CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Smallholder farmers produce most of the food consumed in Ghana, but they are often constrained by limited knowledge of improved technologies, inputs and markets. Agricultural extension is the main way in which such knowledge is brought to them. Access to extension is therefore an important condition for higher productivity and better welfare. Aremu et al. (2025) used national panel data to examine the relationship between agricultural extension services and household welfare in Ghana, which shows the policy importance of extension access.

Availability of extension in a district does not mean that every farmer has access to it. Anang and Asante (2020) studied access to agricultural services among farm households in northern Ghana and found that about 63 per cent of respondents had access to extension, and that household income, off-farm income, household size and land area determined access to services. Abdallah and Abdul-Rahaman (2016) examined determinants of access to agricultural extension among smallholder rural women in northern Ghana, and their work highlights the gender dimension of access. Anang et al. (2020) also noted that the number of extension visits is limited by an inadequate number of extension agents and cited evidence that male farmers in Ghana are more likely to receive visits. Adams and Jumpah (2021) reported that age, education, number of extension visits and farmer-based organisation membership were significant factors in technology adoption, which means that the same characteristics may affect who gets access in the first place.

South Dayi District in the Volta Region has a District Agricultural Development Unit that facilitates agricultural production and provides extension services, and the district hosts the Kpeve Agricultural Station (Ministry of Food and Agriculture, n.d.). The main crops in the district include maize, cassava, yam, cowpea and vegetables. Even so, available studies of extension access concentrate largely on northern Ghana, and there is little evidence on the factors that affect access in Kpeve, Peki and Kpeve-Agame. This study was designed to fill that gap.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Extension services are intended to reach all farmers, but many smallholders report little or no contact with extension agents. Studies in Ghana suggest that access is shaped by farm size, income, gender, group membership and the number of agents available (Anang & Asante, 2020; Anang et al., 2020).

In Kpeve, Peki and Kpeve-Agame it is not known what proportion of smallholder farmers has access to extension services, what sources they use, and which personal, economic and institutional factors help or hinder access. Without this information, extension providers may continue to reach the same farmers while others are left out. The study therefore investigates the factors affecting smallholder farmers’ access to agricultural extension services in Kpeve, Peki and Kpeve-Agame communities, South Dayi District, Volta Region.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The general objective of the study is to identify the factors affecting smallholder farmers’ access to agricultural extension services in Kpeve, Peki and Kpeve-Agame communities, South Dayi District, Volta Region. The specific objectives are to:

(1) describe the socio-economic characteristics of smallholder farmers in the study communities;

(2) identify the sources of agricultural extension services available to the farmers;

(3) determine the level of farmers’ access to agricultural extension services;

(4) identify the socio-economic and institutional factors affecting farmers’ access to extension services; and

(5) identify the constraints farmers face in accessing extension services.

1.4 Research Questions

(1) What are the socio-economic characteristics of the smallholder farmers?

(2) What sources of extension services are available to the farmers?

(3) What is the level of farmers’ access to extension services?

(4) What socio-economic and institutional factors affect access to extension services?

(5) What constraints do farmers face in accessing extension services?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses will be tested at the 5% level of significance:

H01: There is no significant relationship between the socio-economic characteristics of farmers (age, sex, education, farm size and income) and their access to agricultural extension services.

H02: Membership of a farmer-based organisation has no significant effect on farmers’ access to agricultural extension services.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The study will show the South Dayi District Agricultural Development Unit and other providers which farmers are being left out and why. Farmers and farmer-based organisations will gain from recommendations that improve access to extension. Policy makers can use the findings to design more inclusive extension approaches, including group-based and radio or mobile-phone-based methods. The study also adds to the limited literature on extension access in the Volta Region.

1.7 Delimitation of the Study

The study is limited to smallholder farmers in Kpeve, Peki and Kpeve-Agame in the South Dayi District of the Volta Region. It covers the level of access to extension services and the factors affecting it. It does not measure the impact of extension on farm output or income.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

The study is limited to three communities, so its results may not represent all farmers in the Volta Region. Farmers may find it hard to recall the number of extension contacts accurately, and some may confuse extension agents with input dealers. Data collection may also be affected by the farming season. The researcher will reduce these problems by using a clear definition of extension access, trained enumerators and a pre-tested questionnaire.

1.9 Definition of Terms

(1) Access to extension services: The ability of a farmer to reach, obtain and use information and advice from extension providers.

(2) Smallholder farmer: A farmer who cultivates a small area using mainly family labour and produces largely for household needs.

(3) Farmer-based organisation: A group of farmers who join together to share information, resources and market opportunities.

(4) Constraint: A factor that limits or prevents farmers from accessing or using extension services.

1.10 Organisation of the Study

The study is organised into five chapters. Chapter One presents the introduction, comprising the background, statement of the problem, objectives, research questions, hypotheses, significance, delimitation, limitations and definition of terms. Chapter Two reviews relevant theoretical, conceptual and empirical literature. Chapter Three describes the research methodology, including the study area, research design, population, sampling procedure, data collection instruments and methods of data analysis. Chapter Four presents and discusses the results, while Chapter Five gives the summary of findings, conclusions and recommendations.

References

Abdallah, A.-H., & Abdul-Rahaman, A. (2016). Determinants of access to agricultural extension services: Evidence from smallholder rural women in Northern Ghana. Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, 9(3), 1–8.

Adams, A., & Jumpah, E. T. (2021). Agricultural technologies adoption and smallholder farmers’ welfare: Evidence from Northern Ghana. Cogent Economics & Finance, 9(1), 2006905. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2021.2006905

Anang, B. T., & Asante, B. O. (2020). Farm household access to agricultural services in northern Ghana. Heliyon, 6(11).

Anang, B. T., Bäckman, S., & Sipiläinen, T. (2020). Adoption and income effects of agricultural extension in northern Ghana. Scientific African, 7, e00219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2019.e00219

Aremu, T., Baye, R. S., Onyina, K., & Abijah, P. (2025). Agricultural extension services and household welfare: Evidence from Ghana Socioeconomic Panel Survey. Agricultural and Food Economics, 13(1), 58. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40100-025-00400-7

Ministry of Food and Agriculture. (n.d.). South Dayi District. https://mofa.gov.gh/site/sports/district-directorates/volta-region/303-south-dayi