The changing landscape of agriculture in Ghana: Drivers of farm mechanization and its impacts on cropland expansion and intensification

This study assesses whether the recent public and private efforts to improve farmers’ access to mechanical power in Ghana have had the intended effects on the country’s agricultural sector. Using panel survey data, this paper analyses the drivers of farm mechanization and its net impacts on cropland...

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Main Authors: Houssou, Nazaire, Chapoto, Antony
Format: Artículo preliminar
Language:Inglés
Published: International Food Policy Research Institute 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/150304
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author Houssou, Nazaire
Chapoto, Antony
author_browse Chapoto, Antony
Houssou, Nazaire
author_facet Houssou, Nazaire
Chapoto, Antony
author_sort Houssou, Nazaire
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description This study assesses whether the recent public and private efforts to improve farmers’ access to mechanical power in Ghana have had the intended effects on the country’s agricultural sector. Using panel survey data, this paper analyses the drivers of farm mechanization and its net impacts on cropland expansion and farming system intensification in northern Ghana. Several factors explain the use and use intensity of agricultural mechanization, including landholding size, total labor and fertilizer use per hectare, chemical use, and amount of land left fallow. More importantly, the results suggest that farm mechanization did have a positive impact on cropland expansion during the survey period. The results presented here support the existence of a labor substitution effect resulting from tractor use.
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spelling CGSpace1503042025-11-06T05:52:03Z The changing landscape of agriculture in Ghana: Drivers of farm mechanization and its impacts on cropland expansion and intensification Houssou, Nazaire Chapoto, Antony animal power tractors agricultural policies farmland farm inputs land use intensification draught animals mechanization This study assesses whether the recent public and private efforts to improve farmers’ access to mechanical power in Ghana have had the intended effects on the country’s agricultural sector. Using panel survey data, this paper analyses the drivers of farm mechanization and its net impacts on cropland expansion and farming system intensification in northern Ghana. Several factors explain the use and use intensity of agricultural mechanization, including landholding size, total labor and fertilizer use per hectare, chemical use, and amount of land left fallow. More importantly, the results suggest that farm mechanization did have a positive impact on cropland expansion during the survey period. The results presented here support the existence of a labor substitution effect resulting from tractor use. 2014 2024-08-01T02:51:22Z 2024-08-01T02:51:22Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/150304 en https://hdl.handle.net/10568/151392 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/151160 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/149559 Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Houssou, Nazaire; Chapoto, Antony. The changing landscape of agriculture in Ghana: Drivers of farm mechanization and its impacts on cropland expansion and intensification. IFPRI Discussion Paper 1392. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://hdl.handle.net/10568/150304
spellingShingle animal power
tractors
agricultural policies
farmland
farm inputs
land use
intensification
draught animals
mechanization
Houssou, Nazaire
Chapoto, Antony
The changing landscape of agriculture in Ghana: Drivers of farm mechanization and its impacts on cropland expansion and intensification
title The changing landscape of agriculture in Ghana: Drivers of farm mechanization and its impacts on cropland expansion and intensification
title_full The changing landscape of agriculture in Ghana: Drivers of farm mechanization and its impacts on cropland expansion and intensification
title_fullStr The changing landscape of agriculture in Ghana: Drivers of farm mechanization and its impacts on cropland expansion and intensification
title_full_unstemmed The changing landscape of agriculture in Ghana: Drivers of farm mechanization and its impacts on cropland expansion and intensification
title_short The changing landscape of agriculture in Ghana: Drivers of farm mechanization and its impacts on cropland expansion and intensification
title_sort changing landscape of agriculture in ghana drivers of farm mechanization and its impacts on cropland expansion and intensification
topic animal power
tractors
agricultural policies
farmland
farm inputs
land use
intensification
draught animals
mechanization
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/150304
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