Rice commercialisation and improved agricultural technology adoption in Northern Ghana: Endogenous switching poisson approach

Abstract

This study investigated the factors that influence the commercialisation drive and the effect on the adoption of improved agricultural technologies (IATs) using data collected from 543 farm households in northern Ghana. The method of analysis involved the estimation of Endogenous Poisson model. The findings indicate that commercialisation does enhance the adoption of IATs and is driven by factors such as: off-farm activities, rice output, sex, household headship, farm size, credit, commercial centre location. The probability of adopting IATs was also influenced by age, experience, mass media information sources, and home-to-farm distance. Stakeholders should target the youth and step up efforts in supporting flagship programmes such as the “Planting for Food and Jobs” and Planting for Export”, while supporting livelihood diversification programmes.