Forests provide a range of essential ecosystem services, goods, and benefits to both humans and t... more Forests provide a range of essential ecosystem services, goods, and benefits to both humans and the environment. In Ghana, the forest sector is governed by numerous laws aimed at managing forest resources. Despite these regulations, political and institutional challenges hinder effective enforcement, leading to widespread illegal forest activities. These activities cause environmental degradation, financial losses, and disrupt the livelihoods of communities living near forests. Furthermore, detailed information on the types and frequencies of illegal activities in various forest reserves in Ghana is lacking. This study aimed to investigate the various illegal forest activities in the Nkawie and Goaso forest districts. Secondary data from the forest district offices, including records of confiscated timber from 2019 to 2021, reported forest offences, and actions taken, were collected and analyzed. The analysis was conducted using ANOVA and descriptive statistics, such as mean and frequency, in Microsoft Excel. Findings were presented through graphs and frequency tables, with tree species star-ratings categorized according to the system by Hawthorne and Abu-Juam. The most common illegal activities were transporting illegally sawn timber in Goaso and illegal farming in forest reserves in Nkawie. Twenty-two tree species were exploited, with Wawa, Onyina (Ceiba), Dahoma, and Mansonia being the most frequently targeted from 2019 to 2021. Among the star-rated species, those in the scarlet category (eight species) were the most exploited. Common deterrent actions included impounding timber at the district office in Goaso and reporting offenders to the police in Nkawie. The study recommends enhancing the involvement of environmental NGOs to collaborate actively with law enforcement agencies, aiming to reduce illegal forest activities through joint efforts.
A field experiment was carried out to determine the effect of variety and plant spacing on yield ... more A field experiment was carried out to determine the effect of variety and plant spacing on yield and growth of groundnuts. The field experiment was laid in a 3 × 3 factorial experiment in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three (3) replications. The factor A included three (3) groundnut varieties (Nkatie Sari, Sum Nutt 22 and Yenyawoso) and Factor B was the three (3) spacing of 30 cm × 15 cm, 30 cm × 30 cm and 30 cm × 40 cm. All recommended agronomic practices were followed. Data was collected from eight (8) tagged plants. Growth data were recorded on plant height, number of branches, number of leaves, and the number of flowers while yield data were collected on the number of flowers, number of pods per plant, 100 seeds weight and the pod yield (kg/ha). The plant spacing significantly influenced (P < 0.05) the growth and yield parameters. Groundnut grown at a spacing of 30 cm × 15 cm produced the maximum plant height, whereas the maximum number of leaves, number of branches and number of flowers were produced from 30 cm × 40 cm. Yenyawoso variety with a wider plant spacing performed better vegetatively among all the varieties. The Yenyawoso variety produced the highest number of pods, 100 seeds weight and pod yield as compared to the other varieties. Also, Yenyawoso at 30 cm × 40 cm spacing and Nkatie Sari at 30 cm × 15 cm spacing produced the maximum pod yield.
Tomato production plays a crucial role in the livelihoods of farmers and agricultural households ... more Tomato production plays a crucial role in the livelihoods of farmers and agricultural households in the forest savanna transitional belt of Ghana. However, the success of tomato cultivation is hindered by the presence of insect pests and diseases, necessitating the use of agricultural inputs. This study aimed to identify the pesticides used in tomato farming, assess their World Health Organization (WHO) active ingredient hazard class, determine the precautionary behaviour associated with pesticide use by tomato farmers, and elucidate the socioeconomic factors influencing pesticide usage in the Bono and Ahafo regions of Ghana. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 1009 respondents, who were administered a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to analyse the collected data. The results revealed that tomato farmers utilized 15 types of insecticides (e.g., lambda and chlorpyrifos ethyl based), 8 types of fungicides (e.g., mancozeb and sulphur + copper based), and 6 types of weedicides (mostly glyphosate based) on their crops. Notably, four insecticides and two fungicides types were found to be unregistered products. Lambda-cyhalothrin-based insecticides and mancozeb-based fungicides were predominantly used by the farmers. The assessed pesticides exhibited varying levels of hazard, ranging from slight to moderate. The study found that farmer training was a significant driver influencing insecticide use, while the educational level of farmers and average yield played important roles in determining fungicide use. Socioeconomic factors such as being the head of the household, employing farm workers, the cultivated tomato variety, and farmer training influenced weedicide use. The type of tomato variety cultivated emerged as the primary socioeconomic driver of pesticide use. The study recommended the establishment and implementation of a systematic monitoring regime for pesticide product marketing and use, with the aim of reducing the utilization of unregistered products by farmers. Implementing these measures supports sustainable tomato farming in the Bono and Ahafo regions of Ghana.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
To ensure food security, continuous intensive farming systems with limited fallowing periods and ... more To ensure food security, continuous intensive farming systems with limited fallowing periods and other farming systems like crop rotation have led to poor soil health with extremely low organic matter, especially in tropical regions with high organic matter mineralization. Small-scale farmers in developing countries cannot afford intensive agricultural systems with heavy chemical inputs, which have not improved soil health. Inorganic fertilizers are harmful to the environment, so farmers should use cheap, locally available organic fertilizers like animal manure, which supports organic agricultural systems and soil health. Animal manure is used as a soil amendment to improve soil health, fertility, and crop yields, but data on how different manures affect specific crops is scarce. Poultry, cattle, and goat manure were compared to no fertilizer and mineral fertilizer on garden egg phenology, vegetative growth, and yield. Poultry manure improved garden egg vegetative growth, phenology, yield, and yield components compared to the negative control and the other treatments. Poultry manure yielded the most fruit at 0.921 kg•ha −1 , followed by cattle and goat manure at 0.709 kg•ha −1 and 0.698 kg•ha −1. In conclusion, poultry manure may be a better alternative to synthetic NPK with yield performance similar to garden eggs and long-term soil health benefits similar to other manure sources.
Forests provide a range of essential ecosystem services, goods, and benefits to both humans and t... more Forests provide a range of essential ecosystem services, goods, and benefits to both humans and the environment. In Ghana, the forest sector is governed by numerous laws aimed at managing forest resources. Despite these regulations, political and institutional challenges hinder effective enforcement, leading to widespread illegal forest activities. These activities cause environmental degradation, financial losses, and disrupt the livelihoods of communities living near forests. Furthermore, detailed information on the types and frequencies of illegal activities in various forest reserves in Ghana is lacking. This study aimed to investigate the various illegal forest activities in the Nkawie and Goaso forest districts. Secondary data from the forest district offices, including records of confiscated timber from 2019 to 2021, reported forest offences, and actions taken, were collected and analyzed. The analysis was conducted using ANOVA and descriptive statistics, such as mean and frequency, in Microsoft Excel. Findings were presented through graphs and frequency tables, with tree species star-ratings categorized according to the system by Hawthorne and Abu-Juam. The most common illegal activities were transporting illegally sawn timber in Goaso and illegal farming in forest reserves in Nkawie. Twenty-two tree species were exploited, with Wawa, Onyina (Ceiba), Dahoma, and Mansonia being the most frequently targeted from 2019 to 2021. Among the star-rated species, those in the scarlet category (eight species) were the most exploited. Common deterrent actions included impounding timber at the district office in Goaso and reporting offenders to the police in Nkawie. The study recommends enhancing the involvement of environmental NGOs to collaborate actively with law enforcement agencies, aiming to reduce illegal forest activities through joint efforts.
A field experiment was carried out to determine the effect of variety and plant spacing on yield ... more A field experiment was carried out to determine the effect of variety and plant spacing on yield and growth of groundnuts. The field experiment was laid in a 3 × 3 factorial experiment in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three (3) replications. The factor A included three (3) groundnut varieties (Nkatie Sari, Sum Nutt 22 and Yenyawoso) and Factor B was the three (3) spacing of 30 cm × 15 cm, 30 cm × 30 cm and 30 cm × 40 cm. All recommended agronomic practices were followed. Data was collected from eight (8) tagged plants. Growth data were recorded on plant height, number of branches, number of leaves, and the number of flowers while yield data were collected on the number of flowers, number of pods per plant, 100 seeds weight and the pod yield (kg/ha). The plant spacing significantly influenced (P < 0.05) the growth and yield parameters. Groundnut grown at a spacing of 30 cm × 15 cm produced the maximum plant height, whereas the maximum number of leaves, number of branches and number of flowers were produced from 30 cm × 40 cm. Yenyawoso variety with a wider plant spacing performed better vegetatively among all the varieties. The Yenyawoso variety produced the highest number of pods, 100 seeds weight and pod yield as compared to the other varieties. Also, Yenyawoso at 30 cm × 40 cm spacing and Nkatie Sari at 30 cm × 15 cm spacing produced the maximum pod yield.
Tomato production plays a crucial role in the livelihoods of farmers and agricultural households ... more Tomato production plays a crucial role in the livelihoods of farmers and agricultural households in the forest savanna transitional belt of Ghana. However, the success of tomato cultivation is hindered by the presence of insect pests and diseases, necessitating the use of agricultural inputs. This study aimed to identify the pesticides used in tomato farming, assess their World Health Organization (WHO) active ingredient hazard class, determine the precautionary behaviour associated with pesticide use by tomato farmers, and elucidate the socioeconomic factors influencing pesticide usage in the Bono and Ahafo regions of Ghana. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 1009 respondents, who were administered a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to analyse the collected data. The results revealed that tomato farmers utilized 15 types of insecticides (e.g., lambda and chlorpyrifos ethyl based), 8 types of fungicides (e.g., mancozeb and sulphur + copper based), and 6 types of weedicides (mostly glyphosate based) on their crops. Notably, four insecticides and two fungicides types were found to be unregistered products. Lambda-cyhalothrin-based insecticides and mancozeb-based fungicides were predominantly used by the farmers. The assessed pesticides exhibited varying levels of hazard, ranging from slight to moderate. The study found that farmer training was a significant driver influencing insecticide use, while the educational level of farmers and average yield played important roles in determining fungicide use. Socioeconomic factors such as being the head of the household, employing farm workers, the cultivated tomato variety, and farmer training influenced weedicide use. The type of tomato variety cultivated emerged as the primary socioeconomic driver of pesticide use. The study recommended the establishment and implementation of a systematic monitoring regime for pesticide product marketing and use, with the aim of reducing the utilization of unregistered products by farmers. Implementing these measures supports sustainable tomato farming in the Bono and Ahafo regions of Ghana.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
To ensure food security, continuous intensive farming systems with limited fallowing periods and ... more To ensure food security, continuous intensive farming systems with limited fallowing periods and other farming systems like crop rotation have led to poor soil health with extremely low organic matter, especially in tropical regions with high organic matter mineralization. Small-scale farmers in developing countries cannot afford intensive agricultural systems with heavy chemical inputs, which have not improved soil health. Inorganic fertilizers are harmful to the environment, so farmers should use cheap, locally available organic fertilizers like animal manure, which supports organic agricultural systems and soil health. Animal manure is used as a soil amendment to improve soil health, fertility, and crop yields, but data on how different manures affect specific crops is scarce. Poultry, cattle, and goat manure were compared to no fertilizer and mineral fertilizer on garden egg phenology, vegetative growth, and yield. Poultry manure improved garden egg vegetative growth, phenology, yield, and yield components compared to the negative control and the other treatments. Poultry manure yielded the most fruit at 0.921 kg•ha −1 , followed by cattle and goat manure at 0.709 kg•ha −1 and 0.698 kg•ha −1. In conclusion, poultry manure may be a better alternative to synthetic NPK with yield performance similar to garden eggs and long-term soil health benefits similar to other manure sources.
Uploads
Papers by Eric Adjei