Does awareness and concern for the environment influence the use of detrimental inputs? A study of maize farmers in Ghana

Sustainable food systems are necessary not only as a channel for addressing the food security needs of the world’s growing population, but are also crucial in ensuring that the needs of future generations are not compromised. This study examined the influence of environmental awareness and concern about the use of detrimental inputs in crop production. The study involved 400 maize farmers from the Northern Region of Ghana, and made use of multivariate multiple linear regression and the translog profit function for the data analysis. The results show that farmers with characteristics including being male, the head of the household, the decision maker on the farm, receiving frequent extension visits and being the owner of the farm, along with the nature of the farm plot, significantly determine the level of farmers’ environmental awareness and concern. Moreover, environmental awareness and concern have a significant effect on the use of detrimental inputs in production. The results contribute to an understanding of the importance of knowledge in facilitating actions towards environmental conservation. Environmental awareness campaigns are thus relevant to the promotion of sustainable agricultural production and should be championed by governments, development agencies and NGOs.

可持续粮食系统不仅是应对全球日益增长人口粮食安全需求的重要路径，更是保障后世子孙发展需求不受损害的关键所在。本研究探究了作物生产中有害投入品使用相关的环境认知与关切程度，及其影响因素与对生产行为的作用效果。本研究的调研样本涵盖加纳北部地区的400名玉米种植户，数据分析采用多元多重线性回归与超越对数利润函数（translog profit function）模型。研究结果显示，男性户主、农场经营决策者、频繁接受农技推广服务、拥有农场所有权的农户，以及农场地块的属性特征，均会显著影响农户的环境认知与关切水平。此外，农户的环境认知与关切程度对生产环节中有害投入品的使用行为具有显著影响。本研究结果有助于深化对知识在推动环境保护行动中重要性的认知。因此，环境认知宣传活动对推动可持续农业生产具有重要意义，应当由各国政府、发展机构与非政府组织（NGO）牵头推行。