Production Differential and Resource-Use Efficiency in Cassava Production in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was focussed to examine production differential and resource use efficiency of traditional and modernfarms, small and large scale farms as well as mono and mixed crop cassava farmers in Nigeria, using as a casestudy farmers in Ogun State, which is one of the highest producers of cassava in the south-west geo-politicalzone. It considered possible causes of the technical inefficiency The study was necessitated because effortsaimed at increasing cassava output cannot be properly directed unless the current levels of factor productivityand technical efficiency of the farms are known, and likely causes of sub-optimal usage of resources areidentified. The study was basically an application of the stochastic frontiers production function to the inputoutputdata collection procedure on selected cassava farmers to estimate the levels of technical efficiency byfarm size, technology used, and cropping systems. The finding implied that the current level of output fromcassava farms can be increased by about 38% for all farms (aggregate), if all farm inputs are effectively utilized.The cassava output (tonnes/ha) was significantly higher for mono crop and large-scale farmers than in mixedcrop and small-scale farmers respectively. Mixed crop farmers who are mainly small holders and who producedother crops in addition to cassava tubers on their farms were however found to be technically more efficient withhigher net farm incomes and returns on investment than mono crop and large-scale farmers, respectively (p ≤0.05). It is also recommended that government should intensify efforts to encourage the small-holders to improveupon their production practices. However, in the long run, large scale enterprise cannot be ruled out; so, theimpediments to large scale cassava production and the factors which make small scale operation less efficient orproductive as compared to the large scale farms should be tackled. Suffice to add that the establishment of largescale farms could ease-off the intensive labour input and thereby making mechanisation more economical.Keywords: Input, Output, Differential, Production, Resources