Abstract:
The fast drift of cocoa farmers towards the cultivation of citrus or oil palm in the
Kwaebibirem District is a complex phenomenon. Several factors of economic and
social nature contributes to the farm level decisions affecting cocoa replanting. The
focus of this study, therefore, was to investigate the factors affecting attitudes of
cocoa farmers in the Kwaebibirem District towards replanting and their decisions to
replace cocoa with other crops.
A descriptive-correlational design was used for the survey. Data and information
were gathered from 258 cocoa farmers, 37 extension agents and 20 non-cocoa growers, through the administration of questionnaires, personal interviews, and
observation. Models were extracted from the analyzed data to obtain predictors of
factors that determine attitudes or decisions of the cocoa farmers.
A stepwise regression of the independent variables on attitudes of cocoa farmers
towards replanting cocoa picked farm inputs availability, size of household, and
experience in cocoa farming as predictors. All three predicting variables explained
32.2% variance in the attitudes of cocoa farmers. Farm inputs availability alone
contributed 18.7% variance, whilst size of household, and experience in cocoa
farming accounted for 7.8% and 5.7% variance respectively.
Experience with cocoa extension agents, educational level of the cocoa farmers,
and size of household, influenced knowledge on which the cocoa farmers based their
decisions. Farmers had not been educated enough on cocoa replanting. As many as
79% of the cocoa farmers were not well informed about cocoa replanting. Cocoa
farmers who had been educated on the replanting of cocoa were more enthusiastic to
replant cocoa than those that had little or no knowledge concerning cocoa replanting.
There was a high consistency in agreement (X = 3.02, S.D. = 0.91) to responses from
the farmers. The fast drift of cocoa farmers towards the cultivation of citrus or oil palm in the
Kwaebibirem District is a complex phenomenon. Several factors of economic and
social nature contributes to the farm level decisions affecting cocoa replanting. The
focus of this study, therefore, was to investigate the factors affecting attitudes of
cocoa farmers in the Kwaebibirem District towards replanting and their decisions to
replace cocoa with other crops.
A descriptive-correlational design was used for the survey. Data and information
were gathered from 258 cocoa farmers, 37 extension agents and 20 non-cocoa
growers, through the administration of questionnaires, personal interviews, and
observation. Models were extracted from the analyzed data to obtain predictors of
factors that determine attitudes or decisions of the cocoa farmers.
A stepwise regression of the independent variables on attitudes of cocoa farmers
towards replanting cocoa picked farm inputs availability, size of household, and
experience in cocoa farming as predictors. All three predicting variables explained
32.2% variance in the attitudes of cocoa farmers. Farm inputs availability alone
contributed 18.7% variance, whilst size of household, and experience in cocoa
farming accounted for 7.8% and 5.7% variance respectively.
Experience with cocoa extension agents, educational level of the cocoa farmers,
and size of household, influenced knowledge on which the cocoa farmers based their
decisions. Farmers had not been educated enough on cocoa replanting. As many as
79% of the cocoa farmers were not well informed about cocoa replanting. Cocoa
farmers who had been educated on the replanting of cocoa were more enthusiastic to
replant cocoa than those that had little or no knowledge concerning cocoa replanting.
There was a high consistency in agreement (X = 3.02, S.D. = 0.91) to responses from
the farmers.
