Trends in crop production and land productivity in northern Ghana: A case study of Tolon-Kumbung
2021
Nakasone, Katsushige | Ghimire, Raju | Suvedi, Murari
Increasing agricultural production and reducing poverty through a modernized agricultural system has been a priority of the government of Ghana. We analyzed the trends of major crop yields, cultivated area, and fertilizer input in two villages – Tongoli and Gbullung – of Tolon-Kumbung district in northern Ghana. Using longitudinal panel data from 67 households from 2004 to 2015, we performed statistical analyses such as percentage, average, frequency, and trend analysis, and used time fixed effect regression model to determine the relationship between the value of crop production and independent variables such as labor, input cost, area, income, and occupation. The results show that total cultivated area continues to decrease as family size and the number of farmers per compound decrease. The number of cultivated crops decreased, and the yield of major crops became unstable. However, the number of farmers aiming to increase production by using chemical fertilizer on maize and rice increased. Fertilizer greatly increases the yield of maize and rice, but the decision to use fertilizer depends on price, which continues to rise. To improve this situation, it is necessary to improve the agricultural input distribution system. The study results show that all types of labor, cropped area, income, and input cost play important roles in increasing the value of production and productivity. But the situation in the study district is opposite -- it is experiencing reduction of the labor force due to outmigration, decreased family size, and reduction in the number of farmers. Provisions for selective mechanization and an improved input distribution system may address the requirement of labor in agriculture and sustain crop production and land productivity.
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