Using Propensity Score Matching Analysis to Measure Outcome of Grant Support to Small-scale Farmers in South Sudan

Nixon Tongun and Guixia Wan

Abstract

Many development projects were implemented in South Sudan with the aim of increasing agricultural productivity. However, little empirical evidence exists of their impacts on the productivity. This paper aims at assessing the impact of Support to Agriculture and Forestry Development Project (SAFDP) on maize productivity of small-scale farmers in South Sudan using the propensity score matching method. 200 maize farmers, 80 participants and 120 non-participants were sampled. Results obtained from the model indicated that the impact of the project on maize productivity was statistically significant. Tentatively, participant farmers obtained higher maize yields than the non-participating farmers did. Therefore, policies geared at providing financial support to farmers will help a lot in increasing maize productivity in the study area.