Drivers of Cocoa Farmers' Access to Agricultural Services in Ghana: A Case Study of Sefwi Wiawso Municipal

Notwithstanding the important role that agricultural services play in cocoa production, not much is known about the drivers of adoption intensity as well as the synergies between these services. This study seeks to fill this void by investigating the drivers of cocoa farmers access to essential agricultural services (ASs) in Sefwi Wiawso municipal of Ghana using cross-sectional data collected from 253 farmers. Multivariate probit (MVP) analysis was used to estimate the determinants of farmers' access to these services, while generalized Poisson regression model was used to assess the degree of access. The research found that synergies exist between the ASs. Furthermore, factors such as years of education, household size, farm size, involvement in off-farm work, and revenue from cocoa cultivation drive access to ASs. The degree of access is influenced by sex, years of education, farm size, revenue from cocoa production, and the value of farm assets. Also, farmland ownership influenced both access and the degree of access. The study recommends enhancing collaboration between public and private agricultural service providers to improve access to ASs to boost cocoa production in Ghana. Other policy measures include incentivizing extension agents to reach more farmers and encouraging farmers to join farmer groups since these groups are important linkages between farmers and extension agents and researchers.