Determinants of Adoption of Improved Maize Technology among Smallholder Maize Farmers in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region of Ghana Determinants of Adoption of Improved Maize Technology among Smallholder Maize Farmers in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region of Ghana

Abstract

Introduction: As part of Ghana’s agricultural modernization agenda aimed at ensuring the National Food Security, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) through its extension directorate has been promoting the adoption of improved maize technologies. Method and Material: This paper presents the finding of a study conducted to assess the determinants of adoption of improved maize technologies among smallholder farmers in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region of Ghana. Exploratory survey design was employed with multistage sampling techniques adopted in selecting 400 maize farmers for the study. Result: Personal interviews, administration of semi-structured questionnaire, observations, and focus group discussions were the main methods employed in data collection. Probit regression model was applied in analyzing determinants of the adoption of improved maize technologies. Household annual income, access to labor, access to credit, and extension contact were found as significant determinants of farmers’ level of adoption of improved maize technology. Conclusion: The study recommends to the MOFA to promote the use of labor saving simple farm tools in carrying out the various production recommendations under the improved maize technology. Furthermore, MOFA needs to work with financial institutions to support maize farmers with credit to enable them to acquire the necessary inputs required in the implementation of the improved maize technology.