DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ON SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES TO FARMERS: A STUDY OF FARMERS IN ADA WEST AND KWAEBIBIREM DISTRICTS IN GHANA

ABSTRACT This study was undertaken to examine the factors that influenced the dissemination and adoption of soil fertility management (SFM) strategies to farmers in rural areas. It further assessed the communication channels that were deployed to spread information on SFM. This study was conducted in two separate districts – Kwaebibirem in the Eastern Region and Ada West in the Greater Accra Region – to compare findings from two different climatic zones. The diffusion of innovation and the media richness theories were utilized as the underpinning theoretical frameworks for this study. The mixed method approach, involving survey and in-depth interview, was adopted for the purposes of data collection. Survey was used to collect data from farmers while the in-depth interview was used to collect information from extension agents, district directors of agriculture and opinion leaders. The study found that information on soil fertility management was not enough to influence uptake of SFM technologies. This finding was more profound in Ada West district. Furthermore, it was identified that farmers sought information on soil fertility primarily through their colleagues, extension officers and radio. Farmers in Kwaebibirem district used the mass media to seek SFM information more than their counterparts in Ada West. The challenges that impeded SFM adoption included inadequate information, financial constraints, unfavourable land tenure systems among others. The study concluded with the suggestion that extension agents must intensify efforts at improving farmers’ knowledge on SFM through effective dissemination approaches such as regular radio discussion, frequent field visit and use of accessible channels of communication