Economic efficiency of maize production in Yola North Local Government area of Adamawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper presents empirical evidence on the input-output relationship and the efficiency of resource use in maize production in Yola North Local Government Area of Adamawa state. A simple random sampling technique was employed and 120 maize farmers were selected from a population of 364. Data were analyzed using regression model. The production function analysis in the form of Cobb-Douglass production function was found very suitable for the analysis hence was selected as the best fit. The results showed that three of the inputs namely, fertilizer, seed and land were statistically significant at ñ . 0.05 and 85% of the variation in maize yield was accounted for by the inputs included in the model. Similarly, the  efficiency ratio computed showed that land, seed and fertilizer had  MVP/MFC ratio greater than unity implying that the inputs were  underutilized and output could be increased by increasing the levels of their utilization. The elasticity of production was greater than 1.00 which implied increasing return to scale. Finally, the study observed that the problems faced by maize farmers were, financial constraints, poor land tenure system, inadequate fertilizer, unavailability of extension service and improved seed.

Key word: Elasticity, marginal value product, marginal factor cost, input-output.