Analysis of Technical Efficiency among Swamp Rice Farmers in Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the Technical efficiency among swamp rice farmers in Niger State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 159 swamp rice farmers. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, and the stochastic frontier production function. The results showed that less than 30% of farmers belong to cooperative societies. Majority (74%) were found to be within active age group of 31-50 years. The result of Cobb-Douglass stochastic frontier production function showed that the individual technical efficiency ranges between 34-98 percent with mean technical efficiency of 86%. The result revealed that there is high coefficient of variation (CV) of socio-economic factors, implying high variation in socio-economic factors. This could induce high variation in output among sampled farmers and could affect the efficiency of production. Analysis of inefficiency model showed that age, family size, extension contact and membership of cooperatives were the significant determinants of technical efficiency among the swamp rice farmers in the study area. The study therefore recommends that Swamp rice farmers in the study area should be enlightened by the extension agents on the use of recommended practices so as to improve farmers’ technical efficiency.Keywords: Coefficient of variation, Technical Efficiency, Swamp rice