Factors influencing adoption of integrated soil fertility management technologies by smallholder farmers in Ghana

This study examines smallholder farmers' adoption of both a full set of and multiple bundles of integrated soil fertility management technologies, and estimates the determinants of and assesses the relationship among adoption practices using the logistic model and multivariate probit model respectively. A cross-sectional survey was used to collect data from 300 smallholder farmers who benefitted from a sustainable food security and environmental health project in three districts in Ghana. Four ISFM technologies (zero or minimal tillage, inorganic fertilizer, leguminous crop, and crop rotation) serve as outcome variables. The result revealed that only 26.7% of the respondents adopted the full set of the ISFM technologies. Agroecological zone, a spatial variable has been found to significantly influence smallholder farmers adoption of the full ISFM technologies. One or more of the predictor variables, purpose of farming, land ownership, distance from house to the nearest input shop, access credit and agroecological zone, have been found to significantly influence the adoption of the multiple ISFM technologies. However, the computed correlation coefficients of the independent determinants show inconsistent significant values. The implication of this finding is that the adoption of multiple ISFM technologies cannot be estimated utilizing common determinants. Therefore, extension service in the region should focus on crucial factors that influence adoption of specific multiple ISFM technologies to maximize adoption options.

Automated summary

The study found that only a minority of respondents adopted the full set of integrated soil fertility management technologies, and that agroecological zone is a significant factor influencing smallholder farmers' adoption of these technologies.