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Beyond adoption: the interaction between organic and inorganic fertilizer application, and vegetable productivity in Ghana

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 June 2021

Bismark Amfo Open the ORCID record for Bismark Amfo [Opens in a new window]  and
Ernest Baba Ali Open the ORCID record for Ernest Baba Ali [Opens in a new window]
Bismark Amfo
Affiliation:
University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, Ghana
Ernest Baba Ali*
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Economics, Ural Federal University, 19 Mira Str., 60002Ekaterinburg, Russia
*
Author for correspondence: Ernest Baba Ali, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

This study explores the causal association between organic and inorganic fertilizer application and vegetable productivity in Ghana. Primary data were obtained from 300 pepper, cabbage and lettuce producers. To correct for self-selection bias and endogeneity, Heckman selection and three-stage least-squares models were estimated. More producers used inorganic fertilizers for pepper, cabbage and lettuce production than those who used organic fertilizers. Vegetable producers applied higher quantities of organic fertilizers (2830 kg) per acre than inorganic fertilizers (880 kg). Organic cabbage and lettuce producers recorded higher productivity than inorganic producers, but inorganic pepper producers had higher productivity than organic producers. However, vegetable producers who applied either organic or inorganic fertilizers, or both, recorded higher productivity than those who did not apply fertilizer. Factors that enhance the application of organic and inorganic fertilizers and vegetable productivity are education, farm size and production for export, land ownership, farmer association membership and perception about fertilizer price. Organic and inorganic fertilizer application improves vegetable productivity, and productivity promotes fertilizer application. Private agencies and government should subsidize fertilizers, improve producers' access to agricultural information, and train producers on productivity-enhancing agronomic practices.

Keywords

GhanaHeckman selection regressionorganic and inorganic fertilizersproductivitythree-stage least-squares regressionvegetable production
Type
Research Paper
Information
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems , Volume 36 , Issue 6 , December 2021 , pp. 605 - 621
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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