Impact of technological change on output of potato production in Plateau State, Nigeria.

Abstract

This study assessed the impact of technological change on output, of potato in Plateau State, Nigeria. It was carried out in four Local Government Areas Jos south, Bokkos, Mangu and Barkin Ladi were purposively randomly selected from eight noted for potato production. The sample size was 240 households but only 182 were used in the analysis of the data. The primary data were collected using structured questionnaire and data were collected 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. Cobb-Douglas production functions were estimated for the potato varieties and production systems. Chow's test's were carried out to test for structural shifts in production functions, for production system and varietal effects, homogeneity of slopes and differences in intercepts. The results showed that under Furrow/Flood Irrigation Production System, R was 0.48 for Lady Christy, 0.60 for Empi, 0.29 for Lady Christy and 0.21 for Nicola. The coefficients of the variety dummy variable were positive and statistically significant at 5% level, indicating that Nicola and Lady Christy gave higher yields than Empi (Local variety). The coefficients of the production systems dummy variables were not significant even at 10% level, so there was no difference between the yields of the improved varieties and the local variety in the two production systems. Covariance analysis for the three potato varieties grown in the two potato production systems were statistically significant at 10% level. The introduction of Nicola and Lady Christy caused a shift upwards of the Empi (Local variety) production function. There was homogeneity in the slopes of the production functions and so confirmed that the potato production functions were factor neutral. There was a decreasing returns to scale for almost of the production functions.Keywords: Technological change, output of potato, Production function.