The low productivity per worker in agriculture experienced in West African countries is due to

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks why output per worker (productivity) in agriculture is low in West African countries. Productivity depends mainly on the tools, technology, skills, and capital available to workers.

Step 2: Explain the concept Labour productivity = Total output ÷ Number of workers. It rises when workers use modern technology (tractors, improved seeds, fertilizers, irrigation). It stays low when production relies on simple tools such as the hoe and cutlass, which limit how much land one farmer can cultivate.

Step 3: Evaluate each option

• A. Laziness on the part of farmers: This is a stereotype, not an economic explanation. Many farmers work very long hours. The problem is the lack of capital and technology, not a lack of effort. Wrong.
• B. The use of simple traditional implements: Hoes, cutlasses, and manual methods limit the area one person can farm and the output they can produce. This is a well-known cause of low productivity in West African agriculture. Correct.
• C. The presence of many extension workers: Extension workers teach farmers better methods, so they would raise productivity, not lower it. Wrong.
• D. The law of increasing returns to scale: Increasing returns means output rises more than proportionately as inputs increase, which would improve productivity. Wrong.

Step 4: Answer

Exam tip: In Economics questions about low productivity in developing countries, look for answers about capital, technology, and skills, such as simple tools, poor storage, or lack of credit. Be wary of options that blame people's character, like "laziness". WASSCE rarely rewards those.