Smallholder farmers’ participation in GASIP and its effect on adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices: Evidence from Ghana’s Upper East Region

Abstract

This study assessed the effect of participation in Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Programme (GASIP) on the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices (CSAP). The study collected data using multi-stage sampling for the 2023/2024 cropping season from 410 households in the Upper East Region, Ghana. A probit model was employed to identify the determinants of GASIP participation, and Endogenous Switching Poisson was applied to estimate CSAP adoption with correction for selection bias. Results show that age, education, gender, household size, crop diversification, and access to credit significantly influence CSAP adoption. GASIP participation significantly increased adoption rates, especially adopters of mixed cropping and crop residue retention, while ownership of radios and bicycles enhanced access to information and mobility. The study recommends strengthening agricultural extension services, improving gender-responsive credit schemes, promoting farmer-based organizations, and integrating CSAPs into national agricultural policy to enhance resilience, productivity, and food security. The study recommends to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) which implements government agricultural policies to intensify awareness to promote participation in future programmes, facilitate easy credit access to enable investment in climate-smart agricultural practices by smallholder farmers, and promote crop diversification to mitigate the negative effects of climate change on households in the Upper East Region.

Keywords: Climate-Smart Agriculture, Smallholder Farmers, Adoption, GASIP, Endogenous Switching Regression, Food Security, Ghana.