Determinants of technical efficiency among smallholder upland rice farmers in northern Uganda—a Cobb–Douglas stochastic frontier approach

In this paper, we estimate the technical efficiency levels among upland rice farmers in northern Uganda. A cross-sectional survey was conducted, and data were collected from a randomly selected sample of 248 farmers. By applying a Cobb–Douglas stochastic production frontier model, the study aims to gain insights into the efficiency of rice production and identify factors that contribute to it. The findings indicate that there is a scope for improvement in the technical efficiency of upland rice farmers in the region. The study identifies key factors that significantly impact rice output; land, labour, and the quantity of seeds used. Moreover, certain farmer characteristics such as membership in a farmer group, level of education, the type of rice buyer, and household size were found to reduce technical inefficiency among rice producers. These results underscore the importance of understanding individual farmer constraints and addressing barriers related to smallholder organizations and institutions to enhance upland rice productivity. The findings also highlight the need for farmer training programs that specifically target the efficient use of inputs in rice production. By providing farmers with the necessary knowledge and skills, such programs can contribute to improving overall efficiency in upland rice farming and environmental sustainability.