Factors influencing the adoption of grasscutter production in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana

摘要

TheGovernmentofGhanaandNGOshavebeenpromotinggrasscutterproductionintheBrongAhaforegionofGhanainthelastnineyears.NGOssupportfarmerswithtrainingtoacquireknowledgeandskillsingrasscutterrearing.Althoughsomefarmersaregiventraining,theydonotgointoproduction.ThisstudywasaimedatfindingoutthefactorsfacilitatingorhinderingtheadoptionofgrasscutterfarmingintheBrongAhaforegion.Atotalof50farmerscomprisingtwofocusgroups(adoptersandnon-adopters)thatweretrainedwereidentifiedandinterviewed.FocusgroupquestionswerebasedonRogers#8217;andPantanali#8217;smodelsofadoptionwherecharacteristicsoffarmers,labour,financeandthesocialsystemareconsideredasessentialfactorsaffectingadoption.ThedatawasanalyzedbyusingSPSScomputerprogramme.PearsonCorrelationwasusedtodeterminetherelationshipbetweenadoptionandthevariablesstudied.Farmers#8217;decisionontheadoptionofgrasscutterfarmingwaspositivelyaffectedbysex,maritalstatusandfunding,andnegativelyaffectedbyageandeducation.Occupationhadnoinfluenceonadoption.Lackofbreedingstockandinitialcapitalrequiredtopurchasebreedingstockandcageswerefoundtobeconstraints.Itwasconcludedthatthecharacteristicsofindividualfarmersshouldbetakenintoconsiderationduringtrainingneedsassessment,andgiveeachindividualtheappropriatetraining.ItwasalsorecommendedthatNGOsshouldstrengthengrasscutterfarmers#8217;associationsothattheycanprovidecredittograsscuttertrainees,especiallywomenandtheyouth,topurchasestart-upbreedingstockandcages.