Culture,Markets, and Agricultural Production: A Comparative Study of the Investment Patterns of Migrant and Citizen Cocoa Farmers in the Western Region of Ghana

Current agrarian reforms in Ghana, sponsored by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, are based on the notion that pricing incentives from markets are the key to agricultural investments. The turnaround in the production of the principal agricultural export, cocoa, seems to vindicate this view. However, this perspective is silent on the question of why many farmers continued to produce cocoa in the period preceding the reforms when prices were at their lowest in the country's history. Based on research on the comparative investment patterns of migrant and citizen cocoa farmers in two districts in the Western region of Ghana, this article suggests a holistic approach to comprehending investments. It indicates that the economic behaviour of cocoa farmers is complexly linked to the politics of land tenure, and cultural expectations and obligations.     

Culture,Markets, and Agricultural Production: A Comparative Study of the Investment Patterns of Migrant and Citizen Cocoa Farmers in the Western Region of Ghana

Current agrarian reforms in Ghana, sponsored by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, are based on the notion that pricing incentives from markets are the key to agricultural investments. The turnaround in the production of the principal agricultural export, cocoa, seems to vindicate this view. However, this perspective is silent on the question of why many farmers continued to produce cocoa in the period preceding the reforms when prices were at their lowest in the country's history. Based on research on the comparative investment patterns of migrant and citizen cocoa farmers in two districts in the Western region of Ghana, this article suggests a holistic approach to comprehending investments. It indicates that the economic behaviour of cocoa farmers is complexly linked to the politics of land tenure, and cultural expectations and obligations.     

Book Reviews

Adams, William M., Goudie, Andrew S., and Orme, Antony R. (eds.), The Physical Geography of Africa Agnew, John A. (ed.), Political Geography: A Reader Birkin, Mark, Clarke, Graham, Clarke, Martin, and Wilson, Alan, Intelligent GIS: Location Decisions and Strategic Planning Cole, George M., Water Boundaries Ramesh Dutta Dickshit (ed.), Developments in Political Geography: ACentury of Progress Hanink, Dean M., Principles and Applications of Economic Geography: Economy, Policy, Environment Hutcheon, P.D., Leaving the Cave: Evolutionary Naturalism in Social-Scientific Thought Johns, Michael, The City of Mexico in the Age of Diaz Lewis, Arnold, An Early Encounter with Tomorrow: Europeans, Chicago's Loop and the World's Columbian Exposition Lin, George C.S., Red Capitalism in South China: Growth and Dvelopmentof the Pearl River Delta Mitchell, Bruce, Resource and Environmental Management Munton, Don (ed.), Hazardous Waste Siting and Democratic Choice Stoddard, Robert H. and Morinis, Alan (eds.), Sacred Spaces, Sacred Places: the Geography of Pilgrimages Van Gardingen, P.R., Foody, G.M. and Curran, P.J., Scaling-up: From Cell to Landscape