OUTPUT EFFECT OF ORGANIC VEGETABLE PRODUCTION IN THE NORTHERN REGION OF GHANA

Abstract

The study examines the factors influencing the adoption of organic vegetable technology and the effect of adoption on vegetable output in the Northern Region of Ghana. Farm level data on vegetable production was collected from 400 farmers, consisting of 200 adopters (organic vegetable farmers) and 200 non-adopters (conventional vegetable farmers). Descriptive statistics were used to analyse farmers’ perception about the benefits and problems associated with organic vegetable production. The Treatment Effect Model was used to analyse the socioeconomic factors that influence the adoption of organic farming technology and its effect on output of the farmers. The estimation results showed that the adoption of organic farming was significantly influenced by the farmers’ characteristics (such as education, membership of farmer based organisations, and knowledge of farming business), internal inputs (farmer’s ability to make their own inputs, farmers’ ability and resources to cultivate throughout the year and sole ownership of farm land) and some external incentives. Organic vegetable farmers had higher output than the conventional farmers. For a sustained increase in the production of organic vegetables, farmers should be supported through education and access to extension services, membership of farmers’ organisations, and affiliation with agricultural research organisations