Contributory Outcomes of Medium Term Agriculture Sector Investment Plan and the Northern Rural Growth Programme Interventions on Smallholder Farmers Food Security Based on Sen’s Entitlement and Capability Approaches

Abstract

While smallholder farmers are presented with vulnerabilities that burden production, they present a huge potential for change with proper policy and targeting. In view of this, this study sought to assess the contributory outcomes of METASIP and NRGP on smallholder farmers’ food security in the Upper West Region. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, using the mixed method approach. Both questionnaires and a FGD guide were used to collect data. Kredjcie and Morgan’s (1970) sample size determination table was used to select a total of 341 smallholder farmers. SPSS was used to analyse data for this study. Out of all six (6) intervention outcomes, the study found that there has been an improvement in food security among small holder farmers after the intervention of METASIP and NRGP based on Sen’s approaches. The differences in improvement were significant at (ᵡ²⁼114.200, 60.391, 299.707, 182.199, 27.109, 23.580, df = 1, p<0.001) for indicator 1 through to 6 respectively.

DOI: 10.7176/DCS/13-3-03

Publication date:March 31^st 2023