The Nexus Between Cocoa Farmers’ Business Schools Participation and Impact to Support Livelihood Improvement Strategies in Ghana

The authors examined cocoa farmers’ participation in Farmer Business Schools (FBS) in Ghana, impacts of livelihood outcomes (human, physical, financial, and social capitals) on participation, and implications of participation on productivity and per capita expenditure. We used cross-sectional data f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:SAGE Open 2022-04, Vol.12 (2)
Main Authors: Bannor, Richard Kwasi, Oppong-Kyeremeh, Helena, Amfo, Bismark, Hope, Lesley, Kyire, Samuel Kwabena Chaa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural Education
Agricultural Occupations
Business Administration Education
Business schools
Case Studies
Cocoa
Creativity
Credit (Finance)
Expenditures
Farmers
Foreign Countries
Human Capital
Income
Outcomes of Education
Participation
Problem Solving
Recordkeeping
Social Capital
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Summary:The authors examined cocoa farmers’ participation in Farmer Business Schools (FBS) in Ghana, impacts of livelihood outcomes (human, physical, financial, and social capitals) on participation, and implications of participation on productivity and per capita expenditure. We used cross-sectional data from 150 cocoa farmers. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistics, heteroskedastic probit, and doubly robust augmented inverse probability weighted regression adjustment model (AIPW). More than half of cocoa farmers participated in FBS. Financial capital (income and loan accessibility) and social capital (farmer group membership) positively influenced participation in FBS. Nevertheless, human capital (ability to pay medical bills) and physical capital (number of sleeping rooms) negatively influenced participation in FBS. Knowledge and skills cocoa farmers obtained from FBS are new farming methods, creativity in solving farming problems, record keeping, and managerial skills. Participation in FBS had a positive impact and a heterogeneous effect on cocoa farmers’ productivity and per capita expenditure. Given that the impact of FBS was heterogeneous, the FBS curriculum and approach should be segmented for different types of farmers to the generic FBS approaches currently practiced.
ISSN:2158-2440
2158-2440
DOI:10.1177/21582440221108170