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In view of the increasing trend in food policies targeting the promotion of consumer interest in locally produced foods and growing developments in willingness-to-pay (WTP) methodologies, the authors investigate consumer preference for packaged traditional drink asaana.

The study used a simple random sample of 336 consumers to draw on perception index and contingent valuation methods to evaluate consumers' perceptions of the attributes of packaged asaana – a traditional maize-based beverage produced in Ghana (also known as Ghana Coca-Cola). A tobit regression model was employed to analyze consumers’ WTP for the product.

Analyzing the factors that influence consumers' WTP for packaged asaana using the tobit regression model, the study established the existence of positive health and nutrition, economic benefits and purchasing decision-making perceptions for asaana. While the results further showed that consumers are willing to pay a premium for well-packaged asaana, demographics such as age, income level, labeling, price of the product and savings were found to exert significant influence on consumers’ WTP for packaged asaana. Salient recommendations for food processors and relevant government agencies and food policy implications are identified.

Comprehending WTP provides valuable understanding regarding consumer qualms, actions and WTP for more secure traditional drinks and an examination of how the different factors that influence WTP for local beverages help boost local beverage production and guarantee employment.

Analyzing WTP data for traditional drinks reveals important implications for production, marketing and public health policies. Certification systems for traditional beverages may be beneficial, and the findings can be used to create public awareness campaigns about the safety of local drinks.

Assessing the WTP among Ghanaian consumers for traditional drinks, specifically asaana, is a ground-breaking study. The contingent evaluation (CE) and tobit regression approaches utilized in this research are strong, and the results obtained can guide decisions related to traditional drink production, marketing and the development of public health policies.

This study examined the impact of the Input Credit Scheme (ICS) by the Integrated Water Management and Agriculture Development (IWAD) on the productivity and food security of smallholder rice farmers in Ghana.

Cross-sectional data from 250 rice farming households in the Mamprugu Moagduri district of the North East Region obtained from a multi-stage sampling technique were used for the study. Inverse Probability Weighted Regression Adjustment (IPWRA), Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and Kendall's coefficient of concordance were the methods of analysis employed.

Empirical results show that education, rice farming experience, dependency ratio, FBO membership, farm size and farm age were the significant factors influencing participation in the input credit scheme (ICS). Also, participants had an average rice productivity of 1,476.83 kg/ha, whereas non-participants had 1,131.81 kg/ha implying that participants increased their productivity by about 30%. In addition, the study revealed that participant households increased their household dietary diversity (HDDS) by 0.45 points amounting to about 8% diversity in their diets. High-interest rates associated with credit received, the short periods of credit repayment and the high cost of inputs provided under the scheme were the most challenging constraints associated with partaking in the ICS.

The available literature on agricultural interventions have predominantly emphasized input credit as a key factor for improving cropt productivity and food security of smallholders. This study provides compelling evidence that participation in ICSs can result in substantial benefits for agricultural development, as evidenced by increased productivity leading to improved food security. The significance of these findings is highlighted by the fact that, through participation in input credit schemes, smallholder rice farmers in many developing countries see substantial improvement in their capacity to access productive resources, thereby improving their productivity, while simultaneously reducing food insecurity.

Leveraging on the improved productivity of participants in the ICS, this study advocates that such input credit schemes should scale up to more food-insecure farming communities in Ghana.

The study uses a doubly robust econometric approach to evaluate the impact of ICS on smallholder rice farmers' productivity and food security in Ghana, making it the first of its kind. The findings offer a solid basis for future research and provide guidance for policymakers looking to boost agricultural development in Ghana.