Elisha Kwaku Denkyirah|Elvis D. Okoffo|Derick Taylor Adu|Ahmed Abdul Aziz|Amoako Ofori|Elijah Kofi Denkyirah
Modeling Ghanaian cocoa farmers’ decision to use pesticide and frequency of application: the case of Brong Ahafo Region
University of Ghana|University of Ghana|University of Ghana|University of Göttingen|University of Ghana|University of Ghana
pesticides significant component modern agricultural technology widely adopted across globe control pests diseases weeds plant pathogens effort reduce eliminate yield losses maintain high product quality although pesticides said toxic exposes farmers risk due hazardous effects chemicals pesticide use among cocoa farmers ghana still high furthermore cocoa farmers apply pesticide cocoa farms recommended frequency application view study assessed factors influencing cocoa farmers decision use pesticide frequency pesticide application total 240 cocoa farmers six cocoa growing communities brong ahafo region ghana selected study using multistage sampling technique probit tobit regression models used estimate factors influencing farmers decision use pesticide frequency pesticide application respectively results study revealed use pesticide still high among farmers region cocoa farmers follow ghana cocoa board recommended frequency pesticide application addition cocoa farmers study area found using ghana cocoa board approvedrecommended unapproved pesticides cocoa production gender age educational level years farming experience access extension service availability agrochemical shop access credit significantly influenced farmers decision use pesticides also educational level years farming experience membership farmer based organisation access extension service access credit cocoa income significantly influenced frequency pesticide application since access extension service one key factor reduces pesticide use frequency application among cocoa farmers recommended policies government nongovernmental organisations aimed mobilizing resources towards expansion extension education addition extension service target younger farmers well provide information alternative pest control methods order reduce pesticide use among cocoa farmers furthermore extension serviceagents target cocoa farmers less years farming experience encourage cocoa farmers join farmer based organisations order decrease frequency pesticide application