Gender and Resource Use Efficiency among Small-Holder Cassava Farmers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was conducted to examine the gender-related factors influencing resource use efficiency of smallholder cassava farmers in Ebony state, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was employed in selecting 80 respondents from two agricultural zones in the State for the study. Interview schedule was used to obtain information from respondents. Data were analysed using frequency, percentage and stochastic frontier production function. The results revealed that more of the younger female farmers than the males were in cassava production while land ownership was still in the hands of the male farmers in the State. However, both gender groups had similar production constraints. The results further indicated that household size, membership of cooperative society, number of extension contacts, age, farming experience, farm size and land ownership significantly affected the technical efficiency of the farmer categories but educational status only affected that of the females in cassava production in the State. The males and females had mean technical efficiency of 0.77 and 0.74 respectively. Although the farmer groups were not technically efficient enough, the males were observed to be more efficient than the females in cassava production in the State. Therefore, policies to enhance efficiency and productivity of the farmers in the State should critically consider those variables that are significant on gender basis.

Key words: Gender, resource use efficiency, cassava farmers