A Dose–Response Analysis of Rice Yield to Agrochemical Use in Ghana

Kwabena Nyarko Addai, John N. Ng’ombe () and Simeon Kaitibie
Additional contact information
Kwabena Nyarko Addai: Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Extension, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, UPO, Kumasi, Ghana
John N. Ng’ombe: Department of Agribusiness, Applied Economics and Agriscience Education, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA
Simeon Kaitibie: Faculty of Agribusiness and Commerce, Lincoln University, Lincoln 7647, New Zealand
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: John N. Ng'ombe

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-15

Abstract: In recent years, Ghanaian agriculture has witnessed a surge in the use of agrochemicals, with the likely consequence that nonoptimal levels of application could cause environmental damage and economic losses. We identify the factors that affect the adoption of agrochemicals and the intensity of use in Ghanaian rice farming. We estimate the average treatment effects of chemical fertilizer and herbicide adoption using a Dose–Response Model (DRM). Our results show that a wide range of socioeconomic factors, including education, asset ownership, extension service, off-farm income, and land ownership affect adoption and use intensity of agrochemicals. On average, chemical fertilizer usage is associated with a 10% increase in the average treatment effect; low levels of chemical fertilizer have a negative impact on rice yield, and the result turns positive with more intensive use. Similarly, herbicide treatment generates a 7% increase in the average treatment effect, but higher herbicide levels will have negative causal effects on rice yield, and the result worsens with more herbicide treatment. Both agricultural technologies were designed to be used together, hence the appropriate mix of levels and intensity is crucial to achieve greater benefits. The DRM accounts for heterogeneity in the sample and is a useful tool to develop guidance on optimal levels of agrochemicals.

Keywords: chemical fertilizer; herbicide; agrochemical; dose–response function; rice yield; Ghana (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/10/1527/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/10/1527/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jagris:v:12:y:2022:i:10:p:1527-:d:922759

Access Statistics for this article

Agriculture is currently edited by Ms. Leda Xuan

More articles in Agriculture from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().