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Aug 10, 2023Keywords:
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Maize Production Scale Efficiency and its Socioeconomic Determinants among Smallholder Farmers in Funtua Local Government Area, Katsina State, Nigeria
Abstract
This study was conducted to analyze the scale-efficiency of maize production in Funtua Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina state, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed in the selection of 80 maize farmers for the study. The cross-sectional data collected with the aid of a structured questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive statistics, data envelopment analysis (DEA) model, Tobit regression model, and net farm income. The results of the socioeconomic analysis show that maize farmers in the study area have an average age of 45 years, an average household size of 11 persons, and an average maize farming experience of 20 years. The net farm income analysis revealed a total maize production cost of ₦96,958.00 per hectare; and total revenue of ₦179,363.04 per hectare. Meanwhile, the return per naira invested is ₦1.85, indicating that for every ₦1 invested in maize production in the study area, a profit of ₦0.85 was made. Furthermore, the result shows maize farmer's scale efficiency average score of 0.701 with a range and standard deviation of 0.203 to 1.00 and 0.225 respectively. The age of the farmer and their educational level were found to significantly (p<0.05) influence the scale efficiency of the farmers. The major constraint associated with maize production in the study is high cost of inputs. The study concluded that farmers in the area are scale efficient and are breaking even. The study therefore recommended building educational capacity of farmers and inputs subsidy to strengthen the scale efficiency of maize farmers in the study area.
