An Analysis of Technical Efficiency of Mangrove Rice Production in the Guinean Coastal Area

Abstract

In Guinea, the national rice consumption exceeds rice production, leading to concerns about food security. Thus, recent governmental measures have been directed towards promoting rice production, particularly in the coastal areas, the only zone where the mangrove rice production is practiced. Rice is the most important food crop and its production is the most organized food production system in the country. Therefore, it’s of interest to examine the efficiency of mangrove rice production, in this study an attempt is made to determine the technical efficiency of mangrove rice production by using the stochastic frontier model. The study used primary data collected through a field survey. The analysis revealed that farm area and depreciation cost of farm tools contribute to significantly enhance the mangrove rice productivity. The inefficiency model revealed that age of household head, household size, farming experience, off-farm income and remittance significantly influenced the technical efficiency. The mean level of the technical efficiency was estimated at 23%, while the efficiency ranged from 0.0% to 100%. Furthermore, the analysis indicated that the loss due to the inefficiency was significant with a value of 8,838,762 Guinean Francs per acre. Policy recommendations and strategies for improving the efficiency of mangrove rice production are advocated based on the findings.