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

Year 2024, Volume: 8 Issue: 1, 5 - 9, 30.06.2024

Olugbenga Omotayo Alabı , Abdulsamad Momoh , Hassan Isah , Joseph Bayei , Jeremiah Aluwong , Paul Akınwumı Atteh , Babaranti Olumuyiwa , Sarah Okoh , Ezekiel Haruna

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.

Ethical Statement

NIL

Supporting Institution

NIL

Project Number

NIL

Thanks

Thanks

References

• Aduba, J.J., Mohammed, B.T., Jilasaya, I., Ozumba, I.C (2013). An Economic Analysis of Sorghum Production among Sorghum Farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria. Global Journal of Current Research, 1(4), 116 – 123
• Ajeigbe, H.A., Akinseye, F.M., Jonah, J., Kunihya, A (2018). Sorghum Yield and Water Use under Phosphorous Fertilization Applications in the Sudan Savanna of Nigeria. Global Advanced Research Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 7 (8), 245 – 257
• Alabi, O.O., Oladele, A.O, Oladele, N.O (2020). Economic Market Decisions among Marginal Maize Farmers in Abuja, Nigeria: Applications of Double Hurdle Model and Factor Analysis. Russian Journal of Agricultural and Socio-Economic Sciences, 8(104): 114–125. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.18551/rjoas.2020-08.14
• Alabi, O.O., Oladele, A.O., Maharazu, I (2022a). Economies of Scale and Technical Efficiency of Smallholder Pepper (Capsicum species) Production in Abuja, Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural Sciences (Belgrade),67(1):63–82. DOI:https://doi.org/10.2298/JAS2201063A
• Alabi, O.O., Anekwe C.E (2023). Economics of Climate Smart Agricultural Practices (CSAPs) Used by Smallholder Sorghum Producers in Nigeria. Australian Journal of Science and Technology, 7(1); 65 – 71.
• Alabi, O.O., Safugha, G.F. (2022b). Efficiency of Resource-Use and Marginal Value Productivity Analysis Among Maize Farmers, Abuja, Nigeria. International Journal of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, 6(2):28-33.
• Alemu, G, Haji, J (2016). Economic Efficiency of Sorghum Production for Smallholder Farmers in Eastern Ethiopia: The Case of Habro District. Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development,7 (15), 44 – 51.
• Amaza, P.S (2000). Resource – Use Efficiency in Food Production in Gombe State, Nigeria. An Unpublished Ph.D Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Baiyegunhi, L.J.S, Fraser, G.C.G (2009). Profitability in Sorghum Production in Three Villages of Kaduna State, Nigeria. Journal of Applied Sciences Research, 5 (10): 1685 – 1691
• Byerlee, D., Diao, X, Jackson, C (2005). Agriculture, Rural Development, and Pro-Poor Growth: Country Experience in the Post-Reform Era Contribution of Agricultural Households to National Poverty Reduction in Africa. Agriculture, 21:1–15. CGIAR (2015). Sorghum.https://www.cgiar.org/our-strategy/crops-factsheet/sorghum/
• Ekong, E.E (2003). Rural Sociology: An Introduction and Analysis of Rural Nigeria, Dove Educational Publication Uyo, Nigeria.
• FAOSTAT (2023). Food and Agriculture Organization, Statistical Yearbook, World Food and Agriculture, Database 2022 cropping season.
• FAO (2019). FAO Statistical Database (Online). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome. http://.www.fao.org/faostat/en/data/QC Accessed 10 June, 2021
• FAO (2015). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Analysis of Incentives and Disincentives for Sorghum in Nigeria. Technical Note. http://www.fao.org/3/a-at583e.pdf Retrieved 25 May,2015.
• GAIN (2020). Grain and Feed Update-Nigeria. Report by Global Agricultural Research Network (GAIN), Foreign Agriculture Service, United State Department for Agriculture.
• Kalirajan, F Shard, P (2004). On Measuring the Contribution of Human Capital to Agricultural Production. Indian Economic Review, 24, 247 – 261
• Mundia, C.W., Secchi, S., Akamani, K., Wang, G (2019). A Regional Comparison of Factors Affecting Global Sorghum Production: The Case of North America, Asia and Africa’s Sahel. Sustainability, 11, 2135.
• Miassi, Y.E., Akdemir,S., Dossa, F.K, Omotayo, A.O (2023). Technical Efficiency and Constraints Related to Rice Production in West Africa: The Case of Benin Republic. Cogent Food and Agriculture, 9:1, 2191881, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2023.2191881
• Ogbonna, A.C (2011). Current Development in Malting and Brewing Trials with Sorghum in Nigeria: A Review. Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 117 (3): 394 – 400
• Okeyo, S.O., Ndirangu, S.N., Isaboke, H.N., Njeru,L.K (2020). Determinants of Sorghum Productivity among Smallscale Farmers in Siaya County, Kenya. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 16 (5): 722 – 731. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5897/AJAR2020.14850
• Oladimeji, Y.U, Adulsalam, Z (2013). Analysis of Technical Efficiency and its Determinants among Smallscale Rice Farmers in Patigi LGA of Kwara State, Nigeria. IQSR Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Science, 3 (3), 34 – 39
• Oladiebo, J.O, Fajuyigbe, A.A (2007). Technical Efficiency of Women Upland Rice Farmers in Osun State, Nigeria. Journal of Human Ecology, 22 (2), 93 – 100.
• Olukosi, J.O, Erhabor, P.O (2015). Introduction to Farm Management Economics:Principles and Applications. Agitab Publishers Limited, Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria pp77 – 83
• Omonona, B.T., Liverpool-Tasie, L.S.O., Sanou, A, Wale, O.O. (2019). Is Fertilizer Use Inconsistent with Profitability? Evidence from Sorghum Production in Nigeria. Nigerian. Journal of Agricultural Economics, (NJAE), 9 (1), 1 – 13.
• Onuk, E.G., Girei, A.A, Audu, S.I (2020). Production Function Analysis and Profitability of Sorghum-Groundnut Intercropping in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Russian Journal of Agricultural and Socio-Economic Sciences, 6 (102), 170 – 177.
• Ravallion,M., Chen, S, Sangraula,P (2007). New Evidence on the Urbanization of Global Poverty. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 4199 (Vol 33).
• Sani, A.A., Oladimeji, Y.U (2017). Determinants of Technical Efficiency among Sorghum Farmers under Agricultural Transformation Agenda in Gombe State, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Agriculture, Food and Environment, 13 (3): 122 – 127
• Sanusi, S. O., Alabi, O. O., Ebukiba, E. S. (2022). Analysis on Resource Use Efficiency of Smallholder's Rice Production Farmers in Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria: Probit Model Approach. AgroTech-Food Science, Technology and Environment, Vol.1 No. 1, 1-9
• Tugga, S.E., Hassan, A.A., Ojeleye,O.A (2023). Profitability Analysis of Sorghum Smallscale Farmers in Selected Local Government Areas of Gombe State, Nigeria.Journal of Agripreneurship and Sustainable Development (JASD), 6 (1),47 – 55
• Yamane, T. (1967). Statistics: An Introductory Analysis, 2nd Edition., New York: Harper and Row. Pp. 33-50
• Yahaya, M.A., Shimelis, H., Nebie, B., Ojiewo, C.O Danso-Abbeam, G (2022). Sorghum Production in Nigeria: Opportunity, Constraints, and Recommenations. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B-Soil & Plant Science, 72: 1, 660 – 672 https://doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2022.2047771