Journal of
Development and Agricultural Economics

  • Abbreviation: J. Dev. Agric. Econ.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2006-9774
  • DOI: 10.5897/JDAE
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 556

Full Length Research Paper

An efficiency assessment of irrigated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) production in the Upper East Region of Ghana

Nanii Yenihebit
  • Nanii Yenihebit
  • Animal Health and Production College, Pong Tamale, Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Ghana.
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Isaac Abunyuwah
  • Isaac Abunyuwah
  • Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.
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Evelyn Delali Ahiale
  • Evelyn Delali Ahiale
  • Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.
  • Google Scholar


  •  Received: 01 July 2019
  •  Accepted: 24 October 2019
  •  Published: 31 January 2020

Abstract

This study employed the input-oriented DEA approach with variable returns to scale assumption to assess the technical, scale, allocative and economic efficiencies of 124 randomly selected tomato farmers under irrigation in the Upper East Region using data of the 2017/2018 production season. The mean technical efficiency and scale efficiency were 97.1 and 97% respectively with many farmers experiencing increasing returns to scale. The mean allocative and economic efficiencies were 42.1 and 41.5% respectively. Farmer’s age, tomato land size, fuel quantity, fertilizer quantity and chemical quantity (herbicide and pesticide) were all significant determinants of technical efficiency scores whereas extension visit, tomato land size and chemical quantity significantly influenced both allocative and economic efficiencies. It is recommended that agro-inputs and fuel usage for tomato farmers under irrigation in the dry season be increased to improve technical efficiency. It is also recommended that extension education to farmers on effective inputs allocation and cost minimization strategies be intensified.

Key words: Allocative, economic and technical efficiency, data envelopment analysis, Tobit regression, tomatoes, Upper East Region of Ghana