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Publication | 2024

Effect of adoption of conservation agriculture on household food security of smallholder maize farmers in Ghana

Global Food and Nutrition Security

Highlights:

  • 74% of farmers moderately adopt CA, promoting sustainable farming.
  • Participatory approaches, training, and collaboration enhance CA adoption.
  • CA adoption is associated with enhanced food security among farmers.
  • Cover cropping and row planting farmers encounter food security challenges.
  • High input costs, cultural values, capital, and land tenure hinder CA adoption.

Abstract:

This cross-sectional study set out to examine the effect of conservation agriculture (CA) adoption on the food security of smallholder maize farmers in the Adansi Akrofuom District in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Using the multistage sampling technique, 400 small-scale farmers who have been introduced to CA were selected. The findings of the study show that crop rotation, row planting, fertilizer application, improved seeds and cover cropping were the CA practices often implemented by the farmers. Age of the farmer, household size, years of education, religion, access to extension, frequency of group visits, and the area under CA cultivation were significant predictors of farmers' adoption of CA practices. Implementation of CA practices has a significant effect on household level of food security. There was an agreement among the farmers that access to credit is the greatest challenge they face in using CA practices. The paper proposes that efforts towards the continuous and high adoption of CA practices must be given more attention since they can affect farmers’ household food security.