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oai:figshare.com:article/33968977 2026-09-22T22:03:48Z category_575 portal_316 item_type_3 month_year_09_2026

Table 1_Heterogeneous allocation of organic fertilizer under spatial constraints: evidence from Northern Ghana.docx Yoshie Yageta (25092109) Guenwoo Lee (20978564) Joseph Agebase Awuni (12975696) Satoshi Nakamura (1757602) Food Packaging, Preservation and Safety Northern Ghana organic fertilizer plot-level heterogeneity resource allocation smallholder farmers soil fertility management <p>Organic fertilizer use is a key component of sustainable soil fertility management in smallholder systems though its adoption remains limited across sub-Saharan Africa. Although previous studies have primarily focused on household-level adoption, less attention has been paid as to how farmers allocate organic inputs across heterogeneous plots under resource constraints. This study addresses this research gap by examining the plot-level determinants of organic fertilizer use in a heterogeneous smallholder system in Northern Ghana. Using household survey data covering the 2023 and 2024 cropping seasons, the analysis explicitly distinguishes among three decision stages: plot-level organic fertilizer use, intra-farm allocation, and application intensity. Econometric models were used to evaluate the associations of plot accessibility, crop choice, soil characteristics, and regional conditions. The results indicated that the allocation of organic inputs was associated with plot characteristics and varied across plots. Maize plots were more likely to receive organic fertilizer, whereas plots perceived as fertile were less likely to do so. Longer travel time from the homestead to the plot was negatively associated with plot-level organic fertilizer use and with within-household allocation, indicating that less accessible plots were less likely to receive organic fertilizer, whereas the association with application intensity differed by input type. Importantly, allocation patterns differed by input type; that is, poultry manure was concentrated in nearby plots, whereas compost was applied more widely across space. These findings suggest that organic fertilizer use reflects a context-specific allocation strategy associated with spatial constraints and input characteristics. As such, this study provides a more nuanced understanding of smallholder decision-making by going beyond a mere binary focus on adoption. Instead of assuming uniform application, policy and extension efforts should emphasize targeted site-specific interventions that may enhance fertilizer effectiveness and promote sustainable soil fertility management.</p> 2026-09-22T22:03:48Z Dataset Dataset 10.3389/fsufs.2026.1938147.s001 https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Table_1_Heterogeneous_allocation_of_organic_fertilizer_under_spatial_constraints_evidence_from_Northern_Ghana_docx/33968977 CC BY 4.0