Administrative burdens in Ghana’s in-kind transfer programs: barriers to participation and pathways to a digital welfare state

Governments worldwide implement social protection programs to advance Sustainable Development Goals targeting zero hunger and decent work, yet participation in low-income contexts remains hindered by bureaucratic barriers. Grounded in administrative burden theory, this study examines how administrative burdens influence engagement in Ghana’s Planting for Food and Jobs program, an agricultural input subsidy initiative critical for food security. The study employed qualitative methods through in-depth interviews with eighteen (18) smallholder farmers and two (2) program officials in Ghana’s Central Region. The findings reveal three exclusion mechanisms: procedural exclusion, where complex paperwork and delays in input delivery penalize smallholders with limited literacy and mobility; psychological exclusion, as stigma from perceived “handouts” and elite capture discourage participation; and digital exclusion, where infrastructure gaps limit access to technological solutions preferred by farmers. The study advances social science scholarship in two keyways. First, it extends theories of bureaucratic disentitlement to agrarian welfare settings, illustrating how logistical challenges in input supply increase administrative burdens. Second, it uncovers a participation paradox: while digital tools could reduce these burdens, top-down implementation risks reproducing existing inequalities. The study recommends a phased digital integration approach, starting with simple SMS-based application tracking to improve transparency, followed by hybrid online-offline registration systems for remote areas, and ultimately blockchain-enabled input tracking to reduce elite capture. These recommendations balance technological innovation with Ghana’s infrastructural realities and target various administrative burdens. We propose a grounded digitization framework that centers farmers’ realities in welfare programs—contributing to global discussions on inclusive social protection, especially in LMICs.