CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Maize is one of the most important cereal crops in Ghana. It is a major staple in the diets of households across the country and is grown by the majority of smallholder farmers in both the forest and savannah zones. Because of its wide cultivation, improvements in maize yields have a direct bearing on household food security, farm income and rural livelihoods. Despite this, maize yields on many smallholder farms remain well below the potential that improved varieties and good agronomic practices can deliver.

Improved maize production practices include the use of improved or certified seed, planting in rows at the recommended spacing, timely planting, the application of inorganic and organic fertiliser, weed control and the management of pests and diseases. Adoption of such practices depends on whether farmers know about them, understand how to apply them and are able to afford them. Agricultural extension is the main channel through which this knowledge reaches farmers. In Ghana, public extension is delivered mainly by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) through the District Agricultural Development Units, and it is supplemented by non-governmental organisations and private providers.

A number of Ghanaian studies show that extension is closely linked to the adoption of improved technologies. Anang et al. (2020) found that agricultural extension in northern Ghana influenced the adoption of improved seed and farm income. Adams and Jumpah (2021), using data from 461 maize and cowpea farming households in northern Ghana, reported that the number of extension visits and membership of farmer-based organisations were among the significant determinants of technology adoption. In the Tolon District, Anang and Owusu (2023) studied 340 farmers and found that adoption of improved maize varieties raised land productivity by between 10.7 and 14.1 per cent. More recently, Ankuyi et al. (2026) reported that maize farmers in the Offinso North Municipality who had access to extension services adopted a greater number of regenerative practices than those without access. Danso-Abbeam et al. (2018) also examined the effects of extension services on the productivity and income of smallholder maize farmers in northern Ghana, which points to extension as a route to better farm performance. However, Zakaria et al. (2019) found that farmers in the Bawku West District held perceptions of improved maize technology shaped by inaccessibility, cost, and the complexity of some recommendations, which indicates that exposure to extension does not automatically lead to adoption.

Kpassa East and Kpassa West are farming communities in the Nkwanta North District of the Oti Region, an area where maize is an important food and cash crop. Although extension services are provided in the district, there is little documented evidence on how far they have influenced the adoption of improved maize production practices by farmers in these communities. This study was therefore designed to address that gap.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Government and its development partners have for many years promoted improved maize production practices through extension programmes, input support and training. Yet many smallholder maize farmers continue to use local seed, irregular planting and little or no fertiliser, and they record low yields. Studies in Ghana show that the adoption of improved technologies is uneven and that its determinants include extension contact, farmer-based organisation membership, education and access to credit (Adams & Jumpah, 2021; Anang & Owusu, 2023).

In Kpassa East and Kpassa West it is not known which extension services maize farmers receive, how often they receive them, or whether such services have led to the adoption of improved practices. Without such evidence, the District Agricultural Development Unit and other stakeholders cannot judge whether their efforts are working or how they should be improved. This study therefore examines the effect of agricultural extension services on the adoption of improved maize production practices among farmers in Kpassa East and Kpassa West, Nkwanta North District, Oti Region.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The general objective of the study is to examine the effect of agricultural extension services on the adoption of improved maize production practices among farmers in Kpassa East and Kpassa West, Nkwanta North District, Oti Region. The specific objectives are to:

(1) describe the socio-economic characteristics of maize farmers in the study communities;

(2) identify the extension services available to maize farmers in the study communities;

(3) determine the extent to which farmers have adopted improved maize production practices;

(4) assess the effect of extension services on the adoption of improved maize production practices; and

(5) identify the constraints to the adoption of improved maize production practices in the study communities.

1.4 Research Questions

(1) What are the socio-economic characteristics of maize farmers in the study communities?

(2) What extension services are available to maize farmers in the study communities?

(3) To what extent have farmers adopted improved maize production practices?

(4) What is the effect of extension services on the adoption of improved maize production practices?

(5) What constraints do farmers face in adopting improved maize production practices?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses will be tested at the 5% level of significance:

H01: Agricultural extension services have no significant effect on the adoption of improved maize production practices among farmers in the study communities.

H02: There is no significant relationship between farmers’ socio-economic characteristics (age, sex, education, farm size, farming experience and farmer-group membership) and their adoption of improved maize production practices.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The findings will inform the Nkwanta North District Agricultural Development Unit of MoFA, non-governmental organisations and other extension providers about the effectiveness of their services and where improvements are needed. Farmers will benefit from recommendations that make extension more useful and accessible. District assemblies and policy makers can use the results to plan extension and input support programmes under national agricultural initiatives. The study will also add to the literature on extension and technology adoption in the Oti Region, for which published evidence is limited.

1.7 Delimitation of the Study

The study is limited to maize farmers in Kpassa East and Kpassa West in the Nkwanta North District of the Oti Region. It focuses on agricultural extension services as the independent variable and the adoption of improved maize production practices as the dependent variable. The practices considered are improved seed, row planting and spacing, fertiliser application, weed control and pest management.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

The study is a case study of two communities, and its findings may not be generalised to all maize farmers in the Oti Region or Ghana. Respondents may not recall past extension contacts and practices accurately, and some may be reluctant to disclose information about farm size and income. The poor state of some feeder roads and the farming season may also limit access to respondents. These limitations will be reduced by using enumerators who speak the local languages, a pre-tested questionnaire and carefully timed data collection.

1.9 Definition of Terms

(1) Agricultural extension: An educational service that provides farmers with information, skills and advice to improve their production and livelihoods.

(2) Adoption: A farmer’s decision to accept an improved practice and continue to use it.

(3) Improved maize production practices: Recommended practices such as the use of improved seed, row planting, fertiliser application and weed and pest control.

(4) Smallholder farmer: A farmer who cultivates a small area, uses mainly family labour and produces mainly for household needs with some surplus for sale.

1.10 Organisation of the Study

The study is organised into five chapters. Chapter One presents the introduction, comprising the background, statement of the problem, objectives, research questions, hypotheses, significance, delimitation, limitations and definition of terms. Chapter Two reviews relevant theoretical, conceptual and empirical literature. Chapter Three describes the research methodology, including the study area, research design, population, sampling procedure, data collection instruments and methods of data analysis. Chapter Four presents and discusses the results, while Chapter Five gives the summary of findings, conclusions and recommendations.

References

Adams, A., & Jumpah, E. T. (2021). Agricultural technologies adoption and smallholder farmers’ welfare: Evidence from Northern Ghana. Cogent Economics & Finance, 9(1), 2006905. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2021.2006905

Anang, B. T., & Owusu, R. (2023). Adoption determinants and productivity effect of improved maize technology in Tolon District of northern Ghana. International Journal of Food and Agricultural Economics, 11(3), 149–163.

Anang, B. T., Bäckman, S., & Sipiläinen, T. (2020). Adoption and income effects of agricultural extension in northern Ghana. Scientific African, 7, e00219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2019.e00219

Ankuyi, F., Ansah, R., Fobi, N., Opoku-Ware, L., Dwamena, H. A., Tham-Agyekum, E. K., & Twum, S. K. (2026). Regenerative agricultural practices among maize farmers in Ghana: Adoption levels, socio-demographic determinants, and extension service access. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2026.1923319

Danso-Abbeam, G., Ehiakpor, D. S., & Aidoo, R. (2018). Agricultural extension and its effects on farm productivity and income: Insight from Northern Ghana. Agriculture & Food Security, 7, Article 74. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40066-018-0225-x

Zakaria, H., Akumbole, J. A., Adam, H., et al. (2019). Underlying constructs of small-holder farmers’ perceptions and attitude towards improved maize technology in Bawku West District of Ghana. Journal of Agricultural Extension, 23(3).