Indexing
All Issues
Submission
Author Guidelines
Reviewers
Editorial Members
Publication Fee
Vol.4 , No. 3, Publication Date: Jun. 7, 2017, Page: 37-42
 model and the stochastic frontier profit model were analyzed. The result showed that farm size is a significant determinant of productivity. The significant factors influencing profit were price of seed (P = 0.01), price of labour (P = 0.05), price of fertilizer (P = 0.10), farm size (P = 0.05), and capital (P = 0.05). On the determinants of efficiency of the rice farmers, all the variables except years of educational attainment were significant. The frequency distributions of the efficiency of the rice farmers showed that the individual efficiency indices range from 42.57 – 100% for farmers with a mean of 87.95%. It was recommended that farmers should be granted access to more farm lands by removing obstacles that hinder land acquisition as cultivation of larger farm lands would lead to increased productivity and efficiency.&picture=http://www.aascit.org/aascit/decorators/img/journal/892.jpg)
| [1] | Iheke Onwuchekwa Raphael, Department of Agricultural Economics, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria. |
| [2] | Nwanyanwu Chiemela Rejoice, Department of Agricultural Economics, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria. |
This study examined farm size and the determinant of productive efficiency among smallholder rice farmers in Abia State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were determine the effect farm size on productivity of smallholder rice farmers, estimate the profit function of the respondents, and to ascertain the determinants of productive efficiency among smallholder rice farmers in Abia State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was adopted in selecting the respondents for the study. Data collection was by using structured questionnaire which were administered to the respondents. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, means etc. and regression analysis. The ordinary least squares (OLS) model and the stochastic frontier profit model were analyzed. The result showed that farm size is a significant determinant of productivity. The significant factors influencing profit were price of seed (P = 0.01), price of labour (P = 0.05), price of fertilizer (P = 0.10), farm size (P = 0.05), and capital (P = 0.05). On the determinants of efficiency of the rice farmers, all the variables except years of educational attainment were significant. The frequency distributions of the efficiency of the rice farmers showed that the individual efficiency indices range from 42.57 – 100% for farmers with a mean of 87.95%. It was recommended that farmers should be granted access to more farm lands by removing obstacles that hinder land acquisition as cultivation of larger farm lands would lead to increased productivity and efficiency.
Keywords
Farm Size, Production, Efficiency, Rice, Farmers
Reference
| [01] | Aigner, D, C. A. K. Lovell and P. Schmidt (1977) Formulation and Estimation of Stochastic Frontier Production Function Models, Journal of Econometrics, 6 (1): 21-37. |
| [02] | Amodu, M. Y, J. O. Owolabi and S. S Adeola (2011). Resource Use Efficiency in Part-time Food Crop Production: The Stochastic Frontier Approach; Nig. J. Basic and Appl. Sci. 19 (1): 102-110. |
| [03] | Babatunde, R. O., Fakayode, S. B. and Obafemi, A. A. (2008). Fadama maize Production in Nigeria: Case Study from Kwara State. Research Journal of Agriculture and Biology. 4: 340-345. |
| [04] | Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) (2014). Statistical Bulletin: External Sector Statistics 715. |
| [05] | Coelli, T. J (1996). A Guide to Frontier Version 4.1: A Computer Programme for Production and Cost Function Estimation. Department of Econometrics, University of New England, Armidale, Australia. |
| [06] | Dele, G. H. and Adebayo. A. O. (2008) Profit Efficiency among Female Smallholder Farmers in Atiba Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria Journal of Economic Theory 23: 77-83. |
| [07] | FAO (2013). Declaration on world food security. Food and agriculture Organization, World Food Summit, 13-17, 2: 1-15. |
| [08] | Idiong, I. C. (2005). Evaluation of technical allocative and economic efficiencies in rice production systems in cross river state, Nigeria, Ph.D Dissertation, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. |
| [09] | Iheke, O. R. (2010). Impact of Migrant Remittances on Efficiency and Welfare of Rural Smallholder Arable Crop Households in South Eastern Nigeria. Ph. D. Dissertation. Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria. |
| [10] | Iheke, O. R. and J. C. Nwaru (2010) Comparative Analysis of the Economic Efficiency of Men and Women Rice Farmers in Abia State: A Stochastic Frontier Profit Function Approach. Journal of Food and Fibre Production, 3 (1): 441-454. |
| [11] | Iheke, O. R. and Nwankwo, N. F. (2016). Analysis of the Technical Efficiency of Snail Farmers in Abia State, Nigeria. Scientific Papers Series Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and Rural Development 16 (1): 205-212. |
| [12] | Iheke, O. R. and Ukaegbu, H. I. (2015). Effect of Poor Health and Farmers’ Socioeconomic Variables on Total Factor Productivity of Arable Crop Farm Households in Abia State, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Agriculture, Food and Environment. 11 (3): 141-146. |
| [13] | Iheke, O. R. and Nwaru (2008). Technical and Allocative Efficiency returns to scale of men and women rice farmers in Abia State, Nigeria, Journal of the science of Agriculture, Food Technology and the environment, 29 (3): 287-294. |
| [14] | Iheke, O. R., J. C. Nwaru and C. E., Onyenweaku (2013). The Impact of Migrant Remittances on the Technical Efficiency of Arable crop farm Households in the south eastern Nigeria. Invited paper presented at the 4th international conference of the African Association of Agricultural Economists, September 22-25, 2013, Hammamet, Tunisia. |
| [15] | Iken, P. S., and Amusa, D. C., (2014). Identification of factors that influence technical efficiency in rice-based production systems in Nigeria. Paper presented at Workshop on policies and strategies for promoting rice production and food security in sub-Sahara Africa: 7-7 November 2005, Cotonou (Benin). |
| [16] | Key, N. and Mcbride, W. (2003). Production Contracts and productivity in the US hog Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 2011. 9 (3): 1187-1191. |
| [17] | Kolawale, O. (2010). Technical Efficiency of Smallholder Farms in Nigeria. Cuvillier Verlag Gottingen 693. |
| [18] | Meeusen, W. and J. Van den Broeck (1977). Efficiency Estimation from Cobb-Douglas Production Function with Composite Error, International Economic Review 18 (2): 123-134. |
| [19] | Nigerian Population Commission (NPC) (2007) 2006 Nigerian Census Figures. Nigerian Population Commission, Abuja. |
| [20] | Nurudeen, A. J. (2012). Economics and Social Characteristics of Registered Poultry egg Producers in Ilorin, Kwara State. Russian J. Agric, Soci-Econ. Sc. 11: 11. |
| [21] | Nwaru, J. C. (1993). Relative Production Efficiency of Cooperative and Non Cooperative Farms in Imo state, Nigeria. MSc. Thesis, Federal University of Technology, Owerri. |
| [22] | Nwaru, J. C. (2004). Rural Credit Markets and Resource Use in Arable Crop Production in Imo State of Nigeria. PhD Thesis Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. |
| [23] | Nwaru, J. C., Iheke, O. R and C. E. Onyenweaku (2011). Impact of Migrant Remittances on the Welfare of Arable Crop Farm Households in South Eastern Nigeria. Journal of Human Ecology Review. 18 (2): 159-166. |
| [24] | Obasi P. C. (1991). Resources use efficiency in food production: a case study of the Owerri Agricultural Zone of Imo state, Nigeria M.Sc Thesis, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. |
| [25] | Obasi, P. C. (2007). Farm Size Productivity Relationship among Arable Crops Farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. Int. J. Agric. and Rural Develop. 9: 91- 99. |
| [26] | Ohajianya, O. O. and E. O. Onyenweaku (2005). Gender and Relative Efficiency in Rice production systems in Ebonyi State, Nigeria: A Profit Function Analysis. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment. 3 (2): 384-392. |
| [27] | Okike, I. K. (2006). Crop-livestock interaction and economic efficiency of farmers in the Savanna Zone of Nigeria. Ph.D Thesis, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Ibadan. |
| [28] | Oluwataya, A. B., Sekumade, O. and Adesoji, S. A. (2008). Resource Use Efficiency of Maize Farmers in Rural Nigeria: Evidence from Ekiti State, Nigeria. World Journal of Agricultural Science. 4 (1): 91-99. |
| [29] | Onaiwu, S. A. (2011). Economic analysis of Pineapple Production: A Case Study of Esan West and Uhumwode Local Government Areas of Edo State, Nigeria. MSc Thesis, Department of agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. |
| [30] | Olaniyi, A. O. and Adewale, J. G. (2012). Information on Maize Production among Rural Youth: A solution for Sustainable Food Security in Nigeria. Library Philosophy and Practice (ejournal) Paper 724. |
| [31] | Onubuogu, G. C; Esiobu, N. S., Nwosu, C. S. and Okereke, C. N. (2014). Resource Use Efficiency of Smallholder Cassava Farmers in Owerri Agricultural Zone, Imo State, Nigeria. Scholarly Journal of Agricultural Science. 4 (6): 306-318. |
| [32] | Varian, H. R. (2014). Big Data: New Tricks for Econometrics. Journal of Economic Perspective. 28 (2): 3-8. |
| [33] | WARDA and NISER (West Africa Rice Development Association and Nigeria Institute of Social and Economic Research (2011). Report of the Stakeholders Workshop. WARDA and NISER, Ibadan, Nigeria 8-9 November. |
| [34] | Wattanutchariya, S. Jitsanguan, T., (1992). Increasing the scale of small farm operations in Thailand. Food & Fertilizer Technology Centre http://www.fftc.agnet.org/library/article/eb344a.html. |
| [35] | Onyenweaku, C. E. and Ohajianya, D. O. (2005). Technical efficiency of swamp and upland rice farmers in south Eastern Nigeria, Journal of Sustainable Tropical Agricultural Research. 14: 81-8. |
