EFFECTS OF SECURITY OF TENURE TO AGRICULTURAL LANDS ON SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AMONG WOMEN FARMERS IN WA WEST DISTRICT

The study explored women farmers’ access to agricultural lands and soil fertility management practices in a mixed patrilineal and matrilineal society in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region of Ghana. Women in Ghana including those in the Wa West District living in either separate or mixed patrilineal and matrilineal societies are faced with male domination with regards to decision making and hence women insecurity of tenure to farm land. So, the study used the Theory of Patriarchy, Empowerment Theory, and Access Theory to explain the issues surrounding women access and security of tenureship to agricultural lands. The study used a concurrent mixed research methodological approach to examine how security of tenure to agricultural lands affect soil fertility management practices among Women Farmers. A total of 140 women farmers were sampled through a multistage sampling process. Four focus group discussions were held (43 discussants) and 13 Key informants were interviewed and the findings corroborated with that of the survey. The survey data was presented in tables and charts, and the relationship of security of tenure to farm land and soil fertility management practices and some variables were also tested using Chi-square. The study found that women farmers cannot initiate the process of acquiring agricultural lands without involving their husbands or a male family member/head. Unfavourable beliefs system was found to be the most challenging constraint that influence women access to agricultural land. Most women farmers are practising minimal tillage and non-burning more than that of the other soil fertility management practices. Again, 99% of respondents perceived women farmers in Wa West District to have insecure tenure to agricultural lands. Finally, there exists a significant relationship between insecure tenure to agricultural land and soil fertility management practices. The study therefore recommends that, the existing or new policies (Ghana National Land policy-1999, Land Administration Programme, etc) to focus on especially community and family level stakeholders to facilitate women farmers to have secured agricultural land tenure.