title: Modeling Ghanaian cocoa farmers' decision to use pesticide and frequency of application: the case of Brong Ahafo Region.
abstract: Pesticides are a significant component of the modern agricultural technology that has been widely adopted across the globe to control pests, diseases, weeds and other plant pathogens, in an effort to reduce or eliminate yield losses and maintain high product quality. Although pesticides are said to be toxic and exposes farmers to risk due to the hazardous effects of these chemicals, pesticide use among cocoa farmers in Ghana is still high. Furthermore, cocoa farmers do not apply pesticide on their cocoa farms at the recommended frequency of application. In view of this, the study assessed the factors influencing cocoa farmers' decision to use pesticide and frequency of pesticide application. A total of 240 cocoa farmers from six cocoa growing communities in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana were selected for the study using the multi-stage sampling technique. The Probit and Tobit regression models were used to estimate factors influencing farmers' decision to use pesticide and frequency of pesticide application, respectively. Results of the study revealed that the use of pesticide is still high among farmers in the Region and that cocoa farmers do not follow the Ghana Cocoa Board recommended frequency of pesticide application. In addition, cocoa farmers in the study area were found to be using both Ghana Cocoa Board approved/recommended and unapproved pesticides for cocoa production. Gender, age, educational level, years of farming experience, access to extension service, availability of agrochemical shop and access to credit significantly influenced farmers' decision to use pesticides. Also, educational level, years of farming experience, membership of farmer based organisation, access to extension service, access to credit and cocoa income significantly influenced frequency of pesticide application. Since access to extension service is one key factor that reduces pesticide use and frequency of application among cocoa farmers, it is recommended that policies by government and non-governmental organisations should be aimed at mobilizing resources towards the expansion of extension education. In addition, extension service should target younger farmers as well as provide information on alternative pest control methods in order to reduce pesticide use among cocoa farmers. Furthermore, extension service/agents should target cocoa farmers with less years of farming experience and encourage cocoa farmers to join farmer based organisations in order to decrease frequency of pesticide application.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 68, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Elisha Kwaku
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Denkyirah
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies (IESS), University of Ghana, P. O. Box 209, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Elvis Dartey
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Okoffo
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 68, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Derick Taylor
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Adu
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Gottingen, Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ahmed Abdul
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Aziz
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies (IESS), University of Ghana, P. O. Box 209, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Amoako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ofori
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Science, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 44, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Elijah Kofi
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Denkyirah
keywords: Berekum Municipality; Cocoa farmers; Decision to use pesticide; Frequency of pesticide application; Ghana; Pesticide; Probit and Tobit regression models