Faizal Adams

This study examines how maize farming households in Ghana’s transitional agro-ecological zones, with a focus on the Ashanti Region, access and use Climate Information Services (CIS), influence on household food security. Cross-sectional data from 550 maize farmers collected between January and February 2025 were analysed using Multinomial Endogenous Switching Regression (MESR) and Multivalued Inverse Probability Weighted Regression Adjustment (MIPWRA) models to estimate these effects. Results reveal that awareness of short-term weather forecasts was widespread, while adoption of advanced CIS, such as seasonal forecasts, remained limited. Education, farm size, access to training, and farmer-based organisation (FBO) membership positively influenced CIS adoption, whereas smartphone ownership was negatively associated with full adoption, reflecting digital literacy constraints. Bundled CIS use, combining weather, crop, and pest information, yielded the strongest household food security gains. Effective CIS interventions should prioritise integrated advisory delivery, targeted support for resource-poor farmers, and stronger coordination among extension services, meteorological agencies, and farmer organisations. The findings show that the depth and configuration of CIS engagement matter more than access alone, supporting frameworks that emphasise differentiated adoption pathways in climate adaptation.

Purpose: This study examines the profitability paradox of certified rice seed adoption among smallholder farmers in Ghana, where agronomic advantages do not automatically improve welfare. It analyses farmers’ perceptions, determinants of adoption, the causal-impact on gross margin profitability and structural constraints in Ejisu and Juaben municipalities of the Ashanti-Region. Design/methodology/approach: Cross-sectional data from 300 rice farmers were collected using a multistage sampling design. The analytical-framework integrates a perception index, probit regression, gross margin analysis and an endogenous switching regression (ESR) model to estimate causal effects while correcting for self-selection bias. The perception index serves as an instrument, with validity supported by strong relevance, a falsification test among non-adopters and significant selection diagnostics. Robustness checks include inverse probability weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA), propensity score matching (PSM) and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance to rank constraints. Findings: Adopters achieve about 40% higher yields and 54% higher revenue than non-adopters but face lower gross margins because production costs more than double. After correcting for selection bias, the average treatment effect on the treated (ATT) for gross margin is positive and economically meaningful (+25%), indicating that the apparent deficit reflects positive selection rather than technological failure. Full-time rice farming and favourable perceptions promote adoption, whereas marital status, larger households and farm size reduce it. Key barriers are credit inaccessibility, high seed prices and inadequate subsidies. Research limitations/implications: The geographic focus on Ashanti Region limits broader generalisation; multi-regional studies are needed to assess agroecological variations in seed performance. Future research should employ longitudinal designs to capture long-term profitability trends and learning effects over time. Social implications: The study reveals critical social implications for Ghanaian rice farmers. Unequal access to certified seeds exacerbates existing gender disparities, disadvantaging women farmers. Land tenure insecurity, affecting 84.7% of farmers and limited access to credit perpetuate a cycle of low productivity and economic vulnerability, particularly for marginalized households. These structural constraints hinder equitable growth, threatening food security and rural livelihoods. Addressing these inequities through targeted policies and community-level interventions is essential for inclusive agricultural development and achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Originality/value: This is the first ESR-based causal assessment of certified rice seed adoption on gross margin profitability in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, resolving the profitability paradox and informing cost-targeted policy interventions.

An increase in industrial crop production has important implications for food security, the environment and rural development in major growing areas of the world. This study assessed the impact of smallholder industrial crop production on the food security of agricultural households. The need for the study arose from the resurgence of debate on the potential negative impacts of industrial crop production on the food security and nutrition of agricultural households in sub‐Saharan Africa. A multi‐stage sampling technique was employed to select 416 farm households, comprising 201 oil palm producers and 215 non‐oil palm producers, from the Ashanti and Central Regions of Ghana. The study adopted a mixed‐method approach. Quantitative data were complemented with key informant interviews and focus group discussions to provide contextual understanding of the findings. The impact evaluation was conducted using both the Endogenous Treatment‐Effect Regression (ETR) and Inverse Probability Weighted Regression Adjustment (IPWRA) techniques. Household food security was measured using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale and the Household Dietary Diversity Score. In addition, food crop production area was used as an outcome variable to capture household production capacity and potential trade‐offs between oil palm and food crop production. The findings indicate that oil palm production has mixed and context‐specific effects on household food security. It improves dietary diversity in both regions, but its effects on food access differ across locations, improving in the Central Region while worsening in the Ashanti Region. In addition, oil palm production reduces food crop production area due to land reallocation. The results highlight important spatial heterogeneity driven by differences in socioeconomic and production conditions.

This study investigates how access to finance (credit access) influences business recovery and entrepreneurial performance among youth‐led informal food enterprises in Ghana, with implications for financial inclusion, entrepreneurial ability and post‐crisis business resilience in developing economies. Using cross‐sectional data from 136 enterprises across three regions, we apply a probit model to identify determinants of youth entrepreneurs’ access to credit and an endogenous treatment regression to assess its impact on firm outcomes. Results show that membership in business associations significantly increases the likelihood of obtaining credit, while mentorship and social media usage are associated with lower access. Importantly, enterprises receiving credit support experience substantial gains in entrepreneurial performance, with average profit increases of GHS 11586.44 ( p < 0.001) and employment growth of 3.84 workers ( p < 0.001), indicating stronger post‐disaster recovery and business resilience. Additional practices, such as financial record‐keeping and strategic social media use, further enhance profits and employment. The findings highlight the role of targeted youth‐focused credit interventions, financial management training and digital literacy in supporting youth entrepreneurship and fostering business resilience in informal economies.

Organic farming is promoted as a sustainable approach to improving vegetable production while enhancing soil health and reducing chemical inputs. However, adoption remains uneven among urban vegetable farmers in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana, with many implementing only select practices. This study examines adoption patterns and the impact of organic farming using cross‐sectional data from 179 farmers, collected through a multistage sampling technique and structured questionnaires. A Cragg's double hurdle model and a multivalued inverse probability weighted regression adjustment treatment framework were employed for analysis. Results indicate that while farmers recognize the environmental and health benefits of organic farming (index = 0.90), they are indifferent to its overall sustainability (index = 0.46) and perceive its yield and profitability as low (index = 0.24). Perceptions of higher yield and profitability positively influence adoption, as does household size, whereas farm size is negatively associated with adoption. The intensity of adoption increases with input availability and perceived technical feasibility but declines among male farmers. Household size, off‐farm activities, credit access, and extension services also positively impact adoption rates. Impact analysis reveals that organic farming is less profitable than inorganic and integrated organic–inorganic farming systems. Given this, promoting integrated systems is recommended as they enhance both profitability and sustainability. Expanding organic input availability and providing technical support and training can further improve adoption.

Urban food insecurity is increasingly common in sub‐Saharan Africa, including Ghana, due to rapid population growth and urbanization. Urban agriculture (UA) is considered a strategic approach to reducing urban food insecurity. Although there is a growing body of research on urban agriculture, evidence on integrated urban crop‐livestock farming systems is scarce. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by identifying the precursors of food security among urban households practicing different urban agriculture (UA) systems and analyzing the impact of integrated crop‐livestock (ICL) systems on household food security in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana. Our findings indicate that different sets of factors affect the food security of households practicing different urban agriculture systems. However, we observed that household income is negatively correlated with urban food insecurity across all forms of urban agriculture. Access to vacant land improves dietary diversity for households without farms, with crops, or those practicing integrated crop‐livestock farming, while access to credit enhances dietary diversity for households without farms, with livestock, or integrated crop‐livestock farming. The findings indicate that households practicing ICL farming systems have greater access to food and more diversified diets than households practicing other UA systems. The ICL farming system increases urban households' access to food by 84% compared to households without a farm, 48% compared to households with only crops, and 37% compared to households with only livestock. Households without land remain reliant on food purchases, which are impacted by rising costs. Furthermore, the ICL farming system enhances urban households' dietary diversity by 12%, 7.6%, and 16% compared to households without a farm, with only crops, or with only livestock, respectively. Therefore, the incorporation of ICL farming into urban planning is crucial for improving access to food and diversified diets.