“The agricultural sector in Malawi is vital to the economy for incomes and food security.
The sector accounts for 35% of national income, generates 90% of foreign exchange,
and provides paid and self-employment to 92% of the rural population. One constraint in achieving food security has been the small size and fragmented nature of land holdings
among a large proportion of households in Malawi. This paper estimates technical efficiency among smallholder maize farmers in Malawi and identifies sources of inefficiency using plot-level data. We find that smallholder maize farmers in Malawi are inefficient; the average efficiency score is 46.23% and 79% of the plots have efficiency scores below 70%. The results of the study reveal that inefficiency declines on plots planted with hybrid seeds and for those controlled by farmers who belong to house-holds with membership in a farmers club or association.”
