts in Ghana(University of Ghana, 1981-08) Okrah, J. A.; Geker, J. K.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural ExtensionThis study attempted to compare and contrast the effectiveness of the extension delivery systems available to farmers and staff of two agricultural institutions namely- The Ministry of Agriculture (Government controlled and financed) and the Ghana Tobacco Company Limited (aprivate participation). Specifically, the study was designed to determine: (1) The extension teaching methods used by the Two organizations. (2) Farmers source of farm in formation. (3) The degree o f c o n ta c t between the farmers and The field extension staff and its effect or impact on agricultural extension and finally (4) To find out whether extension addressed itself To farmers needs and problems. The research findings were based upon a study of both food and cash Crop farmers and field extension staff of the two organizations. The study revealed that the G.T.C. extension services to their Farmers were more effective in terms of provision of production inputs and extension teaching methods used than those of the Ministry of Agriculture. The effectiveness of G.T.C. extension services seems to have been greatly Enhanced by (1) the low staff / farmer ratio as compared to a high ratio of the Ministry of Agriculture. (2) The high mobility of G.T.C. staff and (3) the regularly monitored activities of G.T.C. staff by their supervisors. Both G.T.C. and the Ministry of Agriculture use group teaching method particularly, demonstration and farmers meeting as forms of educational instructions with their farmers. Both groups of farmers realise the positive contribution extension plays in their farming education and adoption of new practices but found extension staff effort to assist them woeflly in adequate. Lack of transportation, poor service conditions and lack of farm inputs were some of the problems hampering field extension staff in their work. Teaching methods and extension programmes designed were more service rather than education oriented.Item Constraints to the Adoption of the Yam Minisett Technology in the Northern Region, Ghana(University of Ghana, 1999-03) Ekekpi, G. K.; Atengdam, P. B.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural ExtensionThe development and transfer of the yam minisett technology has the potential to be the solution to the problem of unavailability and high cost of planting material (seed yam) in the yam production industry. However, the adoption of this technology by farmers in the Northern Region has been reported as quite low. This study was therefore conducted to determine the constraints to the adoption of this potentially useful technology. This survey research was undertaken in four purposively sampled districts of the Northern Region, namely, East Gonja, Gushiegu-Karaga, West Gonja and Yendi Districts. By means of the purposive sampling technique, 120 farmers, the recipients of the technology, and 40 agricultural extension agents (AEAs), the technology transfer agents, constituted the sample for the study. The study employed interview schedule and questionnaire to farmers and extension agents respectively to obtain responses to specific variables to meet the research objectives. Focused group interviews and discussions were also held with representatives of all stakeholders (farmers, subject matter specialists, researchers, extension agents and agricultural administrators) in the agricultural development sector. Relevant departmental documents were also consulted to validate information gathered. From the data, an in-depth analysis of the technology itself and the extension delivery of the technology to farmers was made. Using the farmers' criteria of quality seed yam, the technology was assessed and found to be no better alternative to the traditional seed yam production methods. The quality of seed yam produced through the technology did not meet the farmers' criteria. The extension delivery process was observed to be such that the farmer was just but a recipient of the technology. There was poor farmer-involvement in the problem identification and diagnosis with respect to seed yam production. In this regards, the extension organisation in promoting a “production-technology” oriented approach, through its agricultural extension agents, "imposed" on farmers a pre-formulated or prescribed solution to the problem of inadequacy of planting material in the yam production sector - a problem which farmers in Northern Region did not recognise as a need. From the analysis of the technology itself and its delivery process, a wide range of factors were noted to have contributed to its low adoption rate in the Northern Region. These constraints were catalogued into five broad categories, including Social factors, Economic constraints, Environmental issues, Institutional factors and Technological constraints. It is therefore the recommendation of this research that the paradigm of “farmerparticipatory”, “problem-solving” and “demand-driven” technology development and transfer should be applied to the letter as this would be most appropriate to solving farmers' identified problems. The “production-oriented” approach may not be appropriate in addressing farmers' specific difficulties. The active participation of the target group in the technology development and transfer processes embodied in participatory technology development is crucial in enhancing the adoption of agricultural technologies, in addition, a conducive policy environment, which ensures the availability of production-enhancing inputs at affordable prices together with incentives for production, are nonetheless essential.Item Content Analysis of Agricultural Information Coverage By the Ghanaian National Newspaper, Daily- Graphic From January 2014 - December 2015.(University of Ghana, 2017-07) Vinyo, Y.F.Following reports on poor accessibility of agricultural information and its consequential declining in agricultural growth in the country, this study sought to investigate the role played by the stateowned newspaper (Daily Graphic) to improving access to agricultural information in the country. Content analysis was used as the research design of this study. Secondary data was collected from the Daily Graphic newspaper for the analysis of this study between the period of January 2014 and December 2015. A sample size of 192 editions out of a total population of 576 editions of the newspaper was analysed during the period. The study revealed that only 3% of the total news published by the newspaper during the period was agricultural news. Agricultural news published in the newspaper during the period under study was in six categories namely; hard news, editorial, opinion, advertisement, letter to editor and feature. The highest frequency of agricultural news covered were found in the categories of Advertisements and Hard news, thus 61% and 31% respectively followed by 2% in the editorial category, 4% in the Opinion category and 1% in both the Feature and Letter to the Editor categories each. Ninety-five percent (95%) of the agricultural news published were reported at the less read pages of the newspaper, whiles agricultural news items reported at the front pages, back pages and the centre spread pages of the newspaper were also 1%, 3% and 1 % respectively. The study recommended amongst other things that managers of the state newspaper must engage line reporters or journalists purposely for reporting agricultural sensitive news in the country in order to improve upon its agricultural information coverage.
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