TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY IN ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE - A GENDER COMPARISON

Abstract

This article contributes to the pertinent literature by providing a gender perspective to organic-conventional technical efficiency comparative studies and to the debate on technical efficiency of organic and conventional agriculture. Data from 280 organic and 378 conventional cocoa farm from Suhum area in Ghana; segregated into 101 females and 557 males, were analysed. Using separate frontiers, females were found to be more technically efficient than males irrespective of technology; conventional or organic, although males tended to be more productive. Increased access to productive inputs to females is necessary to increase their participation in organic cocoa production and further enhance efficiency.