Economic Efficiency of Small holder Swamp Rice Farmers across Gender in Anambra State, Nigeria. An application of Stochastic Production Frontier Function

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science (IJRIAS) | Volume VI, Issue XI, November 2021|ISSN 2454-6194

Economic Efficiency of Small holder Swamp Rice Farmers across Gender in Anambra State, Nigeria. An application of Stochastic Production Frontier Function

Emma-Ajah, J .A¹, Ume, S I^1*, Ucha, S.O¹ and Chukwu, M. F^2
1Department of Agricultural Extension and Management, Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
²Department of Marketing, Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
*Corresponding Author

Abstract: Economic efficiency of small holder swamp rice farmers across gender in Anambra State, Nigeria was studied. The objectives of the study were to determine the level of economics efficiency and its determinants across gender and identify and analyze the constraints to swamp rice production in the study area. Multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 120 swamp rice farmers (60 males and 60 females). Mean, maximum likelihood method and factor analysis were employed to address the objectives of the study. The result of mean economic efficiency of the male group (0.65) was higher than that of the female group (0.61). The cost of production of swamp rice to both male and female was affected by prfert (price of fertilizer), cptal (capital) and larent (Land rent). The determinant factors to economic efficiency that cut across both gender were educa (educational level), farmexp. (farming experience) and memorg (membership of organization), while only Accredit (credit) was to male farmer group. The problems of poor access to credit, poor access to post harvest technology, poor access to improved varieties and high cost labour cut across both gender. Policies to ensure farmers’ access to credit, educational programme, improved rice varieties and labour saving devices were proffered.

Keywords:, Economic efficiency, Farmers, Gender, Smallholder, stochastic frontier, Swamp rice.

I. INTRODUCTION

In sub-Saharan Africa, South and East Asia and Latin America, the roles of smallholders farmers in promoting their food security are well documented (Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, 2003, Ferrero and Tabacchi, 2002; Imolehi and Wada, 2012; Rice Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), 2018).). For instance, smallholders is responsible for 70% of the food produced in Africa, 75 % of food supplies in South Asia (Cruiz,2009; FAO, 2019), and 70% of the food consumed in sub-Saharan Africa (West African Rice Development Association (WARDA), 2003). In Nigeria, small scale contributes more than 75 – 80% of the farming population and 85 – 90% of food produced in the country (National Burean of Statistics, 2009).

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