ABSTRACT

The study examined the efficiency of Fadama Telfairia Production in Imo State, Nigeria with particular attention to technical and economic efficiencies. Specifically, it identified and analyzed the Production Systems; evaluated the technical and economic efficiencies while the socio- economic variables influencing the efficiency estimates were estimated. A multistage random sampling technique was adopted in the selection of 40 Fadama Telfairia farmers from each of the three agricultural zones of the State. A well-structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on socio - economic characteristics and other relevant variables. Descriptive statistics, which subsume frequencies, means and percentages were used in the analysis of data on socio — economic characteristics cum production systems. Technical and economic efficiencies were analyzed using Cobb - Douglas and Translog stochastic production and profit functions respectively. The Maximum Likelihood Estimation Technique was employed in estimating the functions. The Generalized Likelihood Ratio (LR) Estimation was used in testing hypotheses of full technical and economic efficiencies while t-test statistic was employed in testing their determinants. With respect to production systems, majority (63.33%) of Fadama Telfairia farmers practised mixed vegetable production while 36.67% adopted sole Fadama Telfairia cropping system. The results showed that farm size, seeds and labour were major determinants of technical efficiency while profit level was influenced by fertilizer price, wage rate and farm size. Efficiency was found to be influenced by age, farming experience, membership of cooperative societies, farm and household sizes. The mean technical efficiency was 0.57 and thus the percentage of the frontier Fadama farmers was 59.16 (those above the mean score) while the non- frontier farmers represented 38.34%. The mean economic efficiency was 0.40 and as such, the average Fadama Telfairia would require a cost savings of 42% in order to attain the profit status of the most economically efficient farmer in the sample. Given the fact that ample opportunity exists for improvement in their efficiency, introduction of birth control policies and review of Land Use Act of 1990 are among policy options suggested by the study.