The relative economic position of cowpea in the programmes of farmers in in the Navrongo-Bawku and Denu-Abor areas of Ghana

Abstract

The relative position of cowpea in farmers programmes in the Navrongo-Bawku and Denu-Abor areas in the Upper Region and Volta Region of Ghana respectively has been investigated. Most farmers in the Navrongo-Bawku engage in arable as well as livestock production in a complimentary relationship while in the Denu-Abor area livestock production is relatively uninportant. Several crops are produced in both areas and the system of intercropping which prevails has made it possible for several enterprises to occur. The following enterprises however stand out as the most common or popular in the two areas:- Navrongo-Bawku area - millet; rice; groundnut (as pure crops); millet/cowpea; Cowpea/groundnut; millet/ sorghum/ cowpea and millet/ groundnut/ cowpea (as mixed enterprises). In the Denu-Abor area, cassava; maize; cowpea; groundnut, tobacco (as pure crops) cassava/naize; cassava/cowpea; cassava/naize/cowpea and cassava/maize/troundnut are the nost common enterprises. According to the farmers own ratings, cowpea is ,their 4th and ;3rd most important crops in the Navrongo-Bawku and Denu-Abor area respectively. However, in terms of its contribution to farners total annual output from crop production cowpea was found to rank 5th in the Navrongo-Bawku and 3rd in the Denu-Abor area while in terns of cash receipts or farmers cash incomes from crop production, cowpeas contribution was found to be the 3rd largest in both survey areas. Food for the household and cash motivate farmers in both areas to cultivate cowpea for good yields. and they would produce more cowpea if there were assurances for good yields. In the present circumstances of the farmers, cowpea as a pure crop is not a profitable enterprise in the Navrongo-Bawku area although when produced as an intercrop with millet and sorghum, the three constitute the optimum enterprise (among the popular ones) for investment. In the Denu-Abor area cowpea (pure crop) is the optimum enterprise for investment by the farmers however where August labour is seriously limited cassava (pure crop) should take precedence. over cowpea