The impact of the fertilizer subsidy programme on smallholder maize farmers' livelihoods in the Northern Region of Ghana

https://doi.org/10.51867/ajernet.7.1.5

Authors

Keywords:

Fertilizer Subsidy Programme, Livelihoods, Maize Production, Smallholder Farmers

Abstract

Agriculture is one of the strongholds of Ghana's economy, with about half of the country dependent on the sector. However, farm yields are low because of the very minimal use of improved technologies and fertilizers. The government of Ghana has made fertilizer subsidy programmes available to boost production; the programme has not been able to meet all its goals. This research project adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey design that encompassed both quantitative and qualitative approaches to evaluate the effects of the fertilizer subsidy programme on the livelihoods of the smallholder maize farmers in the Northern Region of Ghana. A sample of 400 farmers was selected from a population of 123,626 smallholder maize farmers in the Northern Region, based on the Cochran (1977) formula. Five districts were randomly selected, namely Tolon, Kumbungu, Yendi, Savelugu, and Mion. Four communities were randomly selected in each district, and 20 farmers per community were randomly sampled. Structured questionnaires were administered to the sampled farmers, followed by in-depth interviews with the 40 lead farmers. The research used descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and ordered logistic regression models to analyze the data. A composite welfare index was also used to determine the programme’s impact on outcome variables like maize yield, household income, and well-being. The results showed that fertilizer use alone accounted for a significant share of variation in maize yields, and the farmers who applied the recommended rates of fertilizers obtained better yields. The results showed delays in disbursement and improper targeting of farmers limited the economic impact of the programme on individual household members. This concludes that though the fertilizer subsidy programme has gone a long way in improving the livelihood of the smallholder maize farmers in Northern Ghana through increased yields and income, it failed in achieving all its stated goals. It is therefore recommended that efficient fertilizer distribution mechanisms be put in place to ensure timely delivery, coupled with a well-structured monitoring system to avoid smuggling into commercial shops and unintended beneficiaries.

Dimensions

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Published

2026-01-02

How to Cite

Allotey, S. S. K., Mohammed, F., & Lamptey, C. Y. (2026). The impact of the fertilizer subsidy programme on smallholder maize farmers’ livelihoods in the Northern Region of Ghana. African Journal of Empirical Research, 7(1), 49–58. https://doi.org/10.51867/ajernet.7.1.5

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 1 (2026): Jan-Mar 2026

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Copyright (c) 2026 Samuel Safo K. Allotey, Fadilah Mohammed, Clement Yaw Lamptey

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