DETERMINANTS OF TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMIES OF SCALE IN SORGHUM (Sorghum bicolor) PRODUCTION, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA: IMPLICATION FOR SUSTAINABLE INCOME.

Abstract

This study examined the determinants of technical efficiency and economies of scale in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) production, Kaduna State, Nigeria: Implication for sustainable income. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed. A total sample size of 160 sorghum farmers was selected. Primary sources of data were used, the data were collected through a well-designed and well-structured questionnaire that was administered to the farmers with the help of well-trained extension agent. The structured questionnaire was subjected to validity and reliability tests. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, farm budgeting technique, financial analysis, gross margin analysis, stochastic production frontier efficiency model, elasticity of production, return to scale, and principal component model. The results show that about 75% of sorghum farmers are male. The average age and household sizes of sorghum farmers were 43 years and 7 persons respectively. Also, 77.50% of farmers cultivated less than 2 hectares of farm land. This implies that they are smallscale sorghum farmers. The sorghum production was profitable in the study area. The calculated gross margin and net farm income of sorghum production per hectares were 811, 211.27 Naira and 728, 947.93 Naira respectively. The significant factors influencing output of sorghum farmers were farm size, hired labour, fertilizer input, and seed input. In the technical inefficiency component, the significant socio-economic factors include: age, household size, farming experience, educational level, and access to credit facilities. The return to scale was estimated at 0.8299, this signifies the decreasing return to scale. The average technical efficiency score was 0.6047 leaving a gap of 0.3953 for improvement. The major constraints facing sorghum farmers include: lack of credit (1st), high cost of inputs (2nd), and bad road infrastructures (3rd). The policy recommendations include: provision of credit facilities to sorghum farmers at low interest rate devoid of cumbersome administrative procedures. The provision of fertilizers, improved seeds, and chemicals to sorghum farmers at affordable prices for increase productivity and efficiency.

Keywords

• Determinants
• Technical Efficiency
• Elasticities of Production
• Economies of Scale
• Sorghum Production
• Sustainable Income
• Nigeria.

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