Abstract:
Productivity in rain-fed and irrigated rice farming ecosystems are very important for
Ghana’s self-sufficiency in rice. This paper, therefore, provides a synthesis of the irrigated
and rain-fed rice farming ecosystems in Ghana using recent advances in the production
economics literature. Specifically, the technical efficiency differential in the irrigated and
rain-fed rice farming ecosystems are estimated using stochastic and bias-corrected data
envelopment metafrontier methods. Technical efficiency drivers of the individual rice farming
ecosystems are also examined. Using a sample of 381 for the modelling, the estimated results
showed that farms under the irrigated rice farming ecosystem are more technically efficient
(71%) compared to those under the rain-fed rice farming ecosystem (59%). However, overall
technical efficiency falls short of about 36%, suggesting a substantial level of inefficiency in
both rice farming ecosystems. In addition, the results revealed male farmers are more
technically efficient compared to female farmers. Also, membership of farming associations
has efficiency reducing effect. The study proposes that to improve rice productivity, resources
should be invested in improving the managerial skills of farmers operating under the two rice
farming ecosystems and in infrastructural development
