THE COMPLEMENTARITY AND SUBSTITUTABILITY OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES AMONG MAIZE FARM HOUSEHOLDS UNDER AFRINT REGIONS IN GHANA: DO THE SOCIOECONOMIC DETERMINANTS CONFIRM THESE?

Abstract

Sustainable Agricultural Practices (SAPs) have been promoted over the years as a means of ensuring sustainable development in the agricultural sector. However, adoption has generally been low across countries. This paper explores the linkages among SAPs and adoption decisions of SAPs among smallholder maize farm households in Ghana. The study used a household-level data on 394 farmers collected by the second round of the intensification of food crops agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa (AFRINT II) in Ghana. We employed a multivariate regression model to investigate the complementarity and the substitutability among the selected elements of SAPs as well as the simultaneous determinants of the SAPs components. We found out that some elements of the SAPs are complementary, while others are substitutes. The results also suggest that access to input credit, membership of farmer-based organizations, extension contact, and formal education, as well as intercropping, lead to the adoption of SAPs. The study recommends that SAP programmes that support the application of one technology (e.g., inorganic fertilizer) must provide simultaneous support for intercropping with nitrogen-fixing plants. Also, investment in public education is crucial in boosting farmers’ knowledge of agricultural practices. Lastly, the positive and significant policy variables such as FBO suggest that focusing on strengthening community social network institutions is one other way of improving adoption decisions of SAPs.