Assessment of impacts of adoption of improved sweetpotato varieties in Ghana: accounting for differences in male and female farmers

Abstract

New agricultural technologies, such as high yielding varieties and improved agronomic practices could significantly increase agricultural productivity leading to improved welfare of those who participate in them. Feedback effects on adoption of agricultural technologies in low-income countries are important in prioritization of funding to the agricultural sector. Through a multistage randomized sample of 526 farmers and employing propensity score matching technique to correct selection bias, the study assessed the effect of adoption of improved sweetpotato varieties on farmers’ yields and incomes comparing separate effects on men and women farmers. Results revealed that income and yield increased with adoption. Men benefited more than women due to access to extension, improved varieties and productive inputs. Nonetheless, men and women had significant increases in yield and income. Results also showed that land and credit play a role in adoption of technologies. Supporting research extension systems to promote and disseminate improved varieties is recommended.

Keywords:

• Agricultural practices
• farmer adoption
• income
• research and extension

JEL CODES:

• Q10
• Q12
• Q18

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge funding support from the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP). The staff of CSIR-Crops Research Institute, who participated in the data collection, are duly acknowledged.

Ethics statement

Prior to conducting the study, the CSIR-Crops Research Institute’s Internal Review committee approved the study.

Informed consent

Since the study involved human participants and researchers did not want to force anyone to participate, an informed consent note was developed and included in the survey instrument. Enumerators first introduced themselves and then explained the purpose of the research to the randomly selected participants. The consent of the participants was then requested as the total time allocated to the survey was relayed to them. They were in fact made aware that it was voluntary to participate in the survey.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The datasets used for the current study are available on request from the corresponding author

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1 Improved sweetpotato varieties are varieties (conventional, local or introduced) that have been scientifically worked on to modify their attributes to fit farmers and other end-users needs and preferences.

2 Gross income was measured as GI = Total annual Sweetpotato yield X farm gate price

3 Total yield was recall yield from the preceding year (2016–2017 crop season)

4 GH₵ represents Ghana cedis: Exchange rate US$1= GH₵4.39 (Bank of Ghana, 2017).

Additional information

Funding

Funding for the Study was received from World Bank through the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP).