Technology adoption typology and rice yield differentials in Ghana: Principal component analysis approach

Abstract

This study used primary data obtained from rice farmers in Guinea Savannah Zone (GSZ), Forest Savannah Transition Zone (FSTZ) and Coastal Savannah Zone (CSZ). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to classify farmers into technology adopters. The study used Welch’s t-test to test the statistical significant differences in yield between technology adopters. Through the use of PCA, farmers were objectively classified as non-adopters (users of indigenous farming practices, IFPs), adopters of farmer innovation systems (FISs), adopters of improved agricultural technologies (IATs), and adopters of both FISs and IATs. Comparatively, a larger proportion of farmers in CSZ adopted IATs. The lowest percentage of farmers adopted IATs in GSZ. FISs’ package is highly adopted by farmers in FSTZ. With the help of Welch t-test, the study demonstrated that adopters of FISs obtained appreciable rice productivity even though it is second to IATs. The study showed that IATs are the superior technologies when considering rice productivity and hence should be highly promoted among farmers in the whole country. Concerted and co-ordinated efforts should be made for researchers in national agricultural research and academic agricultural research institutions or centres to research into rice production and farmer innovation systems, improve upon them and make them available to farmers for adoption.