ABSTRACT

This study was designed to examine the comparative study of the resource use efficiency of modem taungya, traditional taungya and non-taungya farmers in Bende Local Government Area of Abia state. A total of 288 farmers from five (5) village the local government are were randomly selected using multi-stage sampling technic Data, which comprised information on the socio-economic characteristics, w collected using well-structured questionnaires and personal interviews. The socioeconomic characteristics were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as percentages and frequencies. Multiple regression technique was used to anal resource productivity. Chow's F- statistics was used to determine the significant difference between taungya (Traditional and Modern) and Non-taungya farming system Ratio of MVP to MFC was used to analyzed resource use efficiency. Cost and ret. analysis was used to analyze the profitability of taungya systems. The results show farmers in the study area are literates, having at least primary education. Respondents the modem were younger than the traditional taungya farming system, while the nontaungya farmers relatively older. Farm size, labour inputs and planting materials a capital inputs were significant determinants of output. The Chow's test (F-stattics shows that there is a significant difference of the output of taungya and non-taungya., farming system, indicating that the output of taungya and non-taungya farming systems changes over time. Labour inputs, fertilizer and agrochemical, and capital inputs were over utilized in all the farming systems studied, while land was underutilized. T value of MVP for all the resources in modern taungya farming system include, land- (6.7568), labour inputs-(256.215), fertilizer and agrochemical-(208.138), planting materials-(304.4867) and capital inputs-(460.3396), in traditional taungya farm system include, land-(2353.04), labour inputs-(271 .28), fertilizer and agrochemic:' (52.2731), planting materials-(403.6011), and capital inputs-(108.5578), in non-taungya farming systems, land-(2386.7), labour inputs-(199.086), fertilizer and agrochemical- (700), planting materials-(663.351) and capital inputs-(661.346). the value of MFC all the resources in modem taungya farming system include, land-(l,500), labour input (500), fertilizers and agrochemical-(700), planting materials-(900), and capital input. (880), in traditional farming system, land-(1,200), labour inputs-(600), fertilizer and agrochemical -(500), planting materials-(850) and capital inputs-(750), in non-taungya farming system, land-(1,500), labour inputs-(500), fertilizer and agrochemical-(300). planting materials-(800) and capital inputs-(700). Modern taungya farming system 'is profitable than traditional taungya farming system with values of net-return l,077,8' and 850,580 respectively while taungya farming system is more profitable than non taungya farming system with values of net-return 2,597,355 and 2,556,705 respective The study recommends that Agricultural Development Policy should target the determinants of various farming system.