Technical Efficiency of Village Sugarcane Growers in Ivory Coast

Abstract

This study evaluates the technical performance of village sugarcane farms in northern Ivory Coast. To this end, 246 village farms were randomly identified and analysed using a Cobb Douglas Stochastic Frontier model. The regression results show that the gap between the observed and potential production of sugarcane farm units is partly due to technical inefficiency. In the light of these same results, fertiliser, herbicide and labour have a significant and positive influence on technical efficiency at the 10% threshold. The farmed area also has a positive and significant effect on the technical efficiency of sugarcane growers at the 1% threshold. On the other hand, rudimentary capital (tools) has a significant and negative effect at the 5% threshold. Site 1(Ferkessedougou 1) had the lowest level of technical efficiency (35%). However, the average technical efficiency score of farmers in the study area is around 71%. The factors that influence the technical efficiency of sugarcane growers are otherwise, age, agricultural training, access to credit and years of experience.