Gender differentials in technical efficiency of Ghanaian cocoa farms

Abstract

This study considers the presence of a gender gap in technical efficiency in Ghana's cocoa production sector. The two-stage double bootstrap data envelopment analysis (DEA) procedure was applied to estimate the bias-corrected technical efficiency scores for male and female cocoa farm managers. The results indicate that there is a potential for male and female cocoa farm managers to increase output without altering the quantities of inputs employed. Applying the extended version of the Blinder-Oaxaca (B-O) decomposition approach, the findings suggest that female plot managers are, on average, less technically efficient compared to their male counterparts. This gap could be linked to differences in their resource endowments. Nevertheless, there are still significant unobservable factors that contribute to the gender efficiency gap. A comprehensive decomposition examination indicates that differences in educational attainment, engagement in non-farm activities, and farm size may contribute to the unexplained technical efficiency gap. The study recommends that female-sensitive programmes that seek to encourage the participation of non-farm activities and provide access to education and land utilization are essential in reducing the gender gap in technical efficiency.

Keywords

• Cocoa
• Gender decomposition
• Neumark approach
• Technical efficiency
• Double-bootstrapped DEA procedure
• Agricultural economics