@article{Egyir:296645,
      recid = {296645},
      author = {Egyir, Irene and Baffoe-Bonnie, Edna and Otchere, Gilbert  and Asante, Sarah and Kwarteng-Amaning, Frimpong},
      title = {1st International Conference on Food and Agricultural  Economics:MAIZE FARMERS IN GHANA RESPOND TO FERTILIZER  SUBSIDY POLICY: WHAT NEXT TO ENSURE SUSTAINABILITY?},
      address = {2017-04},
      number = {2314-2019-4777},
      pages = {9},
      year = {2017},
      abstract = {Soil fertility loss issues in Ghana are crucial owing to  the fact that Africa’s soils are known to be the poorest in  the world and fertilizer use is low. In 2007, a re-thinking  of the fertilizer subsidy policy of the 1970s to 1990s  targeted poorer farmers’ inclusivity. The new Fertilizer  Subsidy Programme (FSP) that was implemented in 2008 was  designed as a public-private partnership agreement that  allowed the private sector to supply fertilizer to farmers  at half price. The aim was to increase use rate, crop  yields and household food supply especially by small holder  food crop farmers. In 2012, a subsidy on improved seeds was  introduced as part of the FSP to support production of  locally produced improved seed (germplasm) and use by  farmers. This study used the Nerlove regression model to  establish the positive effect of fertilizer policy on  output of maize, a leading staple crop grown in all five  agro-ecological zones in Ghana. The roles of good rainfall  amounts, high product price and area expansion were also  identified. By 2015, the use rate of fertilizer had  increased from 8kg/Ha to 20kg/Ha and maize yield from 1.5  Mt/Ha to 1.9 Mt/Ha. However, the initial subsidy rate of 50  percent on mineral fertilizer reduced to an average of 20  percent by the end of 2015. In 2014, the government did not  pay subsidy on any of the fertilizers, raising  sustainability concerns by various stakeholders: 1)  Adequacy of funding sources of Government and financing for  input dealers, 2) When the crowding out effect on the  private sector will cease, 3) Effectiveness of the  electronic monitoring of fertilizer retailers by local  Agricultural officers with limited ICT training and 4) The  quality of road infrastructure to facilitate distribution  of fertilizer to remote areas. To sustain the gains made  and ensure continued increased application of fertilizers  by farmers, the study recommends that: 1) The FSP should be  re-designed to include a government exit plan, which  involves two key paths: i) the poorer farmers should be  linked to social protection projects to support the subsidy  portion of the scheme and ii) non-poor farmer entrepreneurs  should be linked to financial institutions in a contract  farming scheme. Government exit at the appropriate time  will assure competition in the market and lead to  sustainable interest and participation by the private  sector. 2) Integrated soil health management should be  promoted among farmers since that ensures the practice of  combined use of mineral and organic fertilizer with  improved germplasm and local adaptation. 3) Farm income be  improved through output support programmes that assures  market access and adequate pricing.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/296645},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.296645},
}