Papers by Theophilus Kwarteng Amaning
African Journal of Agricultural Research, 2019
In spite of substantial investments in developing and disseminating improved maize production tec... more In spite of substantial investments in developing and disseminating improved maize production technologies by successive governments and several development partners, technology adoption in Ghana remains low. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that influence the extent of adoption of improved maize production technologies among farmers in northern Ghana. A Tobit regression model was used to analyse the determinants of the extent of technology adoption. Results of the study revealed that formal education, farming experience, extension contact, access to credit, and membership of a farmer-based organisation are significant determinants of the extent of adoption of all three technologies considered. Moreover, sex of household head did not influence the extent of adoption of improved seeds but was rather significant in the case of fertiliser application and row planting. The study recommends that projects/programmes and policies related to the introduction and dissemi...
African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 2019
Globally, solid waste management has in recent times attracted massive attention, and one of the ... more Globally, solid waste management has in recent times attracted massive attention, and one of the commonly cited areas is the sprawling cities and urban communities, where plastics and other solid waste have become major management challenge. In Ghana, solid waste management has become a major problem, particularly in urban settlements. The overall objective of the study was to investigate the key factors that underlie the effective urban solid waste management systems in Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region, and the second largest city in Ghana. In achieving the study objectives, exploratory and qualitative methods of research were adopted both in data collection and analysis. This comprised review of relevant literature, key informant interviews and observations. Results of the study showed that there was an inadequate budgetary allocation to manage solid waste in the Kumasi Metropolis. A deeper assessment of the situation further showed that bad attitude and the breakdown of sanctions for non-compliance with local authorities' solid waste management by-laws by citizens were important contributory factors. The study concludes that ineffective solid waste management systems have become a major challenge facing city authorities. This challenge must be addressed holistically because solid waste management is a multi-dimensional issue. The study recommends increased public education and awareness creation on the negative implications of indiscriminate waste generation and disposal on human and environmental health by urban and communal (chiefs/assemblymen) authorities for attitudinal change.
Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, 2019
In this paper we examined how participation in savings groups like the Village Savings and Loans ... more In this paper we examined how participation in savings groups like the Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) influence women’s agency in rural Ghana, i.e. their ability to freely participate in group activities and act on other issues and matters that affect them. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from VSLA and nonVSLA members to compare the effect between participants and nonparticipants. We used three dimensions of agency adapted from the Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) to assess female agency: women’s participation and decision making in groups; women’s comfort with public speaking; and women’s decision making in their households. A significant finding of this study is that VSLA membership has enhanced the agency of female participants as they are more economically and socially active and can act on their own compared to women who did not use the savings group.
International Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Science
African Journal of Agricultural Research
In spite of substantial investments in developing and disseminating improved maize production tec... more In spite of substantial investments in developing and disseminating improved maize production technologies by successive governments and several development partners, technology adoption in Ghana remains low. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that influence the extent of adoption of improved maize production technologies among farmers in northern Ghana. A Tobit regression model was used to analyse the determinants of the extent of technology adoption. Results of the study revealed that formal education, farming experience, extension contact, access to credit, and membership of a farmer-based organisation are significant determinants of the extent of adoption of all three technologies considered. Moreover, sex of household head did not influence the extent of adoption of improved seeds but was rather significant in the case of fertiliser application and row planting. The study recommends that projects/programmes and policies related to the introduction and dissemination of improved maize production technologies in northern Ghana should draw lessons from studies like this to ensure improved technology uptake.
In this paper we examined how participation in savings groups like the Village Savings and Loans ... more In this paper we examined how participation in savings groups like the Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) influence women's agency in rural Ghana, i.e. their ability to freely participate in group activities and act on other issues and matters that affect them. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from VSLA and nonVSLA members to compare the effect between participants and nonparticipants. We used three dimensions of agency adapted from the Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) to assess female agency: women's participation and decision making in groups; women's comfort with public speaking; and women's decision making in their households. A significant finding of this study is that VSLA membership has enhanced the agency of female participants as they are more economically and socially active and can act on their own compared to women who did not use the savings group. Contribution/ Originality This study significantly contributes to the growing evidence of the impact of Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs). The research explored how women's participation in VSLAs influences their ability to freely participate in group activities and personally act on issues that affect them. The evidence provided by this study demonstrates how the VSLA model can be adopted by development agencies and practitioners as a tool to drive women's agency.
Globally, solid waste management has in recent times attracted massive attention, and one of the ... more Globally, solid waste management has in recent times attracted massive attention, and one of the commonly cited areas is the sprawling cities and urban communities, where plastics and other solid waste have become major management challenge. In Ghana, solid waste management has become a major problem, particularly in urban settlements. The overall objective of the study was to investigate the key factors that underlie the effective urban solid waste management systems in Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region, and the second largest city in Ghana. In achieving the study objectives, exploratory and qualitative methods of research were adopted both in data collection and analysis. This comprised review of relevant literature, key informant interviews and observations. Results of the study showed that there was an inadequate budgetary allocation to manage solid waste in the Kumasi Metropolis. A deeper assessment of the situation further showed that bad attitude and the breakdown of sanctions for non-compliance with local authorities' solid waste management by-laws by citizens were important contributory factors. The study concludes that ineffective solid waste management systems have become a major challenge facing city authorities. This challenge must be addressed holistically because solid waste management is a multi-dimensional issue. The study recommends increased public education and awareness creation on the negative implications of indiscriminate waste generation and disposal on human and environmental health by urban and communal (chiefs/assemblymen) authorities for attitudinal change.
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Papers by Theophilus Kwarteng Amaning