Efficiency Of Smallholder Cassava Production In Abia State, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

Cassava has been identified as an important staple food crop, which often play a critical role in alleviating famine. Nigeria had undergone a fairly long period of cassava improvement of which only 8.2% increase in root yield (Akoroda, 1995) was recorded. The Research institute, had been given the mandate to improve cassava production with the help of the ADPs via innovation such as improved varieties of cassava cuttings and farming system of which Nigeria and specifically Abia State is yet to experience the impact since cassava is still expensive. Based on this situation, the question is do farmers actually maximize output for a given set of inputs? Are there socio-economic factors which could hinder the farmers ability to maximize output? Do farmers optimally utilize inputs given their respective prices. This study will serve as insight to both the research institutes and ADPs on how efficient the farmers had been in utilizing the innovations introduced to them. It will also be a source of information to help design appropriate policies by Government. The study evaluated the efficiency of smaliholder cassava production in Abia stated, Nigeria in terms of technical efficiency, socio-economic factors that affect technical efficiency and allocative efficiency of farmers. A total of 192 copies of the questionnaire was distributed using multistage sampling procedure of which 169 copies was used. Six blocks in the three Agricultural zones of Abia State ' were selected. These are Ukwa East, Ukwa West, Arochukwu, Ohafia, Ikwuano South and Umuahia North. The stochastic frontier production function and least cost relationship were used to analyze the data bollected. At the end of the analysis the result showed that farm size, labour, quantity of fertilizer and cassava cuttings have a positive and significant impact on output and mean technical efficiency is 0.69 with a range of 0.1236 and 0.9787. Years of schooling, gender, labour, farm size, farming experience and extension were found to have a positive and significant association with technical efficiency. xi The input factors tested farm size, labour, capital input, quantity of fertilizer and cuttings were shown to be allocatively inefficient. Appropriate policy on wellarticulated and planned programmes on education is necessary to further empower the farmers. Seminars and workshops that will further equip the extension officers should be encouraged. Also, policies that will enhance availability of land to farmers at affordable rate and condition should be pursued. Policy that will reduce labour immigration should be introduced.