Assessment of Agro-input Dealers’ Willingness to Invest in Legume Inoculants in Northern Ghana
Edward Martey *
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), P.O.Box TL 52, Tamale, Northern Region, Ghana and Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA.
Benjamin D. K. Ahiabor
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), P.O.Box TL 52, Tamale, Northern Region, Ghana.
S. S. J. Buah
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), P.O.Box TL 52, Tamale, Northern Region, Ghana.
Francis Kusi
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), P.O.Box TL 52, Tamale, Northern Region, Ghana.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
In recent past, efforts in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) including Ghana have stressed on increasing legume productivity and associated benefits to rural livelihoods. However, technologies such as legume inoculants that enhance legume productivity are associated with constraints such as quality assurance and proper storage conditions. This study assessed agro-input dealers’ willingness to invest in legume inoculants using cross-sectional data of 200 agro-input dealers sampled across Guinea Savanna agro-ecology of Ghana. Investment decision is modeled as a two stage process using the Double Hurdle approach. The results indicate that different set of factors influence investment decision and intensity of investment separately. However, economically active household members, inoculants training, and agro-ecology influence both investment decisions. Capacity building of agro-input dealers on inoculants handling coupled with favourable policy environment in the Guinea Savanna agro-ecology will lead to an increase in the intensity of investment in legume inoculants.
Keywords: Agro-input dealers, willingness, legume inoculants, double hurdle model, Ghana