Adoption impact of maize seed technology on farm profitability: evidence from Ghana
Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies
ISSN: 2044-0839
Article publication date: 2 February 2021
Issue publication date: 18 October 2021
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to examine impact of adopted maize seed technology on farm profitability. It assesses both the revenue and cost implication of the adopted technology on farmers' welfare. The study aims to expand the domain of farm investment assessment analysis by including a broader range of production outcome indicators than is normally found in the adoption impact on farm profitability literature.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper opted for an empirical study using field survey data. A structured questionnaire was used to interview 400 maize farmers across four regions of Ghana. The survey was complemented with focus group discussions in each region with participants representing male and female farmers cultivating maize on a commercial basis. The data captured detail household level (i.e. demographic and socioeconomic characteristics) as well as farm-level information on maize production (i.e. input use and farm output).
Findings
The paper provides empirical insights about maize farmers' perception on the adopted maize seed technology and the factors influencing adoption. It also shed light on the fact that maize farmers do not base their adoption decisions solely on farm output and revenue indicators alone, but mainly on the return on their investment and the cost associated with the maize seed technology adopted.
Research limitations/implications
Because of data limitation, the influence of some important actors (market power) could not be directly captured in the analysis; this may lead to over simplification of a very complex situation in the maize sector. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to future investigate the influence of such important phenomenon on farm profitability.
Social implications
Improving maize productivity and farm profitability across the sectors is important in order to improve farmer income. This study, therefore, highlights the effect of adopted seed technology and its impact on farm profitability.
Originality/value
This paper fulfils an identified need to study how investment cost in maize seed technology affect farm profitability.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Limitation of the study: We acknowledge the fact that, market power of actors along the maize value chain in Ghana can also affect farm profitability. However, because of data limitation, the influence of market power (i.e. actors) in the maize sector could not be directly captured in the analysis; this may lead to over simplification of a very complex situation in the maize sector. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to future investigate the influence of such important phenomenon on farm profitability.
Citation
Mensah, A., Asiamah, M., Wongnaa, C.A., Adams, F., Etuah, S., Gaveh, E. and Appiah, P. (2021), "Adoption impact of maize seed technology on farm profitability: evidence from Ghana", Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, Vol. 11 No. 5, pp. 578-598. https://doi.org/10.1108/JADEE-06-2020-0120
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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