Impact of integrated soil fertility management on maize yield, yield gap and income in northern Ghana

Summary

This study employs inverse-probability-weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA) to evaluate the causal impact of integrated soil fertility management—specifically crop rotation, inorganic fertiliser, and farmyard manure—on maize productivity and farm economics in northern Ghana. The authors find substantial synergistic benefits when all three technologies are adopted together, with an 86.52% yield increase, a 10.22% yield gap reduction, and a 51.29% increase in net income, suggesting that ISFM packages merit policy attention in sub-Saharan African smallholder farming systems.

UK applicability

These findings reflect conditions and farming practices specific to northern Ghana's agro-ecology and smallholder context, which differ substantially from UK cereals production in terms of soil type, climate, farm scale, and input availability. The broad principle that integrated fertility management can improve yield and economic returns is transferable, but direct adoption of this ISFM package would require adaptation to UK temperate conditions and existing farming infrastructure.

Key measures

Maize yield (percentage increase), yield gap (percentage decrease), net income from maize production (percentage increase), Benefit-Cost Ratio

Outcomes reported

The study measured the impact of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) practices on maize yield, yield gap, and net income from maize production in northern Ghana. Outcomes included percentage yield increase, yield gap reduction, net income change, and benefit-cost ratios associated with different adoption scenarios.

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