Barriers to Technology Adoption in Ghana

The agriculture industry in Ghana is usually believed to have enormous untapped potential. There has been very little improvement in land and labor productivity during the last two decades. Since low productivity is largely to blame for pervasive rural poverty and food insecurity, the possibility to raise productivity is a means to promote more equitable economic expansion. Digital technologies associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution have been identified as a potential path toward overcoming these productivity challenges by academics, development organizations, and some entrepreneurs. Optimistic stories about Ghanaian farmers adopting technology typically gloss over the long-standing obstacles that keep them from using fertilizers and commercially produced hybrid seeds, both of which have been shown to significantly increase crop yields.

Barriers to the spread of technology in Ghana’s agricultural sector

Slow technological adoption in Ghana’s agricultural industry may be attributed, in part, to the continent’s underdeveloped infrastructure for delivering online content. Those who might benefit the most from technological advances are being denied access to them because they lack the resources necessary to take advantage of them. Agricultural policies and circumstances that make technological adoption unpleasant for farmers are further, arguably more crucial, barriers to technology spread. Whenever a new technology comes along that can effectively and cheaply address a pressing issue in manufacturing, manufacturers are quick to embrace it. However, many producers believe the hazards of the new technology exceed the advantages because of context-specific limits. Complementary inputs may be too costly or unavailable, markets may be difficult to obtain, or the price of the technology itself may be prohibitive (such as energy, water, or transportation).

Innovation in value-added food crops

The agricultural sector in Ghana has seen substantial transformations during the previous two decades. Productivity increases may be attributed to innovations in the cultivation of high-value export commodities like pineapples in Ghana, but these same factors have lagged in the development of food crops. Meanwhile, studies show that agricultural machinery, mobile phone and internet usage have increased rural family earnings in areas where the necessary ICT infrastructure exists and the cost of service is reasonable. Although this has happened, it has not been due to an increase in agricultural revenues but rather to an increase in incomes from small-scale nonfarm home businesses.

How to overcome the barriers?

Ghana’s growth plans still prioritize the agricultural sector. Increases in agricultural output contribute to structurally supported growth in the economy and to the alleviation of poverty. However, although productivity increases are essential, doing so will not be easy. But there is still a lot to find out about how to boost ICT use and agricultural output in Ghana. Due to the complexity of the issues that farmers confront, it may be necessary to implement coordinated efforts at both the regional and national levels. As a means of promoting the incorporation of technological solutions on Ghanaian farms, it is proposed that:

• Research & Development is an area where governments should continue to spend because of the substantial returns it produces. In order to expedite the process and allow for the efficient creation of high-yielding and disease-resistant seeds, donors and supporters should collaborate with research institutions to deploy technological improvements;
• It is imperative that investments in rural regions’ energy and transportation facilities continue to be given top priority. When electricity is interrupted or goes out, or when perishable goods are delayed in transit, it may have a profound impact on the whole supply chain;
• In light of the diversity of farmers’ situations and demands, specialized programs run by NGOs and the private sector may be necessary to address issues such as land and farm management, access to markets, access to agricultural machinery, access to financing to get tractors and farm implements, value chains, and more. There is a role for local governments in aiding this strategy. Facilitating, assessing, and, if successful, expanding these initiatives should be the focus of stakeholders;
• It is incumbent upon innovators and entrepreneurs to create and scale up cost-effective technology that may be widely adopted by farmers to solve the most pressing problems they confront.

Role of Tractors Ghana

Farmer ICT literacy may be boosted through crop information systems that use technology, and Tractors Ghana can assist Ghanaian farmers to save a lot of money on needed agricultural machinery. The humble farmers of Ghana now feel more secure thanks to Tractors Ghana. The availability of sturdy and reliable agricultural machinery including Massey Ferguson tractors for sale and New Holland tractors for sale as well as farm implements and combine harvesters gives farmers confidence in the project’s future success.