Agricultural Productivity and Trade Liberalization in West Africa

This study examines the relationship between regional trade integration and agricultural productivity growth in West Africa. Using panel data spanning 1995 to 2019, total factor productivity (TFP) growth and its components are estimated through a non-parametric, bootstrap-based Malmquist–DEA index, which accounts for statistical inference and robust to sample biases. The analysis then investigates the association between TFP growth and trade openness, with emphasis on intra-regional trade integration, while controlling for other productivity drivers. The findings reveal an average output-weighted annual TFP growth of 1.7% for the region, primarily driven by technological change (2.2%), despite a decline in technical efficiency change (–0.05%). Regression results indicate that regional trade integration is positively and significantly associated with agricultural productivity growth. Agricultural R&D expenditures also emerge as a key driver of productivity growth, while increasing temperatures exert a negative effect, underscoring the sector’s vulnerability to climate change. The study highlights the importance of strengthening intra-regional trade under the ECOWAS framework to support sustainable agricultural development in West Africa. 2025 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 27 - 29, 2025, Denver, Colorado