Effect Of Technological Change On Output And Factor Shares In Potato Production In Jos Plateau Area Of Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was carried out in four Local Government Areas in Plateau State – Jos South, Bokkos, Mangu and Barkin Ladi, which were randomly selected from eight noted for potato production. The sample size was 182 used in the analysis of the data. The primary data were collected using structured questionnaires forthnightly. Two improved potato varieties (Nicola and Lady Christy) and one local variety (Empi) were used in this study. The production systems were Furrow/Flood Irrigation and Manual watering.The factor shares in the cost of production were estimated and the technical change biases measured. The factor shares were estimated using a normalized Cobb- Douglas profit function to indirectly estimate the partial elasticities of the Cobb-Douglas production function with constant returns to scale. Capital had the highest cost-share of 57.2% under the Manual watering production system, while labour had the least ( 12.5%). The technological change biases introduced by different potato varieties under the different production systems were factor-saving for labour and fertilizer but factor-using for land and capital in Nicola under Furrow/Flood irrigation production system. Normalized Cobb-Douglas profit function indirectly estimated the partial elasticities of the Cobb-Douglas production functions with constant returns to scale for potato in Jos Plateau. Keywords: Technological change, Cobb-Douglas and Profit functions ,Factor sharesJournal of Agriculture and Social Research Vol. 8 (1) 2008: pp. 18-27