A Comparative Analysis Of The Technical Efficiency Of Mechanized And Non-Mechanized Cassava Farmers In Egor And Oredo Local Government Areas Of Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study compared the mechanical efficiency of mechanized and non-mechanized cassava farmers in Egor and Oredo Local Government Areas of Edo State, Nigeria. A total of 80 cassava farmers (40 mechanized and 40 non-mechanized) were randomly selected from eight villages in the study area and interviewed using a wellstructured questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and stochastic frontier production function. The result showed that about 97%(γ = 0.97) and 99% (γ= 0.99) of the variations in the output of the mechanized and non-mechanized cassava farmers respectively were due to their technical inefficiency. For the mechanized farmers, age and educational level had positive significant (P< 0.05) effect on their technical inefficiency; variety of cassava
cultivated had negative significant (P<0.01) effect on their inefficiency while for the non-mechanized farmers, all the above variables except educational level were significant (P<0.01) determinants of their inefficiency. Household size and cassava variety negatively influenced the inefficiency of the non-mechanized farmers while the effects of age, sex and educational level positively influenced their inefficiency. The mean technical efficiency of the mechanized and non-mechanized farmers were found to be 81% and 71% respectively indicating that the mechanized farmers were 10% more technically efficient. It was recommended that the creation of enabling environment for farmers to operate and be efficient in their production should be Government’s priority.