RICE FARMERS INFORMATION SEEKING BEHAVIOUR IN THE TOLON DISTRICT, NORTHERN REGION, GHANA

Abstract

Rice COryza sativa L.) is a major staple food widely consumed in Ghana. Although Ghana has a potential to attain self-sufficiency in rice production, Ghana's current production of rice falls below domestic demand. Many reasons have been proffered for this unfortunate situation. Low technology adoption by smallholder rice farmers, who form the bulk of rice producers in the country, had been cited severally as the reason for the low production of rice in the country. Farmers' access to agricultural information is imperative in facilitating technology adoption. However, very little attention had been paid in understanding rice farmers' information seeking behaviour which is critical in meeting their information needs. It is in response to this knowledge gap that this study sought to analyse information seeking behaviour of rice farmers in the Tolon district of the Northern Region of Ghana. The study adopted mixed research methodological approach, exploiting the advantages of the use of a combination of varied data collection techniques. The research design combines qualitative and quantitative methods in order to enhance representativeness and also validate responses. Through multi stage sampling techniques 280 rice farmers were sampled for data collection. Also, data were collected from key informants comprising of major agricultural stakeholders in the District. Questionnaire administration, focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were the main data collection methods employed in gathering data for the study. The quantitative data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and the results presented in tables, graphs and charts. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. Findings of the study revealed that rice farmers in the District mostly relied on informal sources of information such as friends, relatives, colleague farmers and agro-input dealers to meet their information needs. Improved rice varieties, use of chemical weed control, nursery practices in rice production, weather information and post-harvest management and marketing were the main information required by rice farmers surveyed. Socioeconomic factors such as age, literacy, household status and farm size were the main determinants of rice farmers' information seeking behaviour. Poor extension contact, illiteracy, inaccessibility of farmers' location and lack of farmer based grouping were the main constraints to farmers' access to agricultural information. It is recommended that the Tolon District Department of Agriculture should dedicate some extension officers to rice farmers to provide information on improved varieties of rice, training on chemical control of weeds and nursery and transplanting of rice seedlings since this information are highly demanded by rice farmers in the District.