Elements which delimitate technical efficiency of fish farms in Ghana

Abstract

The study aims to examine the technical efficiency and its determinants of fish farms in Ghana. The stochastic frontier function is employed using a cross-sectional data of 150 farmers. The results show that elasticities of mean output for all inputs are positive, whereas the computed return to scale reveals that, on average, fish farms exhibit increasing return to scale. The combined effect of operational and farm-specific factors influence technical efficiency although individual effects of some variables may not be significant. Mean technical efficiency is estimated to be 84%, indicating that the possibility of enhancing production given the present state of technology and input level can be achieved in the short run by increasing technical efficiency by 16% through adoption of practices of the best fish farm. © Copyright by the World Aquaculture Society 2010.