THE IMPACT OF AGRO -TECH ON COCOA PRODUCTION IN GHANA

 

The Impact of Agro-tech on Cocoa production in Ghana.

In Ghana, the cocoa sector forms the economic backbone of the country. Cocoa contributes significantly to GDP, is a major earner of foreign exchange and provides employment for hundreds of thousands of people throughout the chain. Ghana is World’s 2nd largest producer of cocoa: more than 1.000.000 MT in 2011, produced by approx. 1 million cocoa producers, predominantly smallholders, being male and female farmers, owners, sharecroppers, who also employ farm labour (Asamoah, 2012). Cocoa generates employment and income for around one third of all Ghanaians. Over the last decade Ghana doubled its output; in 2003 cocoa output was 500.000 tonnes, in 2011 Ghana officially recorded slightly over 1 million tonnes. However, productivity levels are still low. Between 50 and 65% of cocoa farmers produces 400kg/ha (low technology). Between 20 and 40% produces 650 kg/ha (medium technology) (Asamoah, 2012). The remaining part produces on average 1400 kg/ha (high technology) (CRIG 2010; personal communication Francis Baah - CRIG). Ghana is known for the reliable supply of large quantities of high quality cocoa, for which CMC is rewarded with a premium price on the world market (Aneani, 2011).

We have seen that a distinction is made between three classes of cocoa farmers, based on the kind of practices and level of technology used (low, medium, high) (Owusu Ansah, 2012). This classification can be adjusted for sustainable cocoa production   (Anchirinah, 2011). This includes a clear vision on the future generation of cocoa farmers, and insight in what incentivizes this group. It also requires a longer-term and shared vision on the development of the sector and the development of different scenarios (Owusu Ansah, 2012). But, while industry has committed itself to the use of certification as a means to achieve this, for Cocobod certification is not necessarily the way forward. Sustainable cocoa production requires stronger linkages and more exchange between governments from producing and consuming countries, at different levels (build stronger relationships between Dutch research community and CRIG or between Amsterdam Port and Tema) (Cocobod, 2019). Advocacy at government level is recommended to privatize input pricing and distribution systems (Aneani, 2011).

For farmers to benefit from sustainable cocoa production they have to become more entrepreneurial, and take more control over their own business. Cocobod in the past has lacked to give economic incentives to farmers to behave as entrepreneurs, but they did protect the farmers from price-fluctuations by offering stable prices, introduced subsidized input schemes (paid by FoB margin) and made sure the quality of the exported cocoa was high (Cocobod, 2019). The advantage of this system is stable prices and cocoa farmers in Ghana are relatively well-off, but on the downside there are many inefficiencies due to the fact that a public entity is running a private business (Asamoah, 2012). Liberalization of inputs and extension services would help farmers to gain more control over their business (Cocobod, 2019).  In addition objective market information would put farmers in the driving seat of their business. Farmers should be placed first (and not their cocoa), not from a perspective as being a critical stakeholder to reach objectives others have defined for them, but as a lead entrepreneurs in a sustainable cocoa chain (Owusu-Ansah, 2012). To support entrepreneurship interventions should support capacity building, building own capital, access to markets and full information as well as business skills to take business decisions (Aneani, 2011). It is recommended to support farmer organizations in building their own capital, both financially, human capital as well as social capital (Anchirinah, 2011). Agribusiness is a significant supporter of Ghana's export earnings, and a significant wellspring of contributions for the assembling segment (Kerali 2018). It is likewise a significant wellspring of pay for a dominant part of the populace, however there have been an ongoing decrease in development in agribusiness, which should be turned around through suitable arrangements and expanded ventures (Kerali, 2018). The seismic effect of innovation in farming far and wide is too clear to even think about missing. In reality, agribusiness has transformed from oversimplified procedure to tech refinement. Today, advancements of different kinds have on the whole made a transformative commitment to a segment that has reliably demonstrated to be something else under the surface the eye (Kerali, 2018). In spite of the mammoth enhancements made conceivable by innovation, Africa is unfortunately falling behind. Recently, agrarian profitability in Africa has been believed to diminish extensively (Business & Financial Times, 2019). This is obvious from the low homestead efficiency, shorter neglected periods and ranch networks losing youngsters to rustic urban movement. Besides, in as much as the African governments utilize numerous arrangement instruments, ranch yields have just improved imperceptibly (Business & Financial Times, 2019). Besides, an extensive extent of ranchers still utilize customary procedures that depend intensely on verifiable standards. All around, the agrifood division is the business liable for bolstering the planet and contracting over 40% of the world's laborers (Vidal, 2018). Likewise, tragically, it is liable for an enormous piece of worldwide ozone depleting substance outflows since horticulture alone contributes around 33% of all carbon discharges, not including the commitment of the procedures of the chain supply before it arrives at the customer, for example, nourishment handling, transportation and retail (Vidal, 2018). In the 1950s, as a result of government policy and various aid programs, schemes were devised by various agencies to introduce Western mechanized agriculture to many areas, particularly in Africa. This involved the import of four-wheel diesel tractors (often with government assistance) and associated tillage implements (mainly inversion plows). These units were then loaned or hired to farmers. However, in practically all cases these schemes failed, often due to the poor technical knowledge and the educational skills of the local farming community. Tractors and implements were often not maintained correctly and predictable breakdowns occurred. There were also insufficient resources and mechanical skills available, as well as insufficient spare parts to keep these machines operational. These schemes have now been largely abandoned (Sims et al., 2006).

Ulusoy (2013) defined agricultural mechanization as the use of machines for agricultural production. In a similar manner, Ulger et al. (2011) viewed mechanization as the use of modern agricultural machines in place of traditional tools, equipment, machinery, and facilities. In practice, agricultural mechanization involves the provision and use of all forms of power sources (manual, animal, and motorized) and engineering technologies to enhance agriculture production (Viegas, 2003; Clarke and Bishop, 2002). These engineering technologies include post-harvest handling methods, storage system, farm structures, erosion control, water management (water resources development, as well as irrigation and drainage), meteorological systems, and the techniques for optimally utilizing the above (Chisango and Ajuruchukwu, 2010; Asoegwu and Asoegwu, 2007). Furthermore, agricultural mechanization also encompasses the design, manufacture, distribution, maintenance, repair, and general utilization of farm tools and machines (FAO, 2013).

According to Akdemir (2013), the most commonly used indicators of the level of agricultural mechanization are the instrument/machine weight per tractor (kg/tractor), tool/machine number per tractor, tractor power per cultivated area (kW/ha), number of tractors per cultivated 1000 hectares field (tractors/1000 ha), and cultivated area per tractor (ha/tractor). In a nutshell, agricultural mechanization minimizes drudgery, which hitherto makes it difficult or rather impossible to achieve or practice effective food and agricultural production. Effective agricultural mechanization can help in maintaining improved competitiveness and low consumer price. This can go beyond the application of tools and power machinery, to the application of automation, control, and robotics (Reid, 2011). In fact, agricultural mechanization was identified as one of the top ten engineering achievements of the twentieth century. It has been established that most developing countries currently practice the first and second levels of mechanization, compared to developed countries (Clarke and Bishop, 2002). However, in terms of agricultural mechanization, countries such as Japan, Brazil, Korea, and Egypt could be classified as developed countries because they currently practice a more advanced level of mechanization when compared to their counterparts (Diao et al., 2014).

In spite of this, most countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America are still classified as developing countries (Anelich, 2014; Mondal and Basu, 2009). Overall, some of the most important present-day technology for the mechanization of large- and small-scale agricultural fields includes precision agriculture, mobile and web applications for agriculture, digitalizing crop varieties and yield, forecasting farm weather and modeling, Geographical Positioning Systems and Geographic Information System (GNSS/GIS) applications, remote sensing, automated tractors and farm equipment, robotics, data mining and warehousing, and Internet of Things (Suprem et al., 2013; Zhang et al., 2002). Many countries such as the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, England, and Germany have already applied some of these advanced technologies in agricultural production, and have been able to improve their agricultural technology, reducing the total cost of agricultural production, and increasing farm size successfully. For example, farmers in these countries can now routinely use portable mobile devices like PDAs to collect and share data and information to interested parties and stakeholders (Suprem et al., 2013). Furthermore, electronic sensors and imaging tools are also used to characterize crop growth and development (Onwude et al., 2016). Remote sensing has now been applied using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) (popularly known as “drones”) (Everaerts, 2008). Precision agriculture has been around since the 1990s, but it really took off when GPS technology became cheap and ubiquitous in the mid-2000s.

Wireless remote sensing is also being increasingly applied to various equipment (Wang et al., 2006). In the future, robotics and automation can play a significant role in meeting the future agricultural production needs, and will revolutionize the way food is grown, tended, and harvested. Research development in this area, although still largely experimental, has received an enormous amount of attention from both the government and private sectors due to robots improving productivity, the scarcity of labor, and practicable design that is easier to handle (Suprem et al., 2013).

Compared with developed countries, there are significant limitations to the application of these present-day technologies in the mechanization of agricultural production units in many parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America (Clarke and Bishop, 2002; Kishida, 1984). This could be because of the high purchasing cost of advanced technology, amount of unskilled labor, education of farmers, government policies, and high cost of maintenance, among other reasons. Nonetheless, modern day technology has also been progressively adopted and applied in certain activities in developing countries. For example, recent agricultural projects in South Africa, Egypt, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, the Philippines, and India utilize satellite positioning systems and geographic information systems to aid in farming management. This technology also helps to select the appropriate type of fertilizer and application method to the soil (Devi et al., 2011). Furthermore, one of the important operations in agricultural production is harvesting. Currently, this operation is done manually in many parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. However, the situation is different for countries like China, Japan, Korea, India, Brazil, and South Africa, where most harvesting activities are now carried out with modern machines (Binswanger, 2014; Singh, 2006; Spoor et al., 2000). Harvesting is actually one of the most labor-intensive types of work in crop production, and mechanization of this activity has greatly improved the agricultural productivity.

Technology has assumed a major job in building up the agricultural business. Today it is conceivable to develop crops in a desert by utilization of agricultural biotechnology (Ramey, 2012). With this innovation, plants have been built to make due in dry spell conditions. Through hereditary designing researchers have figured out how to bring qualities into existing qualities with an objective of making crops impervious to dry seasons and vermin (Ramey, 2012).

Let’s take a genuine model. A bacterium known as "Bacillus Thuringiensis" acts like a supply, it empowers yields to be bug safe, so these hereditarily altered harvests will develop with no obstruction from bugs (Ramey, 2012). The invention of this innovation is being utilized in creating nations to develop money crops like cotton, since this hereditarily built cotton plants are bug safe, they develop superior to anything the ordinary cotton plants consequently yielding great outcomes (Ramey, 2012). 

From his past article "Utilization of innovation today and tomorrow" he referenced the utilization of versatile applications by a rancher to ascertain the measure of grass accessible in the field. This spares the rancher time and cash, they will realize what amount is left and what to sustain their animals (Ibid). Innovation has transformed cultivating into a genuine business, presently ranchers have zapped each procedure, a customer can put in a request straightforwardly on the web, and the item will be shipped from the homestead to the purchaser in time when it's still new (Ibid). This sets aside the rancher cash and it removes arbiters who will in general purchase low from ranchers and offer high to end buyers. Each rancher utilizes this innovation in their own specific manner. Some utilization it to make manures, others use it to showcase their items, and others use it underway. So as a rancher, you need to indicate what you need. Utilization of machines on ranches. Presently a rancher can develop on multiple sections of land of land with less work, and can reduce expenses significantly more when they are searching for a utilized tractor and other reaping innovation, versus new hardware. The utilization of grower and collectors makes the procedure so natural. In farming, time and creation are so significant; you need to plant in time, reap in time and convey to stores in time (Ibid). Present day rural innovation allows few individuals to develop huge amounts of nourishment and fibre in a briefest timeframe. 

 Agro-technology in Ghana

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) Information Communication and Technology Unit has executed the E-Agriculture Program which is an ICT activity through the West African Agriculture Productivity Program (WAAPP) with assets from the World Bank (FAO, 2017). The program covers all parts of Agriculture in Ghana with center around crops, domesticated animals, vegetable creation and Gender (FAO, 2017). The fundamental target of the E-Agriculture Program is to give moderate, immediate and effective rural assistance conveyance using the web; Information Communication Technologies (ICT's) (FAO, 2017).

This gives the players of the agribusiness esteem anchor access to far reaching and forward-thinking data on Crop and Animal Production, Market Prices, Farm Management Techniques and Practices, and Traceability in the Ghanaian Agriculture (Ibid). The E-Agriculture Program has an idea to grasp models that improve the correspondence and learning procedure of the on-screen characters in the horticultural worth chain. This will help in overcoming any issues between information generators and clients, where ICT is utilized to improve Agriculture, Food Security and Rural Development. Agriculture sends out from Ghana have developed massively since 1997.

Pineapples and citrus organic products structure the significant majority of plant sends out, and these are sent to nations utilizing air and ocean course.  The administration has found a way to help plant exporters by connecting them to the SPEG. This empowers a ship to grapple at the port of Tema, where at least one holds are stacked with the fare and afterward moved Problems with Horticultural Exports from Ghana Quality is a significant issue with regards to cultivation (Ibid).  The greatest test that Ghana faces today is instructing the cultivators about quality issue. Utilizing ICT stages and entryways can support ranchers and cultivators on best cultivating and taking care of practices. The national e-Agriculture program focus has a call focus office with a toll free number where ranchers call for data on different Agricultural augmentation and warning administrations. Other private division associations, for example, ESOKO and VODAFON has call focuses filling the need of e-Agriculture in Ghana. We have to expand private segment interest on ICT applications in Sustainable Horticulture generation.

The segments of the E-Agriculture Program Platform incorporate the accompanying:

•           E-Farm Information (Farmer Audio Library/Interactive Voice Response System [IVR]); where an intrigued individual calls a particular toll free line and is taken through the methodology of the ideal yield/animal generation in their neighborhood dialects, anyplace and whenever (FAO, 2017).

•           E-Field Extension; where augmentation officials are furnished with present day advances and application for rancher information assortment and report on events on singular homesteads to help precise and brief reaction to handle needs and early control frameworks to shield nourishment security. Call Center; where people in general can call the toll free line and get all the data required concerning agribusiness from the call focus specialists, in whatever neighborhood language they can best impart in. You can call the toll free number and IVR framework on 1848 and 30037 in Ghana to get to any data in Agriculture (FAO, 2017).

•           E-Learning and Resource Center; a middle for data and innovation preparing to advance youth in horticulture. Web-based interface; for the distributing of news and current exercises in the farming part and have the data on all on-screen characters in the agrarian worth chain .

Agro-technology in Ghana

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) Information Communication and Technology Unit has executed the E-Agriculture Program which is an ICT activity through the West African Agriculture Productivity Program (WAAPP) with assets from the World Bank (FAO, 2017). The program covers all parts of Agriculture in Ghana with center around crops, domesticated animals, vegetable creation and Gender (FAO, 2017). The fundamental target of the E-Agriculture Program is to give moderate, immediate and effective rural assistance conveyance using the web; Information Communication Technologies (ICT's) (FAO, 2017).

This gives the players of the agribusiness esteem anchor access to far reaching and forward-thinking data on Crop and Animal Production, Market Prices, Farm Management Techniques and Practices, and Traceability in the Ghanaian Agriculture (Ibid). The E-Agriculture Program has an idea to grasp models that improve the correspondence and learning procedure of the on-screen characters in the horticultural worth chain. This will help in overcoming any issues between information generators and clients, where ICT is utilized to improve Agriculture, Food Security and Rural Development. Agriculture sends out from Ghana have developed massively since 1997.

Pineapples and citrus organic products structure the significant majority of plant sends out, and these are sent to nations utilizing air and ocean course.  The administration has found a way to help plant exporters by connecting them to the SPEG. This empowers a ship to grapple at the port of Tema, where at least one holds are stacked with the fare and afterward moved Problems with Horticultural Exports from Ghana Quality is a significant issue with regards to cultivation (Ibid).  The greatest test that Ghana faces today is instructing the cultivators about quality issue. Utilizing ICT stages and entryways can support ranchers and cultivators on best cultivating and taking care of practices. The national e-Agriculture program focus has a call focus office with a toll free number where ranchers call for data on different Agricultural augmentation and warning administrations. Other private division associations, for example, ESOKO and VODAFON has call focuses filling the need of e-Agriculture in Ghana. We have to expand private segment interest on ICT applications in Sustainable Horticulture generation.

The segments of the E-Agriculture Program Platform incorporate the accompanying:

•           E-Farm Information (Farmer Audio Library/Interactive Voice Response System [IVR]); where an intrigued individual calls a particular toll free line and is taken through the methodology of the ideal yield/animal generation in their neighborhood dialects, anyplace and whenever (FAO, 2017).

•           E-Field Extension; where augmentation officials are furnished with present day advances and application for rancher information assortment and report on events on singular homesteads to help precise and brief reaction to handle needs and early control frameworks to shield nourishment security. Call Center; where people in general can call the toll free line and get all the data required concerning agribusiness from the call focus specialists, in whatever neighborhood language they can best impart in. You can call the toll free number and IVR framework on 1848 and 30037 in Ghana to get to any data in Agriculture (FAO, 2017).

•           E-Learning and Resource Center; a middle for data and innovation preparing to advance youth in horticulture. Web-based interface; for the distributing of news and current exercises in the farming part and have the data on all on-screen characters in the agrarian worth chain .

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