Access to agricultural production resources and its effect on the household food security of smallholder women maize farmers in the Techiman Municipality and Offinso North district of Ghana

Abstract

The study investigated access to agricultural production resources and its effect on the household food security of smallholder women farmers in the Techiman Municipality and Offinso North District of Ghana. The study was a descriptive correlation research. A validated interview schedule was used to solicit primary data from three hundred (300) women farmers. Data were analyzed using univariate and parametric statistics. The major findings were that, farmers’ level of access to agricultural production was in the “low access” and “moderate access” categories for Offinso North District and Techiman Municipality respectively which was statistically insignificant. A statistically insignificant differences in maize yield were observed for respondents in the both study areas. Respondents contributed a percentage of their maize yield to their household with 20-29 percent bracket recording the highest. Respondent’s food security status lied on a continuum from “very low” to “high” food security status with only 2.3 percent within the “very low” food security category. A statistically positive relationship was observed between level of access to agricultural production resources and the household food security status of respondents. The most predominant coping strategy adopted by respondents to meet their household food security needs were the production and sale of crops. The study recommends to the Department of Agriculture and NGOs working in the Offinso North District and Techiman Municipality, to implement programmes that targets the provision of women farmers with agricultural production resources such as fertilizers, pesticides, improved seeds, tractor services, extension services, weedicides, hired labour and land.