An Optimization Analysis of Maize-Based Farming Systems in the Central Region of Ghana

Abstract

Maize, the most important cereal in Ghana, is consum ed in alm ost all parts of the country. To ensure food security in Ghana, adequate availability of m aize m ust be ensured. However, w hether or not farm ers should devote their resources to the production of more maize is a question to be addressed. Since food security has more to do with availability than with production or self-sufficiency in the product, it was necessary to investigate w hether it is better for farm ers to grow w hat they consum e or to purchase their food needs. As wom en have been found to produce the bulk of the food consum ed in Ghana and a gender-differential analysis is relevant. This study determines the relative profitability of different crop enterprises, using the Central Region of Ghana as a case study. A linear programming model was employed to determine the optimal farm plan, and the revenue generated from the different crops if farmers adopted the optimal farm plan were calculated. Seven farm ers were interviewed in each of 15 villages in three districts in the region (5 villages per district). The data was used to prepare crop enterprise budgets and cropping calendars, which were used to build the linear programming matrices. Two categories of farm ers were used in the investigation, categories differentiated by gender and by participation in agricultural programmes. The farm enterprises of male and fem ale farm ers were analysed separately to see if there were differences in their performance, and a sim ilar analysis was undertaken fo r farm ers who participated in agricultural programmes and those who did not. The results of the survey show that women devote a greater proportion of their farm output to household food consumption than their male counterparts. Female farm ers were also more resource constrained than male farmers. Participation in agricultural programmes was found to have a strong influence on the use of modern techniques of farming, hence, on farm productivity. However, only 17 percent of the fem ale farmers interviewed participated in agricultural programmes while 42 percent of the male farmers participated in such programmes, which is a form of assistance, mostly from NGOs. Financial constraints were the topmost problem expressed by the farmers. The farmers consider maize as a main crop that assures them of food availability and gives them a sense of food security. No crop was found to be a 'female1 crop, and types of crops grown were common to male and female farmers, but types of crop enterprises varied slightly with participation in agricultural programmes. Those who participated in agricultural programmes had enterprises with fewer crop combinations. The data was then used to build a linear programming model for each farmer group under consideration. Four base scenarios were run and the value of the objective function was highest for male farmers, followed by that of farmers who participated in agricultural programmes and that of female farmers was lowest. The linear programming analysis showed that all the categories of farmers considered preferred to produce what they consume. Maize was found to be the second highest in revenue generation for the farmer using the optimal plan. Vegetables, especially garden-eggs (or egg plant) was highest in revenue generation. The productivity of land appeared higher for female farmers than for male farmers as it recorded a very high shadow value. A sensitivity analysis was conducted and an increase in yield produced the highest increase in the value of the objective function for all farmer groups. It is recommended from the study that a system should be put in place to ensure that farmer selection for agricultural programmes are gender sensitive for increased participation of women farmers. Bottlenecks in credit acquisition should be removed for a better access to credit. However, land reforms are needed at the local level because giving female farmers credit without an improvement in their access to land will not benefit them. Selective subsidies on inputs such as fertilizer for small-scale farmers need to be considered by the government. Finally, resources could be devoted to an increased production of maize as maize generates a good revenue for the farmer if prices are favourable.