Understanding interdependencies that shape the use of soil fertility management practices in Northern Ghana: a relational perspective on adoption

Abstract Over the past decades, agricultural extension services in Ghana have promoted a variety of practices to restore soil fertility. However, several studies have shown that there is a scaling conundrum, as the promoted practices have been met with persistent low adoption. The existing quantitative evidence helps to identify the cognitive and sociodemographic variables that influence individual farmers’ adoption of soil fertility practices. Nonetheless, they do little to explain the interdependencies that shape farmers’ adoption behaviour. To address this gap, we conducted a qualitative study to interrogate the interdependencies that shape the use of soil fertility practices in Northern Ghana, using focus group discussions with farmers. We found that (non)adoption of soil fertility practices happens within a complex network of relationships between different actors. In view of such interdependencies, (non)adoption can be viewed as a relational issue, where farmers cannot make meaningful adoption decisions if other actors in the value chain and the farming environment do not simultaneously change some of their practices. This brings into play a wider set of variables and issues that may help to elucidate whether or not and why farmers adopt new practices. On the basis of these findings, we contend that policies aimed at supporting farmers to adopt soil restorative practices should include changing dysfunctional institutional arrangements that orient farmers’ adoption behaviour. Achieving this may require a broadening of the types of innovation intermediation roles played by agricultural extension organisations.