William, A. and Donkoh, S.A. and George, N. and et al, .
(2016)
Adoption of Bambara groundnut production and its effects on farmers’ welfare in Northern Ghana.
African Journal of Agricultural Research, 11 (7).
pp. 583-594.
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Abstract
With the growing concerns about the likely implications of climate change, the long term sustainability
of conventional agricultural approaches and biodiversity loss have contributed to a growing interest in
the potential of the so-called underutilised crops to address food, nutritional, and income security
challenges. In support of their wider use, advocates of underutilised crops associate a number of
benefits with them. These include agronomic and nutritional benefits such as drought tolerance and
micro-nutrient content and the perceived socio-economic benefits of their wider use. It is widely
suggested that the adoption of such crops can generate improved agricultural resilience and support
nutrition, food and income security. Simultaneously, the adoption of underutilised crops is seen as a
means of conserving biodiversity. However, scientific evidence concerning the use of such crops
remains extremely limited. Crucially, little research has been undertaken concerning the contribution of
such crops to the welfare of producers. This study investigates the socio-economic factors
characterising the production of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterrana (L.) Verdc.) in Northern Ghana
and the impact of its production on farmers’ welfare. Primary data was collected based on the 2013
farming season, 240 farmers were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. A treatment effect
model, comprising an adoption and a welfare model was estimated. The probability of adopting
Bambara groundnut was found to be greater for: unmarried farmers; farmers in larger households;
farmers with little or no formal education; and farmers who had no access to credit. The production of
Bambara groundnut led to increased household welfare, as measured by the level of household per
capita expenditure/consumption. Results suggest that while further research and support for Bambara
groundnut production could contribute to addressing high poverty levels in the region, many of the
basic assumptions underlying current advocacy of underutilised crops need rigorous empirical
verification.
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