Factors Militating Against the Production of Local Rice in Ghana: The Mediating Role of Open Innovation (Published)
The study reports the factors militating against the production of local rice in Ghana with a mediating effect of open innovation to boost rice production. This study employs a cross-sectional survey to gather the views of 250 rice farmers. A self-administered survey questionnaire was used to collect the data. The data was analyzed using AMOS 20.0 software package. Findings from the study indicate that land tenure system, inadequate infrastructure and water control system are the factors militating against the production of local rice in Ghana. Moreover, the study found a negative relationship between land tenure system and output of rice. However, the study shows that there is a direct and positive relationship between open innovation and output of rice production in Ghana. The study, therefore, recommends that, infrastructure is provided in the rice producing areas to enhance rice production by investing in the area of road networks, rice-milling equipment such as pre-cleaners, destoners that separate stones and heavy impurities from grains, hullers, polishers, paddy separators, aspirators and graders to ensure post-harvest product quality.
Keywords: Ghana, Infrastructure, land tenure system, open innovation, water control system