Potential challenges to precision agriculture technologies development in Ghana: scientists’ and cocoa extension agents’ perspectives

This paper examines the prospects and challenges of developing and implementing preci- sion agricultural technologies (PATs) in cocoa production in Ghana. A census of cocoa research scientists and a survey of cocoa extension agents (CEAs) in Ghana were taken. Five major challenges they perceived to pose serious challenges to the development and implementation of future PATs were: (a) farmer-demographic characteristics, (b) envi- ronmental, (c) educational, (d) economic, and (e) technical challenges. The main farmer- demographic characteristics expected to pose serious challenges to precision agriculture development and adoption in Ghana were age of farmers, farmers’ low level of education, farmers’ lack of computer knowledge, and subsistence farmers with low income. The most important environmental challenges expected to pose substantial challenge to PAT devel- opment and adoption were: lack of accessible road to farms, vegetation (mostly forest/ trees) posing a challenge to the movement of some precision agriculture (PA) machinery, and undulating nature of topography of cocoa fields. Both scientists and CEAs perceived that the overall challenges to PATs development and implementation in Ghana would be substantial. There were no significant differences between scientists’ and CEAs’ perceived challenges anticipated in the development and implementation of PATs at 0.05 alpha level. This means that the overall prospect of developing and implementing PA in cocoa produc- tion in Ghana was perceived to be rather low. The study recommended, among others, the need for stakeholders to set up research unit purposely to develop PA technologies and methods taking into consideration the social-demographic and economic situation of farm- ers as well as environmental factors—such as soil type, vegetation and topography of ara- ble cocoa lands in Ghana. On-station trials of PATs should begin with these research units and later on-farm trials replicated on farmers’ farm. Moreover, initial targets and training of farmers should focus on literate farmers who are more likely to comprehend and apply features of PATs.