Using A Nerlovian Model Approach to Estimate Rice Productivity in Sierra Leone.

Rice grain is Sierra Leone’s staple food, the country imports over 415,000 metric tons annually due to inadequate domestic production. Thus, the low level of rice cultivation in Sierra Leone is evident in persistent imbalance between domestic supply and demand. Consequently, the government spends substantial financial resources on rice imports that can otherwise be saved through increase domestic production. This study examines the response of rice supply to changes in demand in Sierra Leone over the period 1996 to July 2026. The Nerlovian adjustment model was employed to analyze the Sierra Leone rice dataset for the study period. The estimated trend equations revealed that time had a statistically significant effect on output, productivity (yield) and cultivated area (acreage) during the study period, generally at the 1 % level of significance. The results tend to recommend that virtually the entire growth in output was due to an increase in area cultivated to the crop. The time trend variable that has been involved for government policy intrusion shows that there is no significant effect on the variables under contemplation in this research. Consequently, both the short-run and long-run price response are inelastic, as their estimated values were less than one. Based on the above findings, instant policy actions are required to promote efficient growth in rice production. To achieve this objective, the relevant government agencies should strengthen agricultural extension services and encourage farmers to adopt improved rice varieties, modern production technologies, and better cultivation practices to enhance rice production in Sierra Leone.