Limitations of Contract Farming as a Pro-poor Strategy: The Case of Maize Outgrower Schemes in Upper West Ghana

This study examines contract farming (CF) schemes in Ghana, assessing their profitability and impact on agricultural technology adoption and farmer welfare. Utilizing a plot-level dataset covering two data periods and two maize plots (scheme and non-scheme) per household, it employs matching techniques and an instrumental variable approach to address selection bias and unobserved heterogeneity across farmers.