Accra, Ghana, March 28, 2019//-Ghana’s agriculture is dominated by small-scale producers who account for about 80 % of domestic production.
This type of agriculture is the production of crops and livestock on a small-piece of land without using advanced and expensive technologies.
Characterised by low crop and animal productivity, small-scale farmers cultivate an average farm size of about 1.2 hectares with little use of improved technology leading to low yields. Farming on family pieces of land, on traditional lands and smallholdings on the periphery of urban areas, fall in this category.
This type of farming according to agriculturalists is usually characterised by intensive labour and in most cases, animal traction, limited use of agrochemicals and supply to the local or surrounding markets. Its importance is shown in its dual role of being a source of household food security as well as income from sale of surplus.
It is also ecologically friendly in that less land is cleared for cultivation and less emissions due to less use of fuel-driven machinery and the market is usually local implying less carbon miles.
Permaculturalists claim that per unit area of small-scale agriculture is far more productive than commercial agriculture in terms of total output from the piece of land.
In addition, small scale agriculture enhances local economic development as it is a source of employment and keeps most of the income local as the market is predominantly localised. Socially, especially on traditional lands, the produce is first meant to feed the household thereby contributing to food security.
A serious bane in this system of agriculture is that most practitioners have limited understanding of seed technology and its implications on crop productivity because they preserve some of their produce to be used as seeds for planting even when they have access to improved seeds. Research shows that production of improved seeds had not been profitable because the farmers recycle the seeds.
The development and application of technological approaches, would not only improve the lives of rural small-scale farmers, but would enhance a developing country’s socio-economic, political and health sectors.
There is therefore the need for policy makers to facilitate appropriate measures to improve agricultural production by small scale farmers with forward and backward linkage to industrial development and other sectors as a means of breaking the vicious cycle of poverty which has gripped many rural dwellers.
Aside the reliance on rain-fed agriculture and low-performing irrigated farming hindering small-scale agriculture in the country; factors like high post harvest losses, as a result of poor management, insufficient and ineffective agricultural finances, poor extension services, resulting from institutional and structural inefficiencies, inadequate markets and processing facilities, are very unfriendly to the farmers.
Also of importance is the need for small-scale farming to be seen as a real business which requires effective application of modern farming system techniques and best farm management practices in their operations.
Research in America points to the many economic advantages in farming on a small-scale land. Local farmers generate a local economy in their rural communities. The study shows that small farms with incomes of $100,000 or less spend almost 95 percent of their farm-related expenses within their local communities.
The same study took in comparison the fact that farms with incomes greater than $900,000 spend less than 20 percent of their farm-related expenses in the local economy. Thus, small-scale agriculture supports local economy.
An advantage of the small-scale agriculture business model is generally oriented to sell products directly to consumers. Disintermediation gives the farmer the profit that would otherwise go to the wholesaler, the distributor and the supermarket. About two thirds of the selling price would actually be lost for product marketing. Meanwhile, if farmers sell their products directly to consumers, they recover the totality of their product value.
Other advantages of family farming production include: foods are produced without the use of pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and other hazardous inputs and are therefore more healthy for the consumer; sustainable farms help preserve genetic diversity by raising a wide range of animal breeds. Many of these breeds are chosen due to the geographic areas in which they are raised, thus maintaining genetic diversity of breeds which are more resilient to disease.
Intensive livestock production contributes 80% of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions; sustainably-raised animals are treated humanely and are permitted to carry out natural behaviours such as rooting in the dirt and pecking the ground while sustainable farms support local economies by purchasing supplies and materials from local businesses.
To produce food, small-scale farmers need access to good-quality inputs, good-quality soil, a functioning and productive climate and affordable access to land.
Additionally, since the price of inputs is often determined by the international price of energy because farm inputs like fertilisers are very energy intensive, many small-scale farmers simply cannot afford expensive modern agricultural inputs. Hence, for the small-scale agriculture to impact the country’s economy as expected the government should critically play its part.
Where funds are lacking the government should seek crucial collaborations with international donors like the German Development Corporation to transform agriculture within that sub-sector.
Looking at the rainfall pattern for recent years there is the urgent need for policy makers to take a critical look at irrigation.
According to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture the rainfall pattern since 2011 has not been regular and this has affected planning and decision making by agricultural stakeholders especially farmers. For instance, the national average rainfall recorded in 2017 (1080mm) was comparatively better than 2016 (834mm).
The percentage change of regional rainfall distribution pattern depicts inconsistency of rainfall intensity in the various regions. All the regions except Northern and Upper West Regions recorded increases in the amount of rainfall in the year 2017 compared to 2016. Upper West Region recorded the highest drop of 22.4%. This was partly due to an early cessation of rainfall reported by the region.
The rainfall ceased at a time when majority of crop fields (maize, maize, sorghum, rice and groundnut) were at vegetative stage of development resulting in low yields especially of crops planted late in the season. Brong- Ahafo, Upper East and Volta Regions recorded significant positive changes.
By Oppong Baah, African Eye Report
