Communication channels for promoting regenerative agricultural practices among maize farmers: preferences and predictors in Ghana’s transitional belt

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Agricultural extension, knowledge exchange, behavioural change, and smallholder innovation are fundamental to accelerating sustainable agricultural transformation and strengthening climate-resilient food systems in Africa. Effective knowledge exchange enables farmers to adopt environmentally sustainable practices that improve soil health, enhance productivity, and contribute to food and nutrition security. However, limited evidence exists on how farmers’ communication preferences influence the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices (RAPs). This study examined determinants of maize farmers’ preferred communication channels for receiving RAP information in Ghana’s transitional belt. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 385 maize farmers selected through a multistage sampling procedure. Data were collected using a structured interview schedule administered to the selected respondents. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, chi-square tests, and multinomial logistic regression. Mass communication emerged as the most preferred channel (38.7%), followed by individual (37.1%) and group communication (24.2%). Despite being the least preferred, group communication was associated with significantly higher adoption of RAPs than mass and individual channels. Communication preferences were significantly influenced by education, sex, farming experience, land ownership, market incentives, location, and farm fragmentation. The findings demonstrate that communication effectiveness depends not only on information access but also on opportunities for interaction, peer learning, and contextualised advisory support. The study recommends integrating mass communication with participatory group-based and targeted interpersonal extension approaches to enhance RAPs adoption. This supports SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 13 (Climate Action and SDG 15 [Life on Land]). By linking communication preferences with regenerative agriculture adoption, this study extends agricultural communication theory and provides evidence for designing farmer-centred extension systems that strengthen resilient agricultural and food systems across sub-Saharan Africa.

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