Technical Efficiency of Small Holder Cocoyam Production in Anambra State,Nigeria: A Cobb-Douglas Stochastic Frontier Production Approach

Okoye, B.C and Onyenweaku, C.E and Asumugha, G.N (2007): Technical Efficiency of Small Holder Cocoyam Production in Anambra State,Nigeria: A Cobb-Douglas Stochastic Frontier Production Approach. Published in: Nigerian Journal of Agricultural Research and Policies , Vol. 2, No. 2 (2007): pp. 27-31.

Abstract

This study employed a Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production function to measure the level of technical efficiency and its determinants in small-holder cocoyam production in Anambra state, Nigeria. A Multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 120 cocoyam farmers in the state in 2005 from whom input-output data were obtained using the cost-route approach. The parameters of the stochastic frontier production function were estimated using the maximum likelihood method. The study found farm size, labour and fertilizer to be positively and significantly related to output at 5% level of significance. Socio economic determinants influencing technical efficiency directly were farming experiences and credit access at 5% level of significance. Age and farm size were negatively and significantly related to technical efficiency at 5% level of significance. The test of significance using ANOVA showed that there were significant differences in the technical efficiencies among zones.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Cobb-Douglas Stochastic Frontier Production Function and Technical Efficiency.
• Subjects: D - Microeconomics > D6 - Welfare Economics; D - Microeconomics > D6 - Welfare Economics > D61 - Allocative Efficiency ; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q1 - Agriculture > Q10 - General

References

Asumugha, G. N and Mbanaso, E. N. A. (2002). An assessment of the Cost Effectiveness of Farm Gate Cocoyam processing into Frizzles. In Agriculture, a basis for poverty eradication and conflict resolution. Proc. of the 36th Annual Conference of Agric. Soc. Of Nig. FUTO, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria: 94-97

Awoke, M.U. and Okorji, E.C (2003) Analysis of constraints in Resource use efficiency in multiple cropping system by small-holder farmers in Ebonyi State of Nigeria. Global Journal of Agric Science 2(2): 132-136.

Bhuyan, R. P and Hazarika, C. (1997) An Analysis of Growth and Instability in Tea Production in Assam. Journal of Interacademicia, Vol. 1. No. 3 pp 248-254.

Effiong, E.O. (2005) Efficiency of Production in Selected Livestock Enterprises in Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria. Unpublished Ph.D Dissertation. Department of Agricultural Economics, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.

FAO Statistics (2006) Data base Results (Website)

Hazarika, C and Subramanian, S.R. (1999) Estimation of Technical Efficiency in the Stochastic Frontier Production Function Model – An Application to the Tea Industry in Assam.

Idiong, I.C. (2005) Evaluation of Technical, Allocative and Economic Efficiencies in Rice Production Systems in Cross River State, Nigeria. An unpublished Ph.D Thesis, Univ. of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Johnson, D.T. (1982). The Business of Farming. A guide to farm Business Management in the Tropics. Macmillan: 200-204.

Mbanaso, E.N.A and Enyinnaya, A.M. (1989) Cocoyam germplasm conservation. NRCRI Annual Report:60.

Nkematu, J.A., (2000) Anambra State ADP Extension Service Report for 1999. In: Proc. Of the 14th Annual Farming Systems Research and Extension Workshop in SE Nigeria, 9-12 Nov. 1999: 100-105.

Nwagbo, E.C., Okorji, E.C and Ugwu, D. (1987) Cocoyam and the food crop economy of Anambra State: A case study of two major producing areas of Anambra State In: Arene, O.B., Ene, L.S.O., Odurukwe, S.O. and Ezeh, N.O.A (eds) Cocoyam in Nigeria. Proceedings of the 1st Nat. Workshop in Cocoyam, NRCRI Umudike: 101-112.

Nwaru, J. C. (1993) A comparison of the Allocative Efficiency of Co-operative and non Co-operative Farms in Food Crop Production in Imo State Nigeria. An Unpublished M.Sc Thesis, Federal Univ. of Tech. Owerri, Nig.

Okorji, E. C. (1988) Strategies for Effective Credit Administration: A case Study of Arable Crop Production in The Abakaliki Agricultural Zone of Anambra State, Nigeria. Journal of Rural Development and Cooperatives, Vol. 1, No. 4

Okoye, B. C., Okorji, E. C and Asumugha, G. N (2004) Outlook on Production Economics of Paddy Rice under Resource constraints in Ebonyi State. Proc. of the 38th Annual conference of the Agricultural Society of Nigeria. (ASN), 17- 21 Oct. 2004, Lafia Nasarawa State. Pp 337-342.

Onyenweaku, C. E. and Ezeh, N. O. A (1987) Trends in Production, Area and Pp 94 - 100 Productivity of Cocoyams in Nigeria 1960/61 – 1981/84: In Cocoyams in Nigeria, Production, Processing and Utilization, NRCRI Umudike.

Purseglove, J.W. (1972) Araceas – In Tropical Crops: Monocotyledons. Longman, Essex, UK 58-74.

Zuhair, M and Hunter, D.G. (2000) Taro cultivation and use in the Maldives. 1PGRI session. 12th symp of ISTRC; Tsukuba Japan: 97.