The determinants of technical efficiency in mixed-crop food production in Nigeria: a stochastic parametric approach

This study employs a stochastic frontier model to examine the determinants of technical efficiency of mixed -crop farming in Nigeria using farm-level survey data collected from 240 food crops. The empirical result shows that more than half of the farmers were 87% efficient in allocating their resources. This result was further corroborated by the return to scale (RTS) of 1.115 obtained which shows that farmers practising this form of farming system operate in stage I of production surface (increasing returns to scale).Also determinants of farmers production efficiency show that farmers' socio-economic variables represented by age and experience contributed positively to technical efficiency of the farmers. While the level of schooling and household size however reduces technical efficiency of the farmers. The policy implication of these findings suggests that there is considerable scope for improvements in efficiency levels leading either to increased output or cost savings with emphasising on adequate enlightenment on the benefit of engaging in this system of farming with a view of solving the problems of food insecurity in the country. Keywords : Mixed crop farming, , Nigeria, stochastic frontier, technical efficiency Eastern Africa Journal of Rural Development Vol. 21 (1) 2005: pp. 15-22