RESUMO
Small private irrigation (SPI) is a farmer-initiated irrigation which has the potential to increase the contribution of the overall irrigation sector to global food security. However, there is no much information about these systems for effective policies for regulation. This study compared the resource use productivities and environmental impacts of SPI systems to those of a government-led irrigation scheme (GIS) in Northern Ghana. The results showed that land productivity was higher in the SPI than in the GIS. Productivity per unit cultivated area was 2571.00 US$/ha under SPI while that of the GIS was 676.00 US$/ha. Output per unit command area was also two times higher in the SPI than in the GIS; that is 2571.00 US$/ha and 1113.00 US$/ha for SPI and GIS respectively. For water productivity, output per unit irrigation supply was 0.33 US$/m3 and 0.08US$/m3 for SPI and GIS respectively while output per unit water consumed by ET was 0.60 US$/m3 for SPI and 0.06 US$/m3 for the GIS. The results implied that the SPI schemes performed better in land and water productivities compared with the GIS which is attributed to higher yields and the selection of high valued crops by farmers under SPI. However, both irrigation system types at the time of this study did not cause significant deterioration to the water bodies and surrounding environment as the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) values of nearby water bodies were less than 3.0-5.0 mg/l, which is considered as acceptable levels for drinking water by World Health Organisation (WHO) while salinity levels were also within acceptable limits (<750 µS/cm). With appropriate policies to regulate and provide support systems to the SPI, these systems may increase the overall agricultural productivity and improve job creation for the teeming unemployed youth and women in the savannah agroecological zone of Ghana.
RESUMO
Following a theory of strategic positioning perspective, this paper aims to explore the operating context in which dimensions of the macro-environment factors are likely to enhance Small and Medium Enterprise's (SMEs) intentions to invest in the Ghana's' downstream oil and gas sector. Specifically, macro environment model has been developed wherein an important exogenous context (supply chain resilience) variable has been considered and studied its moderating effect on the relationship between macro environment dimensions and intentions to invest. The study also, examined the conditional effect of micro environment dimensions on intention to invest at different levels of supply chain resilience. Using Partial Least Square method we analyze cross sectional data across Ghana's SMEs spectrum between the periods 2017-2018. Our indicative evidence suggests that political factors, economic factors, environmental factors and technological factors are related to SMEs intentions to invest in the down stream oil and gas. Moreover, the research findings revealed that supply chain resilience moderated the relationship between macroenvironment dimensions and intention to invest. The link between macro environment dimensions and intention to invest was strengthened via the interaction effect of supply chain resilience. These robust results are consistent with the theory of strategic positioning. Overall, our results are akin to policy makers agenda to create enabling macro environment to improve local businesses participation in the Ghanaian oil and gas value chain. Besides, the findings will assist SMEs owners and managers in their decisi ons to invest in the downstream oil and gas sector by strengthening investment capability at different levels of Supply chain resilience.