Challenges facing Ghanaian subsistence maize farmers in scaling up production and transition to agri-business
Challenges facing Ghanaian subsistence maize farmers in scaling up production and transition to agri-business
Date
2020-05
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Authors
Shabangu, Zethu Tanele
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Abstract
Agricultural productivity in Ghana has been declining for a while (Adombila,
2018). As a result, imports to the country have been increasing (Ghana Commercial
Guide, 2019). The Daily Graphic news mentioned that food imports in Ghana averaged
to $2.4 billion every year and that includes maize, sugar, meat, rice imports and many
other items (Adombila, 2018).
Secondary information gathered from different literature review explains why
productivity in the Ghanaian agricultural sector has been decreasing. Most of the
information gathered is situated around the case of smallholder farmers. Smallholder
farmers are farmers practicing subsistence farming (A framework for the development of
smallholder farmers through cooperatives development, 2012). Smallholder farming is
one of the dominant sector in the in African agricultural sector (Zuma, 2013).
This study, therefore focuses on the Ghanaian subsistence maize farmers and the
challenges they face, that prevent them from transitioning and scaling up production to
agribusiness. Agribusiness is a business that produces, sell and distribute farm products
on a large scale ("Agribusiness definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary",
n.d.). The main focus area is in Berekuso in the Eastern region of Ghana. The study will
answer the following questions: what are the main challenges that compel Berekuso
subsistence corn farmers to still practice subsistence farming in the 21 century instead of
transitioning to agri- business? and what can be done differently to help subsistence corn
farmers to transition to agribusiness?
Primary data for this study was collected using in-depth interviews with
structured questions for the subsistence corn farmers to answer.
Description
Undergraduate thesis submitted to the Department of Business Administration, Ashesi University, in partial fulfillment of Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, May 2020
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Undergraduate thesis