Abstract
The stochastic production frontier was employed in the analysis of the technical efficiency of small scale cassava farmers in Cross River State. A multi-stage random sampling technique was adopted in selecting two hundred (200) cassava farmers from Ikom and Ogoja Agricultural zones in the State. Structured questionnaires were used in collecting data for the study. A stochastic production function, using the Maximum Likelihood Estimating (MLE) technique, was used in estimating the farmer's technical efficiency and their determinants in the study area. The mean technical efficiency of the cassava farmer's was 89%. The result of the generalized Likelihood Ratio (LR) tests confirm that the cassava farmers were technically inefficient, implying that there is room to improve technical efficiency with the farmers' current resource base and available technology. Age and sex of the farmers had negative but significant effect on their technical efficiency, while education, family size, farming experience and farm size had significant and positive influence on farmer's technical efficiency. Therefore, policies that would encourage experienced and educated farmers, especially women to continue in cassava farming are recommended.
Highlights
Agriculture is the major source of livelihood for most developing countries like Nigeria
In Nigeria, agricultural production is dominated by the small holder farming systems, with farms dominated by small scale farmers who account for about 95% of total production ( Olujenyo, 2010)
The mean man-days for labour is about 160.71, indicating that cassava production is labour intensive, which is common in small scale agriculture owing to the non- mechanization of the production process (Idiong, 2006)
Summary
Agriculture is the major source of livelihood for most developing countries like Nigeria. The agricultural sector has contributed immensely in the development of Nigerian economy; generating employment for about 70% of the country's population and accounts for about 40% of the Gross Domestic Product ( GDP), with crops accounting for 80%, livestock 13%, forestry 3% and fishery 4% ( Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2006). In Nigeria, agricultural production is dominated by the small holder farming systems, with farms dominated by small scale farmers who account for about 95% of total production ( Olujenyo, 2010). This is due to the unattractiveness of agriculture as a result of lack of infrastructures in the rural areas where a bulk of agricultural activities takes place. Limited access to credit facilities, modern technology and inefficient use of resources have been the bane of small scale agriculture in Nigeria
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