3rd Africa Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance Forum Presentation given by Ansah Vincent Botchway, CSIR-ARi, Ghana

1. Cost-benefit analysis of CSA Practices utilization in the Guinea savannah
and Forest agro-ecological zones of Ghana: Implications for CSA
investment and scalability at subnational level.
PRESENTER: Ansah Vincent Botchway1
Collaborative Scientists: Od um Sam Kingsley1, Naaminong Karbo1, Delali Nutsukpo2
Essegbey George3, Henry Degraft Acquah4, Dadzie Ndzebah Samuel4, Partey Samuel5
and Zougmore Robert5
1CSIR-Animal Research Institute, 2 Department of Agriculture, Greater Accra Region,
3CSIR-Science Technology Policy Research Institute, 4Department of Agricultural
Economics and Extension, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Cape Coast, 5 ICRISAT
CCAFS West Africa, Mali

2. • 1.1. Background
• Climate change pose a major threat to development globally.
• Situation in Sub-Saharan Africa it is compounded by their weak economies and high dependence on agriculture
as a major driver of economic growth and development.
• Ghana is equally threatened because agriculture continues to play vital role in its socio-economic development
(employment, income, food and inputs).
• Ghana has since 2010 undertaken several initiatives such as the development of
• A National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) and associated implementation strategy document developed to
achieve a climate-smart and sustainable socio-economic growth and development.
• Ghana has embraced the drive for Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA).
• So has developed Climate-Smart Agriculture Action Plan developed to operationalize the agriculture sector of
the NCCP.
• The Ghana Science-Policy Dialogue Platform on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS)
established with funding support from CCAFS West Africa
• The Platform in attempt to make available empirical and evidence-based information on CSA, conducted this
case study and profiled CSA technologies and practices from forest and Guinea Savannah agro-ecological zones
to support agro-ecosystem action plans for effective policy-investment decision-making.

3. • 1.2. Objectives of the Study
• The main objective of the study is to conduct case study on
the utilisation of the most prevalent climate smart agriculture (CSA)
technologies and practices in the Guinea Savannah and Forest Agro-
Ecological zones in Ghana. This is to generate evidence-based information at the
sub-national level for policy dialogue and decision making towards agricultural
planning and investments in Ghana. Focusing on the case studies of the most
prevalent CSA technologies and practices,
The study specifically:
• Profiled the CSA technologies and practices utilization levels in the practicing
communities
• Estimate the costs and benefits of the application of the CSA technologies and
practices in the study area
• Assess the contribution of the CSA technologies and practices to livelihood
improvement of the users
• Identify success factors and challenges associated with the utilization of the
CSA technologies and practices in the study area

4. Findings: CSA Technologies and Practices Utilization Levels in Guinea Savannah and Forest Agro-ecological Zones
District Ranking of CSA Technologies using CSA profiling manual (Sam et.al 2015) criteria
Nandom (49): “Community-led bushfire control>Crop-livestock integration>Mixed
cropping>Agroforestry>Organic fertilizer>Crop rotation
Jirapa (34): “Crop-livestock integration>Chemical fertilizer>Mixed cropping >Crop rotation>Crop
diversification>Conservation Agriculture (Stone lining and bunding, Ridging contouring)>Minimum
tillage”
Lawra (32) : “Crop-livestock integration>Community-led bushfire control> Farmer-managed Natural
Regeneration>Conservation Agriculture (Stone lining and bunding, Ridging
contouring)>Composting>Crop rotation>Supplementary feeding for livestock”.
Offinso South (12): “Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM)>Use of manure>No tillage>Intercropping>Use of
improve varieties/breeds>Crop intensification>Cover cropping”
Antwima Nwabiagya (12): “Slashing without burning>Use of manure>Intercropping>Crop intensification>Use of improve
varieties/breeds>Conservation Agriculture>Improved housing>No tillage>Use of crop
residues/AIB’s>Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM)”
Afigya Kwabre (10): “Slashing without burning>Intercropping>Use of improve varieties/breeds>No tillage > Use of
manure > Intercropping > Zero grazing > Improved housing>Trees on farms (eg. Cocoa)>Crop
intensification”
NB: Crop-livestock integration and Crop rotation were commonly used in the three districts of Guinea Savannah and use of
manure, intercropping and the use of improve varieties/breeds were commonly practiced districts in the Forest Zone.

5. 2
85
90
10
8
5
0 00
5
45
100
50
35
0
25
15
0
20
5
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Lawra Jirapa Nandom Lawra Jirapa Nandom Lawra Jirapa Nandom Lawra Jirapa Nandom
Backyard Small Medium Large
DISTRICT LEVEL CSA SCALE OF APPLICATION IN THE GUINEA SAVANNAH AGRO ZONE
Crop-livestock integration Community-led bushfire control Farmer-managed natural regeneration
Conservation agriculture Composting Crop rotation
Chemical fertilizer Mixed cropping Crop diversification
Stone lining and bunding Agroforestry Organic fertilizer
Backyard use of CSA practices
dominates in Nandom where
use of organic fertilizer
dominates
Small scale use of CSA
practices dominates in Lawra
where Crop Rotation is highly
practiced Medium to Large scale use of CSA
practices dominates in Jirapa where
crop rotation is high in medium scale
and crop rotation is high in large scale
use

6. 80
70
75
20
15
10
0
15 15
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Lawra Jirapa Nandom Lawra Jirapa Nandom Lawra Jirapa Nandom
Men Women Youth
GENDER CSA UTILZATION IN GUINEA SAVANNAH AGRO ECOLOGICAL ZONE (%)
Crop-livestock integration Community-led bushfire control Farmer-managed natural regeneration
Conservation agriculture Composting Crop rotation
Chemical fertilizer Mixed cropping Crop diversification
Stone lining and bunding Agroforestry Organic fertilizer
Women dominate in conservation agriculture in
Lawra, mixed cropping in Jirapa & Nandom Unlike women, youth in Nandom
owns land by inheritance but
Youth CSA utilization were low.
Youth dominated the women in
the use of agro forestry and crop
rotation in Nandom.
Men dominate in crop rotation,
chemical fertilizer, CLI etc.

7. 0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Offinso
South
Antwima
Nwabiagya
Afigya
Kwabre
Offinso
South
Antwima
Nwabiagya
Afigya
Kwabre
Offinso
South
Antwima
Nwabiagya
Afigya
Kwabre
Offinso
South
Antwima
Nwabiagya
Afigya
Kwabre
Backyard Small Medium Large
DISTRICT LEVEL CSA SCALE OF APPLICATION IN THE FOREST AGROECOLOGICAL ZONE
Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) Use of manure
No tillage Intercropping
Use of improve varieties/breeds Slashing without burning
Crop intensification

8. Men Offinso South, 40
Men Antwima Nwabiagya, 20
Women Offinso South, 50
Women Antwima Nwabiagya,
70
Youth Offinso South, 10Youth Antwima Nwabiagya, 10
Men Antwima Nwabiagya, 30
Men Afigya Kwabre, 80
Women Antwima Nwabiagya,
60
Women Afigya Kwabre, 10 Youth Antwima Nwabiagya, 10Youth Afigya Kwabre, 10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Offinso
South
Antwima
Nwabiagya
Afigya
Kwabre
Offinso
South
Antwima
Nwabiagya
Afigya
Kwabre
Offinso
South
Antwima
Nwabiagya
Afigya
Kwabre
Men Women Youth
GENDER CSA UTILZATION IN FOREST AGRO ECOLOGICAL ZONE (%)
Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) Use of manure
No tillage Intercropping
Use of improve varieties/breeds Slashing without burning
Crop intensification

9. 0.92
0.39
0.61
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
Lawra Jirapa Nandom Offinso South Atwima Nwabiagya Afigya Kwabre
Cost-Benefit Ratios of Districts in Guinea Savannah and Forest Agroecological zones of Ghana
Crop-livestock integration Community-led bushfire control Farmer-managed natural regeneration
Conservation agriculture Composting Crop rotation
Chemical fertilizer Mixed cropping Crop diversification
Stone lining and bunding Agroforestry Organic fertilizer
Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) Use of manure No tillage
Intercropping Use of improve varieties
CBR was relatively high for composting in Lawra,
largely used in small scale, high cost observed labor
and tools, CLI next highest benefits locked in unsale
livestock
Positive variance observed for rest of practices with
positive ROI

10. Agro-Ecological zone Key challenges Proposed local-level policy recommendations by farmers
Guinea Savannah • Cross border fires from the
neighbourhood,
• Inadequate farmlands,
• initial capital investment,
• Inadequate know-how.
• Develop and enforce by-laws on bushfire and tree felling;
• Budget to support community-based fight bushfire and
deforestation;
• Regulate fertilizer prices and proliferation of inputs dealers;
• Enforce environmental safety policies and laws;
• MoFA AEAs should educate farmers on the proper use of the
technologies;
• Ensure availability of improved varieties at affordable prices;
• Need for community level action to line up stones on affected
areas for the benefit of the communities;
• Capacity building and trainings
Forest • Inadequate rainfall,
• Rising cost of inputs,
• Perpetual land tenure issues,
• Increase in harmful pest attack,
the need to always buy improved
varieties/breeds,
• Labour intensive;
• Host of disease pests and
dangerous reptiles
• Subsidy on farm inputs;
• Review land tenure issues;
• Education on improved livestock and manure management;
• Strict by-law on bush burning;
• Education on appropriate planting period, distance and
harvesting,
• Supply improved varieties to farmers,
• MoFA agricultural extension to provide education and useful
services and Establishment of demonstration fields
Farmers Challenges and Policy recommendations from Farmers to promote CSA technologies and practices

11. Conclusion:
• All the most highly ranked CSA technologies and practices
were commonly applied at the small-scale farming level and
that smallholder farmers largely utilised them.
• The applications of the CSA technologies and practices in the
districts are generally gender-neutral indicating that men,
women and the youth have freedom to use but women were
mostly constraint by strength and money for implementation.
• In all cases, there were marked positive variance between the
revenues generated when a technology or practice is used
and the revenues generated when technology or practice is
not used through the “with” and “without” approaches.
• All things held constant, farmers in the forest agro-ecological
zone of Ghana using CSA technologies and practices are
better of in terms of revenue generation than otherwise.
• The application of each of the most highly ranked CSA
technologies and practices generated positive net revenues
with the corresponding costs-to-benefits less than 1 showing
gains in returns on investment, hence viable investments.
• Utilization of CSA practices by Youth was very low in all
districts, therefore Youth CSA utilization and empowerment
fund in agriculture is important

12. Key Lessons
• Case study add to existing literature that Climate change
is location specific hence actions must also be location
specific.
All size fit all approach wont help drawing lessons from the
fact that the case study observed:
• Geographical variations in the type, number of CSA
Practices and technologies utilisation
• Each district has its own CSA practices priority, more CSA
Practices profiled as one move to more drier agro-
ecological zones in Ghana.
• CSA practices priority varies across agroecological zones
and district
• Scale of application for each practice varies for zones and
district
• Gender and CSA practices utilization levels varied
considerably per agroecological zone and district.
• Cost–benefit analysis reveals varied levels of returns on
investment per practice.
• As result CSA Investment Plan development for any
country to support agro-ecosystem should take into
consideration empirical and evidence-based information
generated at subnational level

13. Thank you