Smallholders’ perspectives on sustainable agriculture intensification in Northern Ghana
In the quest to improve food security for a growing population with minimal environmental impact, assessing smallholders’ perceptions and practices of sustainable agriculture intensification (SAI) is a prerequisite for achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2. However, little empirical evidenc...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Sustainable Futures |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266618882500704X |
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| author | Ebenezer N.K. Boateng Gerald Atampugre Patricia Solis Simon Mariwah Ishmael Mensah Christine Furst Benjamin K. Nyarko |
| author_facet | Ebenezer N.K. Boateng Gerald Atampugre Patricia Solis Simon Mariwah Ishmael Mensah Christine Furst Benjamin K. Nyarko |
| author_sort | Ebenezer N.K. Boateng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the quest to improve food security for a growing population with minimal environmental impact, assessing smallholders’ perceptions and practices of sustainable agriculture intensification (SAI) is a prerequisite for achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2. However, little empirical evidence exists on smallholders' perspectives on SAI, especially in the context of Sub-Saharan Africa, where a majority of smallholders are relatively poor and live under harsh climatic conditions. This research assessed smallholders' perspectives on the practice of SAI in the Guinea Savanna Agro-Ecological Zone. Data was collected from 698 smallholders in the Bongo and Bolgatanga Municipalities based on a cross-sectional design. It was found that smallholders practised moderate SAI and the positive predictors of SAI adoption were age, monthly income, religion, slope, vegetation and water access, while the negative predictors were farm size, land surface temperature, distance to a dam and land tenure. Based on the assessment of perceived external drivers of adoption, it was found that poor groundwater quality, lapses in government policies on agriculture and lack of engagement in group farming hindered the practice of SAI. It is recommended that non-governmental organizations and government agencies for food and agriculture should enhance efforts aimed at reducing barriers and increasing smallholders’ awareness of how SAI supports their livelihood and contributes to achieving SDG 2. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8e9b4b59b006421fa504d6939ed0d65e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-1888 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sustainable Futures |
| spelling | doaj-art-8e9b4b59b006421fa504d6939ed0d65e2025-08-20T03:38:19ZengElsevierSustainable Futures2666-18882025-12-011010114010.1016/j.sftr.2025.101140Smallholders’ perspectives on sustainable agriculture intensification in Northern GhanaEbenezer N.K. Boateng0Gerald Atampugre1Patricia Solis2Simon Mariwah3Ishmael Mensah4Christine Furst5Benjamin K. Nyarko6Department of Geography and Regional Planning, University of Cape Coast, Ghana; Knowledge Exchange for Resilience, Arizona State University, Tempe AZ, USA; School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, Arizona State University, Tempe AZ, USA; Corresponding author.International Water Management Institute-Ghana, PMB CT 112, Cantonments, AccraKnowledge Exchange for Resilience, Arizona State University, Tempe AZ, USA; School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, Arizona State University, Tempe AZ, USADepartment of Geography and Regional Planning, University of Cape Coast, GhanaDepartment of Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Cape Coast, GhanaInstitute of Geoscience and Geography, Martin Luther University, Halle-Wittenberg, GermanyDepartment of Geography and Regional Planning, University of Cape Coast, GhanaIn the quest to improve food security for a growing population with minimal environmental impact, assessing smallholders’ perceptions and practices of sustainable agriculture intensification (SAI) is a prerequisite for achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2. However, little empirical evidence exists on smallholders' perspectives on SAI, especially in the context of Sub-Saharan Africa, where a majority of smallholders are relatively poor and live under harsh climatic conditions. This research assessed smallholders' perspectives on the practice of SAI in the Guinea Savanna Agro-Ecological Zone. Data was collected from 698 smallholders in the Bongo and Bolgatanga Municipalities based on a cross-sectional design. It was found that smallholders practised moderate SAI and the positive predictors of SAI adoption were age, monthly income, religion, slope, vegetation and water access, while the negative predictors were farm size, land surface temperature, distance to a dam and land tenure. Based on the assessment of perceived external drivers of adoption, it was found that poor groundwater quality, lapses in government policies on agriculture and lack of engagement in group farming hindered the practice of SAI. It is recommended that non-governmental organizations and government agencies for food and agriculture should enhance efforts aimed at reducing barriers and increasing smallholders’ awareness of how SAI supports their livelihood and contributes to achieving SDG 2.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266618882500704XSmallholdersSustainable agriculture intensificationFood securityGuinea savannaGhana |
| spellingShingle | Ebenezer N.K. Boateng Gerald Atampugre Patricia Solis Simon Mariwah Ishmael Mensah Christine Furst Benjamin K. Nyarko Smallholders’ perspectives on sustainable agriculture intensification in Northern Ghana Sustainable Futures Smallholders Sustainable agriculture intensification Food security Guinea savanna Ghana |
| title | Smallholders’ perspectives on sustainable agriculture intensification in Northern Ghana |
| title_full | Smallholders’ perspectives on sustainable agriculture intensification in Northern Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Smallholders’ perspectives on sustainable agriculture intensification in Northern Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Smallholders’ perspectives on sustainable agriculture intensification in Northern Ghana |
| title_short | Smallholders’ perspectives on sustainable agriculture intensification in Northern Ghana |
| title_sort | smallholders perspectives on sustainable agriculture intensification in northern ghana |
| topic | Smallholders Sustainable agriculture intensification Food security Guinea savanna Ghana |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266618882500704X |
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