Determinant factors influencing efficiency of Fadama Arable crop farmers in Imo state, Nigeria

Abstract

The study evaluated factors influencing efficiency of Fadama II arable crop farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. It specifically described the socio-economic background of the Fadama II arable crop farmers; identified the sub projects components and their levels of completion; ascertained the impact of the sub projects on farm income, output, productivity and farm size and determined factors influencing Fadama farmer’s efficiency. The multistage sampling technique was employed in the selection of120 Fadama farmers and their location. One hundred and twenty non-Fadama farmers were drawn using the same technique for comparison. Descriptive statistics and t-test statistic were used in data analysis. Results indicated that majority of the Fadama farmers were young (60%), educated (91.6%), experienced (75.7%), females (55.2%) and maintain households (57.1%). The best performing Local Government Area (LGA) in terms of implementation of sub projects was Ahiazu Mbaise that recorded a completion percentage of 54.84 and 70.00 in the pilot asset acquisition (PAA) and Rural infrastructure (RI) components, respectively. It was further found
that the determinants of technical efficiency were age, farming experience, education and household size while those of economic efficiency were education, farming experience, farm size and credit access. The study therefore suggests streamlining of the focus area of the project for
ease of management and reduction of rising cases of non-completion of sub projects.

Keywords: Agriculture, arable crop, efficiency, Fadama, farmer, rural labor