Tiger Nut Production and Livelihood Enhancement of Farmers: An Unearthed “Gold’’ Business in the Nadowli-Kaleo District, Ghana

Abstract

The study explored how land access, ownership arrangements and tiger nut farmers’ connection with local and international markets influence tiger nut production and livelihood enhancement of farmers in the Nadowli-Kaleo District of Ghana. Tiger nut, a warm-season sedge, thrives in tropical climates but the crop remains underutilised in Ghana, particularly in the Upper West Region which is situated within the tropical climatic zone. Thus, poor rural farmers and small-scale dealers are left to try and commercialise the crop because it receives little attention, especially from the government. The study was guided by the assumption that the extent of access to, and control over ownership of land and tiger nut farmers’ access to local and international markets have implications for sustaining and enhancing their livelihood outcomes. The study employed a mixed-method approach using a concurrent, triangulation research design to investigate the phenomenon. Multiple sampling techniques were employed to select the participants for the study. The questionnaire was administered to 166 tiger nut farmers in Sankana, Takpo, Papu and Serekperee and 15 Key Informant Interviews were conducted with Tendamba, aged tiger nut farmers, aggregators and an Agricultural Extension Officer. Descriptive and thematic analytical approaches were employed to analyse the data. The results show that 82.7% of male participants had access to land through inheritance while 15.2% of female participants inherited family land for tiger nut farming. The study found that male tiger nut farmers mainly have more secured land tenure than their female counterparts. With male farmers enjoying more secured land tenure, they dominate the production of the crop in the study area, produce in larger quantities and are arguably the main beneficiaries of the crop in the area. Tiger nut production in the study area is profitable as indicated by the positive average values of gross margin, net income and net return on investment. The profits translate into farmers' ownership of, and access to productive assets, healthcare and empowerment. There is a considerable demand for tiger nut in the research area and the crop possesses an established trade network that spans both local and international markets. However, tiger nut farmers lack cooperatives which have the potential to reduce the power that middlemen actually hold over them and to ensure a more equitable production network. It is, therefore, recommended that land reforms be carried out in the study area to ensure equitable and secured access to, and ownership of land and that farmers should form cooperatives to take advantage of the existing trade network of the crop which spans both local and international markets.