IMPACT DE LA POLITIQUE DUTILISATION DES SEMENCES AMELIOREES SUR LA PRODUCTIVITE RIZICOLE AU SENEGAL

This article evaluates the impact of the improved seed adoption policy on rice productivity in Senegal. Using cross-sectional data from a 2022 DAPSA/ISRA/Africa Rice survey covering 617 rice farms, with an improved seed adoption rate of 25.9% and an average yield of 2,480 kg/ha, the study employs an econometric approach combining Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA, Battese & Coelli, 1995) to estimate producers technical efficiency and Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to correct for selection bias arising from the non-random adoption of improved seeds. The results show that adoption has a positive and significant effect on productivity and technical efficiency: the Average Treatment effect on the Treated (ATT) reaches 1,331 kg/ha (significant at 1%), while the Average Treatment Effect in the population (ATE, 816 kg/ha) is not statistically significant, revealing heterogeneity in the treatment effect across farm characteristics. Based on these findings, the study recommends strengthening access to certified seeds, improving technical support for farmers, and developing adapted financing mechanisms to support sustainable intensification of rice farming in Senegal.