Cost-benefit analysis and problems associated with the production of Verano seed by smallholder livestock farmers in Ghana

摘要

On-farmseedproductionofStylosantheshamatacvVeranowascarriedoutbysmallholderlivestockfarmersintheEjura-SekyedumaseDistrictoftheAshantiRegionofGhana.TechnicalbackupwasprovidedbyatechnicalteamcomprisingpersonnelfromtheUniversityofGhanaandstaffoftheEjuraSheepBreedingFarmoftheAnimalProductionDirectorate.ThemainobjectiveoftheprojectwastoestablishalocalcapacityfortheproductionofVeranoseedforimprovingthenationsrangelands.Themajorproblemsencounteredwere;weedencroachment,bushfire,insectpredationofplantedseedsandlaboriousseedprocessing.IncomeperhaearnedfromVeranoproductionwashigherthanthatobtainedfrommaizeandcowpeaproduction.TheprogrammesuccessfullyestablishedlocalcapacityforVeranoproductioninGhana.TotalVeranoseedproductionbyselectedfarmersinthestudyperiodwasabout150tonnesandthebenefit/costratioincreasedfrom1.15(year1)to2.05(year2)and7.87(year3)showingtheeconomicbenefitsofVeranoseedproduction.However,thereisaneedtoundertakefurtherresearchtoraisetheefficiencyofqualityVeranoseedproduction.