Constraints and determinants of technical efficiency in medium-scale soybean production in Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study presents the empirical analysis of the constraints and determinants of technical efficiency in medium-scale soybean production in Benue State, Nigeria. Primary data were collected on 64 medium scale soybean farmers selected from the 2 major soybean-producing agricultural zones in the state in Nigeria. The selection of respondents was multi-staged and involved random sampling as well as purposive sampling methods. Mean and standard deviation were used to analyse the constraints on soybean production while translog stochastic frontier model was used to estimate the determinants of technical efficiency of the farmers. The major constraints on soybean production as perceived by medium-scale farmers among others was inadequate processing facilities (X = 3.42) and lack of mechanical services (X = 3.41). The average technical efficiency was about 73%. The determinants of technical efficiency which were statistically significant were sex, age and experience. Sex and age had an inverse relationship with technical inefficiencies of the farmers while experience had a direct relationship. Hence, Nigeria public and private policies that would improve the farmers’ experiences in soybean production especially in handing the available technologies would lead to significant increase in the level of technical efficiency in medium-scale soybean production.