ABSTRACT

It has been observed that microlivestock (small animals raised for food) such as rabbit, snail, grasscutter and guinea pig, bee, birds etc have contributed greatly to the animal protein need of the Nigerian populace especially in the rural area, yet much emphasis have not been placed or stressed on their contributions by individual and government established agencies. This study examined empirically the technical and economic efficiencies of production for rabbit, snail, grass cutter and guinea pig enterprises in Cross River state of Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed in selecting a total of two hundred (fifty per each enterprise) micro livestock farmers in the state. A structured questionnaire survey was used to obtain information on socio-economic characteristics and other quantitative variables of interest. Descriptive statistical tools such as percentages, frequencies, means, and tables were used in analyzing the data on socio-economic characteristics of the respondents while the stochastic frontier production and profit functions were used for estimating technical and economic efficiencies of these enterprises in the study area. Generalized likelihood ratio test statistics was used in testing the hypotheses of farmers' efficiencies in each of the production enterprises. The results revealed that labour, farm size, capital input and feeder microlivestock were the major factors that determined the level of output of these enterprises while farm size, price of feeder microlivestock, price of drugs/medication and capital input were important determinants of profit level as well. Furthermore, household size, age, education level, extension visit, member of co-operative, farming experience and gender were shown as major factors influencing both technical and economic efficiency of the enterprises. The mean technical efficiencies levels for rabbit, snail, grasscutter and guinea pig production were 81.0%, 64.0%, 94.0% and 75.0% while the mean economic efficiencies were 76.0%, 59.0%, 81.0% and 49.0% respectively. This implies that the mean efficiency levels for rabbit, snail, grasscutter and guinea could be increased by 19.0%, 36.0%, 6.0% and 25.0% for technical efficiency and by 24.0%, 41.0%, 19.0% and 51.0% for economic efficiency respectively, through efficient use and utilization of available resources. The study also revealed that for micro livestock farmers in rabbit, snail, grasscutter and guinea pig production enterprises to became technically and economically most efficient farmers, in the area they would required a cost saving of 16.0%, 31.0%, 6.0%, 23.0% and 19.1%, 40.4%, 14.7% 50.5% respectively. The sum of output elasticities which denotes returns to scale were 0.8551, 3.0694, -0.1661 and 0.1861 for rabbit, snail, grasscutter and guinea pig enterprises respectively, denoting decreasing return to scale for rabbit and guinea pig enterprises; Increasing return to scale for snail enterprise and diminishing return to scale for grasscutter enterprise. Given the fact that ample opportunity exists for improvement of their efficiencies, the result suggests good allocation and adequate utilization of inputs and recommended use of improved breed of microlivestock technologies among others. Farmers in the microlivestock sub-sector need more educational exposure, experience, extension services, and capital inputs. In essence, appropriate policies and programmes that would enhance efficiency were recommended and if properly implemented will boost productivity in the enterprises and general economic development of the area.