SMALLHOLDER RICE FARMS IN GHANA: AN ANALYSIS OF TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY BASED ON DIFFERENT FARMING SYSTEMS AND GENDER

Al-Hassan Seidu, D B Sarpong and S Asuming-Brempong

The IUP Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2006, vol. III, issue 3, 21-33

Abstract: This study examines the farm-specific technical efficiency of smallholder rice farmers in the Upper East region of Ghana, during the cropping year 2002-03. Farm-specific technical efficiency is estimated by stochastic production frontier function, using the maximum likelihood estimation method. The results show that smallholder rice farmers are technically inefficient as they produce about 34% on an average, which is far below the maximum output. The most striking result is the significant difference between the mean technical efficiency for irrigators and non-irrigators, as well as the male and female farmers. The availability of credit, family size and non-farm employment significantly determine the technical efficiency of smallholders. In conclusion, the authors suggest that the provision of education and credit, particularly towards women farmers should be accelerated, in order to improve technical efficiency of rice farmers.

Date: 2006
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:icf:icfjag:v:03:y:2006:i:3:p:21-33

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