Analysis of farm size and resource use efficiency in selected arable crop production in Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study evaluated resource use efficiency in selected arable crop production among small and large farm in Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Southern Nigeria. Specifically, the study estimated the production function of small and large farm owners, estimated their production elasticities and return to scale. It also estimated their respective allocative efficiency and identified the major constraints to resource use faced by this group of farmers in the study area. A multi –stage random sampling technique was used in selecting four cells out of six cells that make up Uruan Block, five villages from each cell and six farmers from each village. i.e three small farm size and three large farm size owners were selected. Data were collected with the aid of well structured questionnaire from one hundred and twenty arable crop farmers. Data was analyzed using multiple regression analysis and efficiency ratio. Results show that small farm arable crop farmers under utilized all their resources while large farm owners over utilized their land - labour, capital inputs and purchased inputs but under utilized their working capital. There was a significant relationship between revenue accruing from the sales of output and farm size, working capital and purchased inputs (fertilizer, seeds, cuttings and agro-chemicals) for both categories of farmers. There was increasing return to scale for arable crop producers in the area with 2.71 for small farm size and 1.02 for large farm size owners. In order to reduce the negative consequences of inefficient resource use, farmers should be educated by the government and relevant bodies on some fundamental and management practices that will help them attain efficiency in the use of their available resources.

Keywords: Farm Size, Resource Use, Arable Crop, Uruan LGA, Nigeria