PRODUCTIVITY, PROFITABILITY AND COST EFFECTIVENESS OF SEED YAM PRODUCTION UNDER POSITIVE SELECTION TECHNOLOGY IN GHANA AND NIGERIA
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2019-07
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
KNUST
Abstract
The main challenge that necessitated this study was the limited empirical evidence on
Total Factor Productivity (TFP), Cost Effectiveness (CE) and Profitability of seed yam
production from Positive Selection (PS) technology as a viral control measure. This
study was therefore aimed at estimating TFP, profitability and CE of seed yam
production using PS technology. Quasi-experimental design was used for both data
collection and analysis through the use of qualitative and quantitative research methods.
Through multi-stage sampling, 368 seed yam farmers comprising of PS and Non-PS
technology beneficiaries under the Community Action in improving Farmer saved seed
yam (CAY-Seed) project were sampled. Qualitative data was collected through focus
group discussions with the aid of a checklist. A formal survey using a standardised
questionnaire was conducted across project communities in Ghana and Nigeria to
generate quantitative data. TFP, Profitability and CE from PS technology were
estimated using the metafrontier framework, Net Return on Investment (NRI) and
Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio (ICER), respectively. Farmer perceptions and
constraints from the qualitative analysis are presented in the form of tag clouds based
on focus group discussions. TFP (0.758) from seed yam production using PS technology
is significantly higher than the non-use (0.700) such that the use of PS technology leads
to 5.8% productivity improvement. Metatechnology Ratio (MTR) from using PS
technology (0.934) is significantly higher than Non-PS technology (0.911) with a
technology gap of 7% and 9%, respectively. Land, seed yam, agrochemicals, neem
powder application and labour are significant determinants of productivity with neem
application having the greatest effect. Technical inefficiency in seed yam production is
determined by sex, experience in yam production, educational level of farmer and
extension contact. Producing seed yam under PS technology was cost effective with
ICER of US$ 54.0/t as compared to US$ 1,348.72/t for not using PS technology. With
a NRI of 56.80 %, seed yam production under PS technology is profitable compared to
Non-PS (30.11%). It is therefore recommended that the extension system in Ghana and
Nigeria should promote PS technology as a viral control measure for seed yam
production due to its profitability, CE and high productivity.
Description
Thesis submitted to the Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and
Extension in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Agricultural Economics)