Starchy staples production shortfalls in Ghana: Technical inefficiency effects outweigh technological differences across ecologies.

Starchy staples are a major source of livelihood support for farmers, traders, and processors who participate in these crops' value chains, while also providing staple food to many people, especially the less affluent in society. Despite this position, the productivity figures of starchy staples are low. We use a unique data set and meta-frontier efficiency analysis to assess whether the production shortfalls of major starchy staple crops in Ghana could be attributed to technical inefficiency, technology gaps or both. Results show strong evidence of about 50% production shortfall for cassava, yam, cocoyam, and plantain. For cassava production, the Guinea Savannah zone has the most superior technology, with a technology gap ratio of 0.92, while yam production is more technically efficient in the Sudan Savannah zone, with a technical efficiency score of 0.67. Cocoyam production is more technically efficient (0.56) in the Transition zone, but yam is more technically efficiently produced in the Coastal Savannah zone of Ghana. These results show that production shortfall is more influenced by pure farmer technical inefficiencies (about 45%) rather than by technology gaps (about 20%) along ecological lines. Thus, the sector could benefit from improvements in farmer managerial skills and efficient use of existing technologies.

Innovations in smallholder agricultural financing and economic efficiency of maize production in Ghana's northern region.

This study used PSM and the selectivity-corrected framework for stochastic frontiers to examine how innovative agricultural finance practices of maize farmers in northern Ghana affect economic efficiency. We find, consistently, that users of innovative financing have higher technical (TE), allocative (AE), and economic efficiency (EE) scores than nonusers. The efficiency gaps between users and nonusers are 4% for TE; 5% for AE; and 10% for EE. Contrary to expectation, farmers' access to mechanized services diminished their TE. Our findings indicate that short-term policies to increasing maize output should focus on reducing inefficiency levels than introducing new technologies. This can be achieved by providing technical training to farmers through improved access to agricultural extension services, provisioning farmers with timely access to tractors and equipment, and facilitating access to profitable output markets. The positive efficiency effects of using innovative financing suggests that policies should favour creating further sources of informal financial options for poor rural farmers. Here, Village Savings and Loans Associations can mitigate credit supply risks by linking farmers directly to inputs and reducing the need for cash loans. Local governments must harness Ghana Government's Planting for Export and Rural Development programme to create sustainable employment opportunities that enable farmers to raise farm investment capital in the off-season.