TITLE:
Assessing Current Sorghum Agronomic Practices and Production Constraints in the Guinea and Sudan Savannahs of Ghana
AUTHORS:
Peter Akanfah Asodewine, Shirley Lamptey, Isaac Kwahene Addai, Abeku Tetteh
KEYWORDS:
Sorghum, Agronomic Practices, Constraints, Guinea and Sudan Savannahs
JOURNAL NAME:
Agricultural Sciences,
Vol.17 No.2,
February
11,
2026
ABSTRACT: Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is a vital staple grain for both food security and income for smallholder farmers in the five northern regions of Ghana. Despite its nutritional and economic importance, yields are still below 2.0 tonnes per hectare due to biotic and abiotic factors. This study evaluated the agronomic practices, production constraints, and research priorities for Sorghum among smallholder farmers in the Guinea and Sudan savannahs. The study used semi-structured questionnaires to interview 80 experienced Sorghum farmers in four communities (Natugnia and Manyoro in the Guinea savannah and Manga and Narango in the Sudan savannah). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance were used for analysis. The results showed that males (72.5%) are the ones who manage the majority of Sorghum cultivation, with the majority of the farmers being married and between the ages of 30 and 39. While the adoption of improved varieties and crop rotation is limited and varied by community, the use of intercropping, organic fertilizers, no specific plant spacing, and weed control are commonly practiced. Positive correlations were found among practices such as pre-sowing seed treatment, crop rotation, soil conservation and residue management, and herbicide use. Poor soil fertility, inconsistent rainfall, and weed infestations were found to be the most significant production constraints. To increase Sorghum productivity, farmers prioritized research on poor soil fertility management (42.5%), climate adaptability (27.5%), and weed control (22.5%). The majority of respondents (87.5%) emphasized the importance of conducting research on sustainable farming practices. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions that address soil fertility, climate resilience, and weed infestations, in addition to encouraging the adoption of improved agronomic practices, in order to increase Sorghum yields and ensure livelihoods in the Guinea and Sudan savannahs.