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Efficiency of Intercropping System under Smallholder Farmers in Osun State, Nigeria
Abstract
Recently, the constant rise in population growth has resulted in increased pressure on
available agricultural land. This has given rise to greater land use intensification and crop
diversification by smallholder farmers. However, information is scarce about the economic efficiency
of the system in the Osun State. The study was carried out to assess the technical and allocative
efficiencies of intercropping systems in Osun State of Nigeria. A three-stage random sampling
technique was used to select a total of 120 smallholder farmers across six local communities namely
Owode, Ologede, Ifewara, Iperindo, Ilerin and Odundun from which responses were solicited with
the aid of a questionnaire. The descriptive and stochastic production frontier was used to analyze the
data gotten from the smallholders. The results showed that the average technical efficiency index was
67%, while allocative efficiency was 13%. The factors that significantly influenced the production
were farm size, quantity of fertilizer used as well as the cost of other inputs. While those that
significantly influence the technical and allocative efficiencies of intercropping systems in the study
area were the educational status, household size in adult equivalent and membership to cooperatives.
It is, therefore, recommended that farmers require training on the appropriate skills required to
operate an efficient intercropping system. This can be done through the cooperative societies. This
will help the farmers in the efficient allocation of resources available to them.
available agricultural land. This has given rise to greater land use intensification and crop
diversification by smallholder farmers. However, information is scarce about the economic efficiency
of the system in the Osun State. The study was carried out to assess the technical and allocative
efficiencies of intercropping systems in Osun State of Nigeria. A three-stage random sampling
technique was used to select a total of 120 smallholder farmers across six local communities namely
Owode, Ologede, Ifewara, Iperindo, Ilerin and Odundun from which responses were solicited with
the aid of a questionnaire. The descriptive and stochastic production frontier was used to analyze the
data gotten from the smallholders. The results showed that the average technical efficiency index was
67%, while allocative efficiency was 13%. The factors that significantly influenced the production
were farm size, quantity of fertilizer used as well as the cost of other inputs. While those that
significantly influence the technical and allocative efficiencies of intercropping systems in the study
area were the educational status, household size in adult equivalent and membership to cooperatives.
It is, therefore, recommended that farmers require training on the appropriate skills required to
operate an efficient intercropping system. This can be done through the cooperative societies. This
will help the farmers in the efficient allocation of resources available to them.
