TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF GROUNDNUT PRODUCTION IN WEST MAMPRUSI DISTRICT OF NORTHERN GHANA

Abstract

As Ghana struggles to achieve accelerated growth in food production, increasing the output of groundnut has become an important goal. This study examined the technical efficiency of groundnut farmers in West Mamprusi District of the Northern Region of Ghana in the 2008/2009 cropping season. Cross-sectional data was collected from a sample of 123 farmers and fitted into Cobb-Douglas Stochastic Frontier Model. Mean technical efficiency estimate was 70%. The factors that were significant in increasing farmers’ technical efficiency were large farm size, formal education, credit and using tractor for land preparation as opposed to bullock plough. However, the continuous cultivation of farm plots led to decreased farm efficiency. It is important that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), and for that matter the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), carry out its strategies to the letter for the development of the groundnut industry in the study area, and in Ghana as a whole.