Assessment of technical efficiency and its determinants among smallholder pepper farmers in Tolon District of Ghana

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to assess technical efficiency (TE) and its determinants among small-scale pepper farmers in Ghana. The  study used a stochastic frontier approach and the translog production function to analyze the TE of selected pepper farmers. The mean  technical efficiency was 81.4% implying high efficiency of production among the farmers. Pepper output increased with cost of ploughing  and the quantity of seed used at 1% significant level. Furthermore, TE significantly increased with years of education, household size,  weeding frequency, fertility of the soil, livestock ownership and access to credit. The study recommends provision of credit to farmers,  training on effective weed control and soil fertility management alongside integration of livestock rearing as measures necessary to  boost TE of pepper farmers.