FACTORS INFLUENCING ALLOCATIVE EFFICIENCY OF SMALLSCALE TOMATO (LYCOPERSICUM SPECIES) PRODUCTION IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA: IMPLICA TIONS FOR FOOD SECURITY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Abstract

This study evaluated factors influencing allocative efficiency of smallscale tomato (Lycopersicum species) production in Kaduna State, Nigeria: implications for food security and resource management. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 120 smallscale tomato farmers. Data of primary sources were collected with the help of a well-structured and a well-designed questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result indicates that the mean age of smallscale tomato resource farmers were 46 years, the mean household size of the respondents was 7 persons, while the mean resource farm size was 1.17ha. The minimum and the maximum allocative efficiency score of the tomato farmers were 0.30 and 0.93 respectively. The results of profitability analysis indicate that tomato production was profitable with gross margin and net farm income of N550,960 per ha and N497,190 respectively. The gross margin and operating ratios were 0.69 and 0.28 respectively. The resource inputs and socio-economic factors influencing allocative efficiency of tomato production were: age (P < 0.01), farm size (P < 0.01), household size (P < 0.01), gender (P < 0.05), marital status (P < 0.01), level of education (P < 0.10), access to extension services (P < 0.05), and membership of cooperative organization (P < 0.05). The study recommended that farmers should be provided with the following resource inputs: improved seeds, chemicals, fertilizer input, credit facilities and extension services in order to reduce resource wastages, increase efficiency and productivity.