Abstract:
The Cocoa High Technology Programme (CHTP) was introduced by the Government of Ghana in 2003 with the aim of
improving the fertility of the soil thereby increasing the yields and incomes of cocoa farmers. A correlational survey design
was used in the Eastern Region of Ghana to examine the perceived impact of the CHTP on the livelihoods of cocoa farmers
who adopted the technology using the Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SL) Approach. The level of impact of the
programme on farmers’ livelihoods as a ‘whole’ though higher, was below the expectations of cocoa farmers. The study
further revealed that farmers’ yields were significantly improved by the CHTP with mean increase of 72% (from 2.85
bags/acre to 4.9 bags/acre), three years after the implementation of the CHTP. The results of stepwise multiple regression
analysis revealed that (1) fertilizer application; (2) harvesting, fermentation and drying technologies; and (3) fungicide
application were the best predictors of impact on livelihoods of cocoa farmers.
