PERCEPTION OF PRIMARY STAKEHOLDERS ON PRO-POOR AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMMES IN GHANA: A CASE STUDY OF THE ADANSI SOUTH DISTRICT OF ASHANTI REGION

Abstract

Agriculture is an important tool for achieving the Sustainable Development Goal One by the year 2030, which is to help reduce extreme poverty and hunger. Ghana’s developmental progress hangs on an improved and well developed agricultural sector. The Government of Ghana (GOG) has introduced variety of policies to improve agricultural productivity in Ghana and address the loopholes and inefficiencies in the agricultural sector. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to examine the perception of primary stakeholders on pro-poor agricultural programmes in Ghana. This study sampled the views of 160 famer beneficiaries from the Adansi South District in the Ashanti Region of Ghana were randomly sampled and descriptive statistics used in analyzing them. On awareness and utilisation of pro-poor agricultural programmes, the study showed that 88%, 78%, 100% of farmers were aware of the fertilizer subsidy programme, agricultural mechanization centers and the planting for food and jobs programme respectively. However, only 39%, 19% and 51% for fertilizer subsidy, agricultural mechanization centers and planting for food and jobs respectively utilized the policies. Moreover, respondents interviewed in the district strongly agreed to the perception statements under agricultural mechanisation and fertiliser subsidy programme. However, respondents only agreed to the perception statements on planting for food and jobs programme. High cost of inputs, inadequate technical knowledge and inadequate extension staff were identified as the three main challenges facing the formulation and implementation of pro–poor agricultural programmes.