International Journal Of Humanities Education And Social Sciences (IJHESS) E-ISSN: 2808-1765 Volume 3, Number 4, February 2024, Page. 1681 – 1699 Email : editorijhess@gmail.com 1681 https://ijhess.com/index.php/ijhess/ Cocoa Farmers' Participation in Public and Private Agricultural Extension Delivery in Amenfi Central District, Ghana Enoch Kwame Tham-Agyekum 1) , Fred Ankuyi 2) , Prince Asiedu 3) * , Bright Juantoa 4) , Goddea Asiedu Abourden 5) , John-Eudes Andivi Bakang 6) , Akua Yeboah Oduro-Owusu 7) 1,4,5,6,7) Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Extension, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi-Ghana. 2) Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, University of Cape Coast, Ghana. 3) Development Studies, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, University of Passau, Germany *Corresponding Author Email: princeasiedu127@gmail.com Abstract Agricultural extension and knowledge management have become key blocks in driving sustainable food systems and rural development, especially in periods of dealing with the complexities surrounding climate change and sustainable food systems in localised systems. This study assessed cocoa farmers' participation in public and private agricultural extension services in Ghana. Using descriptive and inferential statistics and collecting data from 385 farmers, the study reveals that private extension services stand out in various indices: access to information (3.72), communication (3.96), and support and follow-up (3.45), while public extension services excel in social and environmental impact (3.54), and knowledge transfer (3.86). Intricate extension programme dynamics also reveal a clear preference for private extension in citizen power (23.6% vs. 7.3%), delegated power (33.2% vs. 8.6%), and partnership (39.2% vs. 13.5%). Using the binary probit regression model, this study examines how various socio-economic factors influence farmers' participation in extension programmes. Results indicate that key determinants for participation in public extension include gender, level of education, land size, availability of labour, and access to credit. Conversely, factors influencing participation in private extension programmes include membership in farmer groups, land ownership, land size, the availability of labour, and access to credit. Policymakers and extension workers can make extension services more useful and open to everyone by focusing on these socioeconomic factors and creating programmes that meet the unique needs and limitations of various farmer groups. This will ultimately lead to higher agricultural productivity, better livelihoods, and better rural development. Keywords: Agricultural Extension, Food Systems and Knowledge Management, Cocoa Farmers, Participation INTRODUCTION The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) focused on enhancing food security and reducing hunger by primarily concentrating on increasing agricultural productivity, especially in the crop sector. This approach stems from recognising agriculture as a significant driver of economic growth in many developing economies, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (Danso- Abbeam et al., 2018). Ghana heavily relies on agriculture, with around 60% of its population deriving their primary livelihood from this sector (Wongnaa et al., 2021). The sector employs approximately 42% of the workforce and is predominantly composed of smallholder farmers. These farmers, constituting about 90% of the sector, typically operate on less than two hectares of land, using traditional farming methods and inputs (Ghana Statistical Service, 2012). To achieve meaningful productivity growth in the agricultural sector, Asfaw et al. (2012) argued that it is imperative to develop and disseminate improved agricultural technologies to these smallholder farmers in rural areas. Rural farmers encounter various challenges that, when addressed, can bring about a transformation in their behaviour, knowledge, capabilities, and skills (Nnadi et al., 2013). Typically, this kind of transformation is facilitated through both informal and formal institutions (Rickards et al., 2018). Extension services can be described as the primary means through which farmers gain insights into the reasons for change, the benefits