Assessing The Current Status Of Greenhouse Industry In Selected Regions In Ghana

The greenhouse technology is a booming segment of agriculture in the world, because it offers a favorable climate conditions which increase plants growth as the plants are grown in a controlled environment. This research assessed the present conditions of the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) in Ghana and emphasized on issues that are paramount to Greenhouse vegetable production effectiveness. The general objective was to evaluate the current status for greenhouses in Ghana and provide recommendations that will lead to high productivity and profitability. The specific objectives for the study were to assess the current structures and equipment types used by greenhouse operators, determine the profitability in operating greenhouses in Ghana and assess commercialization channels, assess climate management practices of greenhouse farmers, evaluate the greenhouse agronomic practices in Ghana and provide recommendations on how greenhouse vegetable production could be improved. Primary data was collected through a field survey using structured interview questionnaires, while secondary data was gathered through literature review.Data collected from the 12 locations comprising 118 greenhouses in the 7 regions was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software. The profitability of operating greenhouses was determined using the Gross profit analysis. The survey identified three types of greenhouses in Ghana – EnviroDome ventilation system, Dizengoff and the Malaysian type. It became obvious during the survey that amongst the three types, the EnviroDome ventilation greenhouse system for vegetable production is more profitable than the other two. Its advantage over the two is that it has special in-built features which provide the requisite micro-climatic conditions necessary for plant growth and climatic data management in greenhouses for easy adoption by stakeholders. The yield, price and variable costs were based on producer’s responses for the 2017/2018 production season. Cost materials of vegetable production was put into variable costs, and fixed costs. Variable cost was all inputs and labour costs that were directly related to vegetable production like seeds, substrate, agro-chemicals, disinfectants, water, trellising ropes, electricity, fuel, transport, investment, among many others. The study also analysed the socio-economic characteristics of the current status of greenhouse vegetable production in Ghana. Climatic conditions, management practices, equipment, production system and the profitability of greenhouses vegetable production in seven (7) regions in Ghana were some key factors considered. The socio-economic characteristics were analysed using percentages and ranked with the aid of SPSS software. The study used Gross Profit analysis to determine and compare the profitability of different types of greenhouses production systems identified in Ghana.