Assessment of impact of adoption of improved cassava varieties on yields in Ghana: An endogenous switching approach

Abstract

The paper assesses the potential impact of the adoption of improved cassava varieties on yields of smallholder farmers. Agricultural intensification is associated with increasing yields per hectare through the use of improved varieties. Studies have established the relationship between adoption and yield, yet this relationship is understudied in the cross-national literature. Using cross-sectional data collected from a randomly selected sample of 1,176 farmers dispersed across Ghana and employing an endogenous switching regression model, the causal impact of improved variety adoption was estimated. Our results revealed that adoption decisions were conditioned by age, extension access, extension visits, awareness and farm size. Also, adoption had a significant positive impact on cassava yields. Adopters had 18 t/ha increases in yields and non-adopters should they have adopted had increases of 10 t/ha. Strategies to resource research extension linkage system to promote and create awareness about the existing improved cassava varieties for increased adoption are recommended.

Keywords:

• Adoption
• awareness
• dissemination
• smallholder farmer
• switching regression

Subjects:

• Q12
• Q16
• Q18

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

Cassava is a food crop that provides multiple opportunities for poverty reduction and nourishment for many Ghanaians. Production of the crop in Ghana is mostly reliant on landraces developed by generations of farmers using traditional breeding techniques. Cassava yields relative to potential yields remain low in Ghana reflecting the influence of subsistence production systems. The rapid increase in cassava production will certainly have significant implications on food security, employment creation, living conditions and economic growth. The research has revealed the contribution of improved varieties to yield improvement. Interventions to increase adoption of improved cassava varieties by smallholder farmers should be the focus.

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program for providing funds for this study. The staff of CSIR-Crops Research Institute who helped in the data collection are duly acknowledged.

Public interest statement

Cassava is a food crop that provides multiple opportunities for poverty reduction and nourishment for many people. Ghanaian government and the World Bank have assisted in the development of 25 new varieties to increase production and improve food security for more than three decades. Though studies have been carried out to find adoption rates of cassava varieties among farmers across Ghana, there are limited studies on cassava varieties adoption impact on farmers yield. This study was carried out to examine and understand how research has led to outputs, uptake and outcomes, and the distributional consequences of these. It was also to identify and understand barriers to agricultural technology enhancement as a strategy for achieving larger goals such as increased incomes and food security. This study has shown the contribution of improved cassava varieties to yield improvement and Interventions to increase dissemination and uptake by smallholder farmers should be the focus.

Data availability statement

Data for the study are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author.

Disclosure statement

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

Notes

1. Note that the study was conducted when Ghana had 10 regions.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the World Bank Group.

Notes on contributors

Patricia Pinamang Acheampong

Patricia Pinamang Acheampong (PhD) is a Senior Research Scientist with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Crops Research Institute, Ghana. Her main research interest includes adoption, impact assessment, gender analysis, value chain analysis and welfare economics.

Monica Addison (PhD) is a Researcher with the Bureau of Integrated Rural Development of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana. Monica has researched and published on various topics relating to adoption, gender analysis and welfare economics.

Camillus Abawiera Wongnaa (PhD) is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Extension of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. Camillus has researched and published on various subjects relating to adoption, efficiency and welfare economics.