A Non-parametric Analysis of Productivity Growth in ECOWAS Agricultural Sector (1980 – 2022)

Abstract

Agricultural productivity and competitiveness does not match its potential in ECOWAS due to widespread of low agricultural productivity, food insecurity and many other interrelated factors like difficulties accessing factors of production; the steady degradation of the soil and climate; irregular rainfall in the region and lack of control over water resources; increasing poverty and lack of control over stocks of foodstuffs; and political crises linked to wars and to the democratization process among member countries.               This study employed the use of a panel data of 12 Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member states on output and conventional agricultural inputs spanning through 1980 to 2022. Specifically, the study estimates the trends of different production factors influencing the value of agricultural production among ECOWAS member states and decomposes Total Factor Productivity (TFP) of the agricultural sector of ECOWAS member states into its major components using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) Malmquist productivity indexes. The results show that agricultural TFP growth rate in ECOWAS has been declining due to technological regression and efficiency stagnation in the sub-region within the reference period, even as all the 12 studied member states experienced negative Total Factor Productivity (TFP) growth rate. This study therefore recommends increased investment in farm mechanization (tractorization) as well as increased investment in agricultural production inputs, technologies and practices to boost agricultural production and drive ECOWAS agricultural productivity growth.