Regenerative agriculture awareness, adoption, and livelihood outcomes among smallholder maize farmers in Sissala East Municipality, Ghana

Abstract

The increasing vulnerability of smallholder maize farmers to climate variability underscores the urgent need for sustainable farming approaches that build resilience while sustaining productivity. This study examines the extent to which regenerative agriculture (RA) enhances the livelihood outcomes of smallholder maize farmers in Ghana’s semi-arid zone. A concurrent mixed methods design was used. The results revealed that majority of the farmers (59.7%) were aware of regenerative agriculture. Majority (93%) answered correctly that crop rotation helps to reduce soil nutrient depletion and control pests in maize farming. The most adopted regenerative agricultural practice among maize farmers was contour farming and terracing (Mean = 4.10). Adoption was significantly influenced by farm size and access to land at 5%. Engagement in regenerative practices had a statistically significant relationship with maize yield and household income, indicating a positive contribution to farmers’ livelihood security. The paired t-test shows significant increases in both income and yield after the intervention (p < 0.001). The study recommends key actions such as improving access to regenerative inputs, providing targeted financial support such as credit and subsidies, and strengthening farmer-based extension and peer learning networks to enhance knowledge diffusion.