Research Papers/Topics in Agricultural Economics

PROCESSORS’ WILLINGNESS-TO-PAY FOR PRODUCT QUALITY CERTIFICATION: THE CASE OF INFANT CEREAL FOOD SECTOR IN GREATER ACCRA REGION

ABSTRACT There have been investments in the infant food sector in Ghana in recent times. This is as a result of the introduction of cereal foods fortified appropriately for children aged five and below aimed at eradicating or reducing malnutrition. However, competition from transnational and multinational companies with branded and certified products is hindering progress of local companies in the sector. This study seeks to assess local processors’ willingness to pay (WTP) for product qual...

PRODUCTION RISK AND TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF LOWLAND RICE FARMS IN ASHANTI REGION, GHANA

ABSTRACT The study was conducted to analyse production risk and technical efficiency of lowland rice farms in Ashanti region using adjusted stochastic production frontier. Cross sectional data for 2014 cropping season was collected from 200 sampled rice farms using multistage sampling technique. The results of the study revealed very low utilization of improved seed (42.8 kg/ha) by famers as against the standard quantity of 100kg/ha. Among the farm inputs used, fertilizer and improved seed we...

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON SMALLHOLDER CROP FARMS IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT The negative effect of Climate Change (CC) on agriculture across Africa has been well established. This underscores its global policy interest. In Nigeria, crop farming is climate dependent and farmholders often employ measures that are sub-optimal against climate risk. This raises the vulnerability of farming to CC uncertainty. For a long time, knowledge of CC perception by farmholders dominated the existing literature. However, information on economic estimates of damages and resp...

VALUE CHAIN AND COMPETITIVENESS OF PLANTAIN IN SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT Nigeria ranks fifth in world plantain production but has low export volume. The low export may be a result of activities along its value chain. However there is little information on the number of employment generated, comparative advantage, competitiveness and effects of policies on plantain. Therefore, the competitiveness of plantain along the value chain in southwestern Nigeria was investigated. A three stage sampling procedure was used. The ten high plantain producing Local Gov...

Rice Farmers' Perception of Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies in the Ketu North District, Volta Region of Ghana

ABSTRACT This study assessed rice farmers’ perception of climate change and adaptation strategies towards tackling the challenges climate change poses to the rice farmers in Ketu North District, Volta Region of Ghana. The multistage sampling technique was used to obtain a sample size of 340 rice farmers from six (6) farming sections and a structured questionnaire was used to elicit data from the respondents. The data collected from the rice farmers were analyzed using descriptive statistic...

Production Risk and Technical Efficiency of Lowlan Rice Farms in Ahanti Region, Ghana

ABSTRACT  The study was conducted to analyse production risk and technical efficiency of lowland rice farms in Ashanti region using adjusted stochastic production frontier. Cross sectional data for 2014 cropping season was collected from 200 sampled rice farms using multistage sampling technique. The results of the study revealed very low utilization of improved seed (42.8 kg/ha) by famers as against the standard quantity of 100kg/ha. Among the farm inputs used, fertilizer and improved ...

NON-INCOME INEQUALITY AMONG RURAL HOUSEHOLDS IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT Inequality is an important factor in understanding the welfare of rural households. Most discussions on inequality have focused primarily on income to the exclusion of non-income dimensions such as skills, education, political participation, health and life expectancy. Knowledge of non-income inequality will enhance the understanding of the key welfare attributes of Rural Households (RHs). The extent of and factors affecting non-income inequality among households in rural Nigeria we...

NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE, WOMEN’S AUTONOMY AND MATERNAL HEALTHCARE UTILISATION IN GHANA

ABSTRACT The effectiveness of health insurance and women’s autonomy in removing barriers to the utilisation of maternal healthcare in order to curb maternal mortality especially in developing countries is gaining ground. However, in assessing the effects of health insurance on choice of delivery facilities, studies either put all facility-based delivery services together and compare with home care or fail to address endogeneity problem. Moreover, the connections among health insurance, auto...

THE STRUCTURE AND EFFICIENCY IN RESOURCE USE IN MAIZE PRODUCTION IN THE ASAMNKESE DISTRICT OF GHANA

ABSTRACT The study sets out to find out on one hand, the present structure of resources in agricultural production and secondly, to delve deeper into the controversy surrounding the comparative efficiency in resource use by sharecroppers and owner farmers in agricultural production. The approaches used to assess the structure of the resources are frequency distributions, descriptive analyses and estimation of cost composition of individual resources. In assessing the comparative effic...

Analysis of Value Chain in Rice Production Systems in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract This study analyzed the value chain in rice production systems in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Purposive and random sampling techniques were used in the selection of respondents for the study. The Rice value chain actors comprised rice farmers, processors and traders. Data for the study were obtained from primary sources using questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Functional analysis, Value Chain Map, Costs and Returns analysis, Linear Programming tec...

Analysis of the Profitability of Maize Products in Nigeria

ABSTRACT This study analyzes the profitability of maize products in Nigeria. It determines the socio-economic characteristics and processing activities of the processors; it identifies the various processed products from maize and then estimates costs and associated returns to maize processing. It also identifies constraints to maize processing; analyzed the factors that influence profit and investigate the specific effects of identified constraints on the processor’s growth potential of...

Trade Liberalization, Exchange Rate Changes, and the Competitiveness of Carbohydrate Staple Markets in Nigeria

This study examined the effects of trade liberalization and exchange rate changes on carbohydrate staples in Nigeria. Secondary data published from 1974 to 2006 on cassava exports and rice imports as well as non-tradable carbohydrate staples were used. It was hypothesized that exchange rate changes and trade liberalization via price relatives, trade intensity and nominal protection coefficient have affected prices of carbohydrate staples in Nigeria. Results show that the effects of trade libe...

Patterns and Drivers of Mobile Telephony for Sustainable Livelihood among Farming Households in Kwara State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT Recently, it is acknowledged that mobile phones provide multiple functionalities and diverse applications that affect all forms of capital accumulation, necessary for sustainable livelihood. However, there is no empirical result regarding the impact of mobile phones on asset accumulation in Nigeria. This study examined the socio-economic determinants of mobile phone use and intensity of use for sustainable capital formation in farming households in Kwara state, Nigeria. Accordingly, ...

Information Needs of Urban Poultry Producers in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract This is an investigative study of the information needs of urban poultry producers in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State. The Specific Objectives were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of urban poultry farmers in Owerri North Local Government Area, to assess the information needs of urban poultry farmers, to determine the perceived usefulness of the various government incentives/policies that are embarked upon to boost and encourage agricultural production, ...

DETERMINANTS OF FARM ENTERPRISE CHOICE AMONG FADAMA USERS IN FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA, NIGERIA

Abstract This study examined the determinants of farm enterprise choice among fadama users in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria. Cross sectional data were obtained from 387 fadama users with the aid of structured close-ended questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using frequency, percentages, means and multinomial logit model. The study found that about 39% of the fadama users are into crop production and about 27% are into agro-processing, 23% preferred livestock farming while o...


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