Empirical Investigation of Technical Efficiency of Smallholder Women Farmers in Northern Ghana: Stochastic Frontier Approach

摘要

In this study, we employed the Cobb-Douglas production function to assume the stochastic frontier approach (SFA). We then investigate the technical efficiency of smallholder women farmers in northern Ghana using data from 320 women gathered through multi-stage sampling technique. We find that that farm level technical inefficiency is highly caused by factors outside the farmers’ control. Also, the mean technical efficiency was found to be 58%. We also find that educational level and income earned through off-farm activities improve technical efficiency. We therefore call for programs that will increase the level of knowledge as well access to production resources among smallholder women maize farmers.