Durham E-Theses The impact of intermediate means of transports (IMTs) on agricultural production and marketing in coastal Ghana: evidence from a pilot IMT action research project Acheampong, Frank Owusu How to cite: Acheampong, Frank Owusu (2004) The impact of intermediate means of transports (IMTs) on agricultural production and marketing in coastal Ghana: evidence from a pilot IMT action research project, Durham theses, Durham University. 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THESIS A copyright of this thesis nsts with the author. No quotation from it should be pulblished without his prior written consent and information derived from it should lbe ackinowledged. November 2004 ~ ~-. 2 1 SEP 2005 THE IMPACT OF INTERMEDIATE MEANS OF TRANSPORTS (IMTs) ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AN][) MARKETING IN COASTAL GHANA: EVIDENCE FROM A PILOT IMT ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT By Frank Owusu Acheampong Thesis submitted for the award of the degree of Master of Arts by Research (MAR) of the University of Durham Department of Geography University of Durham Durham, UK November 2004 ;;c;:l; J o2ooL-f / /tCH lFrank Owusu Acheampong Thesis title: The impact oflntermediate Means of Transports (IMTs) on agricultural production and marketing in coastal Ghana: evidence from a pilot ][M'f action research project ABSTRACT Transport is a critical input for agricultural production and marketing. The past three decades have been challenging for the development of efficient transport systems in developing countries. Huge funds and efforts have been devoted to the conventional transport sector but this has clearly had limited impact on accessibility or mobility. Most farmers continue to depend on walking and headloading to move their produce between farms and markets. This hinders the development of agriculture and efficient marketing systems. Intermediate Means of Transports (IMTs) are now seen by many development agencies as a viable option that could induce greater mobility and improve accessibility and help improve agriculture, marketing and other livelihood means in developing areas. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of IMTs on agricultural production and marketing in rural areas, focussing on Gomoa District in the Central Region of Ghana. The study examines the impact of a small action research project which involved introduction of selected IMTs in off-road villages. It examines the influence of IMTs over a twenty month period on farm size, location, distribution, productivity patterns, labour and gender issues, utilising a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods. The study observed some IMT influence on labour productivity, labour availability and mobility, farm location and distribution, cropping pattern, marketed output and access to markets, though a relatively longer period of time is required in order to fully assess their impact than was available to this study. The impact of IMT on farming was influenced by social relationships, physical characteristics of the villages, including physical access conditions, and the economic and financial conditions of farmers. The influence of IMTs on crop marketing was larger in areas where routes to markets are poor, distance to markets are short, conventional transport service are poor and load volumes are large. 1'ABJLE OJF CONTENTS Page Abstract ....................................................................................................... i Table of contents .......................................................................................... .ii List of tables ................................................................................................ v List of figures .............................................................................................. vii Declaration .................................................................................................. x Statement of copyright. ................................................................................... xi Dedication .................................................................................................. xii Acknowledgement. ...................................................................................... xiii Abbreviations ............................................................................................. xiv Glossary of words ........................................................................................ xv CHAPTER ONE 1:0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ............................................................................................ 1 1.1.1 Transport and development .....................................................................2 1.1.2 Some current issues in transport geography ...................................................4 1.1.3 The larger project and the study area .......................................................... 6 1.1.4 Farming, marketing and transport activities in the Gomoa district ........................ 7 1.1.5 Major constraints to farming, marketing and transport activities in the study villages ..................................................................................... 8 1.2 Problem statement and wider relevance of the study ............................................. 9 1.3 Objectives ofthe study .............................................................................. lO 1.4 Organisation of study ................................................................................ 11 CHAPTER TWO 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW: LINKAGES BETWEEN TRANSPORT AND AGRICULTUR£ ..................................................................................... 12 2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................... 12 2.2 Infrastructure and constraints on agriculture .................................................... 12 2.2.1 Pattern of infrastructure development in Africa and other developing countries ...... 12 2.2.2 Transport infrastructure and transport services as constraints ............................ 14 2.3 IMTs as a means of overcoming constraints .................................................... 16 2.4 Comparing IMTs with conventional transport and head porterage ........................... 17 2.4.1 Transport service costs .......................................................................... 17 2.4.2 Suitability for subsistence tasks ............................................................... 17 2.4.3 Potential for non-farm income generation and trips ........................................ 18 2.4.4 The state of and limitations to IMT adoption and uses ..................................... 18 2.5 The potential contribution of IMTs to efficiency of resource use ............................ 19 2.5.1 Area cultivated .................................................................................. 19 2.5.2 Crop type and cropping patterns .............................................................. 20 2.5.3 Distance to fields and farm distribution ...................................................... 21 2.5.4 Labour availability .............................................................................. 21 2.5.5 Access to inputs and services .................................................................. 22 2.5.6 Market access ................................................................................... 23 2.6 Gender perspectives ................................................................................. 26 2.7 Conclusion ............................................................................................ 28 CHAPTER THREE 3.0 THE STUDY AREA AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ................................ 29 3.1 The Study Area ........................................................................................ 29 3 .1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................... 29 3 .1.2 Gomoa District. .................................................................................. 29 3.1.3 Lome ............................................................................................. 31 3.1.4 Abora ............................................................................................. 32 ll 3.1.5 Sampa ............................................................................................. 33 3.1.6 Adabra ............................................................................................ 34 3 .1. 7 Comparison