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Agricultural Inputs Policy Under Macroeconomic Uncertainty: Applying The Kaleidoscope Model To Ghana’S Fertilizer Subsidy Programme (2008–2015)

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  • Resnick, Danielle
  • Mather, David

Abstract

Ghana’s Fertilizer Subsidy Programme (GFSP) was initiated in 2008 in response to the global food and fuel price crisis. Although initially intended to be a temporary measure that became increasingly expensive as Ghana’s macroeconomy deteriorated, farmers, civil society organizations, and politicians began to expect the subsidy on an annual basis. This paper applies the kaleidoscope model for agricultural and food security policy change to the case of GFSP. In doing so, it uses a variety of analytical tools to highlight how many of the weak outcomes of GFSP can be attributed to the nature of the broader policy process that has surrounded GFSP as well as the underlying political and institutional context in which policy making occurs in Ghana. Based on semistructured interviews conducted with knowledgeable stakeholders spanning the government, donor, civil society, and research communities, the paper identifies the bottlenecks that need to be addressed if the program is to be more effective in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Resnick, Danielle & Mather, David, 2016. "Agricultural Inputs Policy Under Macroeconomic Uncertainty: Applying The Kaleidoscope Model To Ghana’S Fertilizer Subsidy Programme (2008–2015)," Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy Research Papers 259059, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security (FSP).
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:miffrp:259059
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.259059
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bumb, Balu L. & Johnson, Michael E. & Fuentes, Porfirio A., 2011. "Policy options for improving regional fertilizer markets in West Africa:," IFPRI discussion papers 1084, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    2. Chirwa, Ephraim & Dorward, Andrew, 2013. "Agricultural Input Subsidies: The Recent Malawi Experience," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199683529.
    3. Mason, Nicole M. & Jayne, Thomas S. & Walle, Nicolas van de, 2013. "Fertilizer Subsidies and Voting Patterns: Political Economy Dimensions of Input Subsidy Programs," 2013 Annual Meeting, August 4-6, 2013, Washington, D.C. 149580, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. Keith R. Weghorst & Staffan I. Lindberg, 2013. "What Drives the Swing Voter in Africa?," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 57(3), pages 717-734, July.
    5. Benin, Samuel & Makombe, Tsitsi & Johnson, Michael E., 2014. "Aid effectiveness in Ghana: How’s the L’Aquila food security initiative doing?:," IFPRI discussion papers 1359, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    6. International Monetary Fund, 2015. "Ghana: Request for a Three-Year Arrangement Under the Extended Credit Facility," IMF Staff Country Reports 2015/103, International Monetary Fund.
    7. Kolavalli, Shashidhara & Birner, Regina & Benin, Samuel & Horowitz, Leah & Babu, Suresh & Asenso-Okyere, Kwadwo & Thompson, Nii Moi & Poku, John, 2010. "Institutional and public expenditure review of Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture," IFPRI discussion papers 1020, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
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    Cited by:

    1. Derrill D. Watson, 2017. "The political economy of food price policy during the global food price crisis of 2006-2008," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(3), pages 497-509, June.
    2. Godwin Kofi Vondolia & Håkan Eggert & Jesper Stage, 2021. "The Effect of Fertilizer Subsidies on Investment in Soil and Water Conservation and Productivity among Ghanaian Farmers Using Mechanized Irrigation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-13, July.
    3. Lilli Scheiterle & Regina Birner, 2018. "Assessment of Ghana’s Comparative Advantage in Maize Production and the Role of Fertilizers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-13, November.
    4. van Paassen, A. & Osei-Amponsah, Charity & Klerkx, L. & van Mierlo, B. & Essegbey, G. O., 2022. "Partnerships blending institutional logics for inclusive global and regional food value chains in Ghana; with what smallholder effect?," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 1-25.().
    5. Houssou, Nazaire & Andam, Kwaw S. & Collins, Asante-Addo, 2017. "Can better targeting improve the effectiveness of Ghana's Fertilizer Subsidy Program? Lessons from Ghana and other countries in Africa south of the Sahara," IFPRI discussion papers 1605, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    6. Karl Pauw, 2022. "A review of Ghana’s planting for food and jobs program: implementation, impacts, benefits, and costs," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(5), pages 1321-1335, October.
    7. Annemarie Paassen & Charity Osei-Amponsah & Laurens Klerkx & Barbara Mierlo & George Owusu Essegbey, 2022. "Partnerships Blending Institutional Logics for Inclusive Global and Regional Food Value Chains in Ghana; with What Smallholder Effect?," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 34(5), pages 2179-2203, October.
    8. Houssou, Nazaire & Asante-Addo, Collins & Andam, Kwaw S., 2017. "Improving the targeting of fertilizer subsidy programs in Africa south of the Sahara: Perspectives from the Ghanaian experience," IFPRI discussion papers 1622, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

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    Keywords

    Agricultural and Food Policy; Food Security and Poverty; International Development;
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