Determinants of Charcoal Production Efficiency in Ibarapa North Local Government of Oyo State, Nigeria.

Abstract

Competition for other sources of biomass energy is a major constraint in the efficiency of charcoal production, hence little or no demand for its uses. Data were collected using 65 structural questionnaires and was accompanied by oral interview. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics (percentage and frequency and stochastic frontier production function. The study revealed that mean age of producers was 36 years; 96.9% were males and 3.1 were females. Majority of the producers (76.9%) had no formal training on how to produce charcoal, 30.8 has primary education, 38.5 has secondary education and 13.8% had post-secondary education. Most of the respondents (29.2%) had 6-10 years of experience. The frontier production function also revealed that variables identified accounted for 76 % (sigma square 0.76 of the variation observed in the producers margin per month. The mean efficiency of the producers was 85% which shows that they were highly efficient due to low cost on wood and water (P<=0.05). Thus, this study concludes that even though charcoal production will continue to have a negative impact on our environment due to deforestation. Government should think on how to make forest resources sustainable and to be a means of generating income, providing employment, reduce poverty and above all reduce global warming through a forestation.

Key words: Biomass, Efficiency, Frontier, Production, Technical, Stochastic Renewable.