Technical Efficiency of Small-Scale Maize Producers in Benin
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Date
2021-04-19
Authors
Aminou, Fawaz A. Adéchinan
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AERC
Abstract
Given the importance of maize as a food crop in Benin and the objectives of the
country regarding this product in terms of food security and exports, a study on maize
production is of primary importance. This study aims to analyze the way small-scale
maize producers allocate their production factors and to identify the elements that
are inherent to an efficient maize farming operation. The Cobb-Douglas Stochastic
Frontier approach is used to estimate the level of technical efficiency of maize
growers. The mean score in technical efficiency in maize production in the sample
used is estimated at 65.40%, with a minimum of 20.47% and a maximum of 93.46%.
The results indicate that the sex of the farmer, use of enhanced seeds, selling price of
maize, percentage share of non-agricultural income, contact with an NGO, access to
finance, and production zone play a positive and significant role in the attainment of
a production frontier. The results lead us to recommend that the government reduces
its expenditure on agricultural extension services and instead emphasize the policy on
distribution of improved seeds. Equally, constraints in the capital and labour markets
contribute to the low efficiency of agricultural households.
Description
Keywords
Technical efficiency , maize , Benin , Stochastic frontier