Institutions and agricultural productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

65 Scopus citations

Abstract

Agricultural productivity in 41 Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries from 1960 to 1999 is examined by estimating a semi-nonparametric Fourier production frontier. Over the four decades the estimated rate of productivity change was 0.83% per year, although the average rate from 1985 to 1999 was a strong 1.90% per year. Former UK colonies exhibited significantly higher productivity gains than others, while Liberia and countries that had been colonies of Portugal or Belgium exhibited net reductions in productivity. We measure a significant reduction in productivity during political conflicts and wars, and a significant increase in productivity among those countries with higher levels of political rights and civil liberties.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)169-180
Number of pages12
JournalAgricultural Economics
Volume31
Issue number2-3 SPEC. ISS.
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2004

Keywords

  • Agricultural productivity
  • Fourier functional form
  • Institutions
  • Stochastic frontier
  • Sub-Saharan Africa

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Agronomy and Crop Science
  • Economics and Econometrics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Institutions and agricultural productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this