Abstract

This paper assesses the impact of agricultural training on technical efficiency using country-wide data from 515 rice producing households in The Gambia. We use the Data Envelopment Analysis technique to generate technical efficiency scores and to identify factors influencing technical efficiency using a Tobit model. We apply propensity score matching, using technical efficiency scores as the outcome variable, to control for selection bias and identify causal effects of participation in agricultural training programs. To test the plausibility of conditional independence, we conduct Rosenbaum bounds sensitivity analysis with matched data as well as mean absolute standard bias tests between participants and non-participants. The results indicate that agricultural training significantly increases the technical efficiency of smallholder rice farmers by 10 percentage points. Further analysis reveals that farmer contact with extension workers and association membership are significant factors influencing technical efficiency.

Keywords:Technical efficiency; Impact; Agricultural training; Propensity score matching; Tobit; The Gambia

JEL Classification

D13, D22, Q12, Q18