Agriculture continues to play an important role in the economy of most African countries.
Thus, productivity growth in agriculture is necessary for economic growth and poverty
reduction of the region. While, theoretically, investing in human capital improves
productivity, the empirical evidence is somewhat mixed, especially in developing countries.
In Ghana, maize is associated with household food security, and low-income households are
considered food insecure if they have no maize in stock. But, due to low productivity,
Ghanaian farmers are yet to produce enough to meet local demand. Using quantile and OLS
regression techniques, this study contributes to the literature on human capital and
productivity by assessing the effect of human capital (captured by education, farming
experience and access to extension services) on maize productivity in Ghana. The results
suggest that although human capital has no significant effect on maize yields, its effect on
productivity varies across quantiles.