Analysis of Productivity and Technical Efficiency of Cassava Production in Ardo-Kola and Gassol Local Government Areas of Taraba State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study analyzed the productivity and technical efficiency of cassava production in Ardo-Kola and Gassol Local Government Areas of Taraba State. Data were collected from 115 respondents using a structured questionnaire covering 2010/2011 farming season. Inferential statistics were employed in the analysis of data collected. Maximum likelihood estimate (MLE) for all parameters of the stochastic frontier production function and the inefficiency model for the cassava farmers in the study area was employed in the analysis. The study reveals that, farm size is the most important factor of production having an elasticity coefficient of 0.492 indicating that, output of cassava production is inelastic. Indicating that, an increase of 5% in farm size used in production of cassava, all things being equal; there would be a corresponding increase in the total output by 4.92%. Similarly, herbicide has an elasticity coefficient of 0.315 and was statistically significant at 5 %. This implies that, an increase in the quantity of herbicide would increase the output by 3.15 percent. Hired labour has an elasticity efficiency of 0.783 and is positively related to the total output of cassava. A 5 percent increase in hired labour will bring about an increase in the level of output. Despites challenges faced by cassava farmers in the study area, the study concludes that, farmers involved in cassava production have more than average technical efficiency and this means there is opportunity to increase cassava production in the study area. Similarly, the cassava production was profitable in the area. The research recommended public private partnership (PPP) to sensitize and educate farmers to enable them benefit from the new innovations and technology that abound in the agricultural sector.