Comparative Analysis of Technical Efficiency of Small Holder Fadama II and Fadama III Cassava Farmers in Imo State

Abstract

This study was conducted in Imo state, Nigeria. Multi stage random sampling technique was used to select 240 respondents (120 Fadama II and 120 Fadama III cassava farmers). Instrument of data collection was well structured set of questionnaire. The study employed percentages, frequencies and Cobb-Douglas stochastic production model as analytical tools. Results show that the mean technical efficiency of Fadama II and Fadama small holder cassava farmers was =0.76 and = 0.81 respectively. For Fadama II small holder cassava farmers, Peculiar determinants of technical efficiency were membership to cooperative society, household size and farm income while, access to credit and household size were peculiar significant determinants of Fadama III small holder cassava farmers
technical efficiency. Constraints to cassava production includes: inadequate access to formal sources of capital (25% and 40.0% for Fadama II and III farmers respectively), lack of mechanized equipment (36.67 and 28.3% for Fadama II and III farmers respectively) and agro-chemicals (43.34% and 33.33 for Fadama II and III farmers respectively). It is recommended that the Fadama project should assist
resource poor farmers to procure credit facilities. Government should establish adult education centres to improve literacy level as it influenced technical efficiency of both small holder cassava farmer groups.