Economic Growth and the Intensification of Agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa

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This research investigates the impact of Ghana's recent economic growth on agricultural technologies in several villages around Kumasi, an inland big city. Total population of the study villages did not change much during the last 10 year period, but the share of adults whose main income source is agriculture reduced significantly. While the number of rice producers is the same, the share of migrants has decreased. The comparison of profitability of rice and maize reveals that rice has become more profitable than maize now, reversing the position during the last 10 year period. Area planted to rice did not change, but fallow has disappeared and continuous land use has become common. In addition, the use of improved varieties, chemical fertilizer, herbicide, and bird net has widely adopted in rice production, indicating that labor-saving intensification is taking place. This technological change is considered to be induced by increasing demand for food due to the recent economic growth.