Technical Efficiency of Small-Holder Cocoyam Farmers in Anambra State Nigeria: Implications for Agricultural Extension Policy
This study employed the Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production function to measure the level of technical efficiency in small-holder cocoyam production in Anambra state, Nigeria. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 120 cocoyam farmers in the state in 2005 and from them in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Agricultural Extension Society of Nigeria
2008-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Agricultural Extension |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journal.aesonnigeria.org/index.php/jae/article/view/209 |
| _version_ | 1811195318182608896 |
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| author | B C Okoye C E Onyenweaku A E Agwu |
| author_facet | B C Okoye C E Onyenweaku A E Agwu |
| author_sort | B C Okoye |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study employed the Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production
function to measure the level of technical efficiency in small-holder
cocoyam production in Anambra state, Nigeria. A multi-stage random
sampling technique was used to select 120 cocoyam farmers in the state
in 2005 and from them input-output data were obtained using the costroute
approach. The parameters of the stochastic frontier production
function were estimated using the maximum likelihood method. The result
of the analysis shows that individual farm level technical efficiency was
about 95%. The study found education and farming experience to be
positively and significantly related to technical efficiency at 1% while
practice index, fertilizer use and membership of cooperative societies also
had a direct relationship with technical efficiency and were significant at
5% level. Age and farm size had an indirect relationship with technical
efficiency and was significant at 1% and 5% level respectively. There
were no significant relationship between technical efficiency and
knowledge index, credit access and family size. Expected increases in
agriculture require increase in agricultural productivity. In other words,
agricultural productivity very much depends on the efficiency of the
production process. Hence, policies designed to educate people through
proper agricultural extension services will have a great impact in
increasing the level of efficiency and hence agricultural productivity of
these farmers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T00:41:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-24cea522c6f840ab85c7d52d060067dc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1119-944X 2408-6851 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T00:41:27Z |
| publishDate | 2008-06-01 |
| publisher | Agricultural Extension Society of Nigeria |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Agricultural Extension |
| spelling | doaj.art-24cea522c6f840ab85c7d52d060067dc2022-12-22T03:55:00ZengAgricultural Extension Society of NigeriaJournal of Agricultural Extension1119-944X2408-68512008-06-01121Technical Efficiency of Small-Holder Cocoyam Farmers in Anambra State Nigeria: Implications for Agricultural Extension PolicyB C Okoye0C E Onyenweaku1A E Agwu2National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Abia State.Dept. of Agricultural Economics, Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.Dept. of Agricultural Extension, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.This study employed the Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production function to measure the level of technical efficiency in small-holder cocoyam production in Anambra state, Nigeria. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 120 cocoyam farmers in the state in 2005 and from them input-output data were obtained using the costroute approach. The parameters of the stochastic frontier production function were estimated using the maximum likelihood method. The result of the analysis shows that individual farm level technical efficiency was about 95%. The study found education and farming experience to be positively and significantly related to technical efficiency at 1% while practice index, fertilizer use and membership of cooperative societies also had a direct relationship with technical efficiency and were significant at 5% level. Age and farm size had an indirect relationship with technical efficiency and was significant at 1% and 5% level respectively. There were no significant relationship between technical efficiency and knowledge index, credit access and family size. Expected increases in agriculture require increase in agricultural productivity. In other words, agricultural productivity very much depends on the efficiency of the production process. Hence, policies designed to educate people through proper agricultural extension services will have a great impact in increasing the level of efficiency and hence agricultural productivity of these farmers.https://journal.aesonnigeria.org/index.php/jae/article/view/209Technical EfficiencyStochastic Frontier Production Function and Extension Service |
| spellingShingle | B C Okoye C E Onyenweaku A E Agwu Technical Efficiency of Small-Holder Cocoyam Farmers in Anambra State Nigeria: Implications for Agricultural Extension Policy Journal of Agricultural Extension Technical Efficiency Stochastic Frontier Production Function and Extension Service |
| title | Technical Efficiency of Small-Holder Cocoyam Farmers in Anambra State Nigeria: Implications for Agricultural Extension Policy |
| title_full | Technical Efficiency of Small-Holder Cocoyam Farmers in Anambra State Nigeria: Implications for Agricultural Extension Policy |
| title_fullStr | Technical Efficiency of Small-Holder Cocoyam Farmers in Anambra State Nigeria: Implications for Agricultural Extension Policy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Technical Efficiency of Small-Holder Cocoyam Farmers in Anambra State Nigeria: Implications for Agricultural Extension Policy |
| title_short | Technical Efficiency of Small-Holder Cocoyam Farmers in Anambra State Nigeria: Implications for Agricultural Extension Policy |
| title_sort | technical efficiency of small holder cocoyam farmers in anambra state nigeria implications for agricultural extension policy |
| topic | Technical Efficiency Stochastic Frontier Production Function and Extension Service |
| url | https://journal.aesonnigeria.org/index.php/jae/article/view/209 |
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