Greener Journal of Agricultural Sciences

Greener Journal of  Agricultural Sciences Vol. 3 (5), pp. 363-370, May 2013.

 ISSN: 2276-7770 

Research Paper

Manuscript Number: 031313522

 

Insight into the Standard of Living of Ghanaian Cocoa Farmers

 

Mercy Asamoah*, F. Owusu Ansah, V. Anchirinah, F. Aneani and D. Agyapong

 

P. O. Box 8, Cocoa Research Institute of GHANA (CRIG), NEW-TAFO, E/R, GHANA.

  

*Corresponding Author: mrcyasamoah @ yahoo. com

Abstract:

A survey was conducted to provide insight into the standard of living of cocoa farmers in Ghana. A total of 637 households (with 3392 persons) were randomly sampled using a multi staged sampling technique from eleven cocoa districts in Ghana. Formal questionnaires were used to interview the heads of households on various aspects of their lives. The objective was to find the total annual household expenditure as a proxy indicator and compare with national living standards in order to stratify the farmers by poverty status. Results indicated that 7.4 percent of the sampled population were extremely poor with total annual expenditure less than GH¢443.61 while 11.4 percent were poor with less than GH¢570.31. An analysis of the poverty gap revealed that a person needed an average of GH¢135.45 (about $68) or up to GH¢397.00 per annum to be lifted up from extremely poor to the upper poverty line. It could thus, be deduced that poorer cocoa farmers needed the money equivalent of two bags (125 kg) of dry cocoa to be able to satisfy their basic consumption needs. It is thus, recommended that the majority small-scale cocoa farmers should be assisted to adopt yield enhancing technology in order to increase their current low productivity of less than 400 kg.
 
 Key Words: Standard Of Living, Cocoa, Household, Farmers, Ghana.

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