Assessing the impact of non-governmental organization’s extension programs on sustainable cocoa production and household income in Ghana

作     者：Sonny Gad ATTIPOE CAO Jian-min Yaa OPOKU-KWANOWAA Frank OHENE-SEFA Sonny Gad ATTIPOE;CAO Jian-min;Yaa OPOKU-KWANOWAA;Frank OHENE-SEFA

作者机构：College of Economics and ManagementJilin Agricultural UniversityChangchun 130118P.R.China Ministry of Food and AgricultureDepartment of EconomicsAccra 183Ghana College of Resources and Environment SciencesJilin Agricultural UniversityChangchun 130118P.R.China Ghana Cocoa BoardWarehousing and Port OperationsAccra 1017Ghana 

出 版 物：《Journal of Integrative Agriculture》 (农业科学学报（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2021年第20卷第10期

页      面：2820-2836页

核心收录：

学科分类：12[管理学] 0710[理学-生物学] 0832[工学-食品科学与工程（可授工学、农学学位）] 120301[管理学-农业经济管理] 0830[工学-环境科学与工程（可授工学、理学、农学学位）] 1203[管理学-农林经济管理] 1004[医学-公共卫生与预防医学(可授医学、理学学位)] 0905[农学-畜牧学] 0906[农学-兽医学] 0901[农学-作物学] 0703[理学-化学] 0902[农学-园艺学] 0713[理学-生态学] 

基　　金：This research was funded by the Academy–Locality Cooperation Project of Chinese Academy of Engineering (2019-JL-1-5) 

主　　题：cocoa extension Heckman’s model regression on propensity scores smallholders 

摘      要：Globally,cocoa is famous for the production of chocolates and ***,it also serves as a source of raw material for the manufacturing of high-quality cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Due to its high demand,cocoa is regarded as a major commodity for poverty alleviation in deprived cocoa farming communities. Government has therefore instigated relevant measures to address issues facing the sector by investing in extension programs. These programs act as information dissemination tools for teaching modern farming technologies and enhancing learning among farmers. This study highlighted the effects of the Cocoa Life Project (CLP) by Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) International on farm productivity and income of 200 cocoa farmers in three districts of the Eastern Region,Ghana. Regression on covariates,Heckman’s treatment effects model,and propensity scores were used to test the robustness of the estimates. A positive association between extension program participation,farm productivity,and household income was discovered. Specifically,after correcting for selection bias,the estimated results of the Heckman’s model showed that the extension program significantly increased participating farmers’ cocoa yield by 14.3%. The effects on total farm income showed a significant increase of 25.1 and 42.9%,respectively from regression on propensity scores and the Heckman’s model. Across all three models,program participation led to an increase in total household income by 46.1,31.7,and 69.3%,respectively. Other variables such as farming characteristics,institutional and demographic factors affected farmers’ income,depending on the estimation method used. This study reiterated the supporting role played by extension programs in enhancing cocoa production and increasing household income in Ghana. Conclusively,government and development partners should invest in extension programs by providing enough logistics,training qualified agents,and creat