https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8313-4607
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Abstract
Reducing climate-related risks and uncertainties is crucial for the long-term survival of rain-fed smallholder rice farmers in northern Ghana. The study explored the role of psychosocial factors in the adoption and use of sustainable intensification practices to mitigate climate variability among smallholder farmers using the modified Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technologies and Structural Equation Modelling. Employing a mixed methods data were obtained from 240 smallholder rice farmers in the Savelugu municipality in the northern region. The results reveal that there is a strong association between behavioural intention and the number of SIPs adopted by a farmer, supporting the theory of reasoned action based on the assumption that behavioural intention predicts use behaviour contrary to suggestions that the influence of behavioural intention on use behaviour may not be particularly strong or predictable; Facilitating conditions had a direct and positive effect on the number of SIPs adopted by farmers and thus, use behaviour; Performance expectancy and farmers’ attitudes negatively affected behavioural intention while the effect of Social Influence and facilitating conditions on behavioural intension were positive. The results therefore, established the importance of performance expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions and attitude as predictors of farmers’ intention to adopt SIPs. The study contributes new insights to the adoption literature by presenting empirical data on how frequently underappreciated non-economic factors affect farmers’ adoption decisions in a setting characterised by informal interactions and data quality restrictions.
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Notes on contributors
Yakubu Balma Issaka
Mr. Yakubu Balma Issaka is a Senior Lecturer and Director of the Business Innovation and Incubation Centre of the University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana. He has previously served as Deputy Director of the UDS Business Directorate and the Head of the Department of Agribusiness Management and Finance, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Sciences of the University for Development Studies. I have been key in conceptualising and establishing the Business Innovation and Incubation Centre of the University for Development Studies (UDS). He has extensive experience designing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting development programmes, and he has collaborated with several local and international NGOs and the UN. His research interests include rural development, agricultural marketing, natural resource management and entrepreneurship. H has published articles in referred journals, books, chapters in books and conference proceedings.
Samuel A. Donkoh
Professor Samuel A. Donkoh Professor Samuel. Donkoh is a professor of Agricultural Economics. He is currently the Dean of the School of Economics, University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale, Northern Ghana. He holds BA (Hons) Econs, Dip Ed and MPhil in Economics from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana; and PhD in Agricultural Economics from the University of Reading, UK. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Economists of Ghana (ICEG). His research work falls in the domain of Agricultural Economics and Applied Microeconomics. Specific research interests are in Agricultural technology adoption, efficiency and welfare of agricultural households. Professor Samuel A. Donkoh has a strong passion in helping to build a resilient food and cash security system among small-holder farmers in Ghana and across the globe.
Gordana Kranjac-Berisavljevic
Biographical Sketch: Gordana Kranjac-Berisavljevic (PhD) is Professor of Agricultural Engineering in the Department of Agricultural Mechanisation and Irrigation Technology (AMI), where she is working since its establishment. She has served as the Head of Department, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Dean of Students and Director of International Relationships and Advancement (DIRA) and as Deputy Director of WACWISA Center of Excellence in Irrigation, Drainage and Sustainable Agriculture, funded by the World Bank in 2019. She is serving University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana in these various capacities since 1995. She is currently teaching about seven (7) different undergraduate and postgraduate courses across three different Schools and Faculties (FOAFCS, Natural Resources and Engineering) and supervises numerous MPhil and PhD thesis. Her research work covers different areas related to wastewater use in agriculture, feasibility and other technical studies for irrigation projects, weather information provision to small-scale farmers using mobile devices, integration of local and technical knowledge, etc. Prof Gordana has been collaborating with many local and international partners, including World Bank, GEF, GiZ, UNU, EU, USAID, DANIDA, NORHED, JICA and universities and research institutions across the African continent, as well as world-wide. She has published articles in referred journals, books, chapters in books, etc. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gordana-Kranjac-Berisavljevic. https://universityfordevelopmentstudies.academia.edu/GordanaKranjacBerisavljevic