In this study, an econometric model for testing whether female-headed households face unique constraints to maize production in Malawi is presented. A simulation is performed on the first-order equations of smallholder maize production functions and predicted marginal products are tested against observed input-output price ratios to detect input constraints and allocative inefficiency. Technical efficiency is also compared among headship gender categories. Results indicate that de jure female-headed households are less technically efficient than de facto female- and male-headed households. However, no evidence is found indicating that gender-specific input constraints exist. This study finds surplus labor present throughout Malawi’s smallholder sector and discusses policy alternatives in the context of poverty alleviation. / Master of Science
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/44978 |
| Date | 02 October 2008 |
| Creators | Russ, Katheryn Niles |
| Contributors | Agricultural and Applied Economics |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Text |
| Format | vii, 120 leaves, BTD, application/pdf, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
| Relation | OCLC# 36222530, LD5655.V855_1996.N554.pdf |
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