Browsing by Author "Joshua, Anfu Taylor"

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    The Financial viability of Organic Vegitation Production
    (2011-07-14) Joshua, Anfu Taylor
    Apart from its high cost, chemical fertilizer, when used for intensive crop production leaves the soil acidic and when washed away into water bodies, becomes a threat to aquatic and human life. In the light of the above argument, organic farming is gradually becoming popular in urban and peri-urban agriculture, especially with regard to irrigated urban vegetable production. However, the financial viability of organic urban vegetable production has not been assessed vis-à-vis that of chemical fertilizer. The main objective of this study was to assess the financial viability of poultry manure, an organic soil/nutrient amendment factor, as an economic and sustainable alternative to inorganic fertilizer in cabbage production in the Kumasi Metropolis. A total of sixty (60) cabbage farmers were sampled for the study by means of the stratified random sampling method. Data were gathered from each of the sampled farmers through the administration of a semi-structured questionnaire, alongside informal interviews, discussions, and field observations. The primary indicators of comparison were economic yield and profitability. Data was analysed with tables, charts, percentages, means, the Cost-Benefit ratio, the One-way ANOVA with the Tukey HSD Test, and Marginal Analysis. Results of the study revealed a significant difference between the economic yields (outputs) of organically and inorganically produced cabbage, as well as their respective profitability at the 0.05 level of significance. With a 751% Marginal Rate of Return (MRR) against a cut-off rate of 100% Marginal Acceptable Rate of Return (MARR), combination of Poultry Manure and Inorganic Fertilizer as a method of soil fertility management in cabbage production emerged as the most recommendable, with respect to financial returns/benefits. It is recommended that the cabbage farmers form associations, in order to be able to eliminate or minimize the exploitative power of middlemen, and thereby guaranteeing better returns.