Economic Efficiency of Small Scale Food Crop Production in Nigeria: A Stochastic Frontier Approach

In the past decade, to improve crop production and productivity, Ethiopia has embarked on an ambitious irrigation farming expansion program and has introduced new large- and small-scale irrigation initiatives. However, in Ethiopia, poverty remains a challenge, and crop productivity per unit area of land is very low. Literature on the technical efficiency (TE) of large-scale and small-scale irrigation user farmers as compared to the non-user farmers in Ethiopia is also limited. Investigating smallholder farmers’ TE level and its principal determinants is very important to increase crop production and productivity and to improve smallholder farmers’ livelihood and food security. Using 1026 household-level cross-section data, this study adopts a technology flexible stochastic frontier approach to examine agricultural TE of large-scale irrigation users, small-scale irrigation users and non-user farmers in Ethiopia. The results indicate that, due to poor extension services and old-style agronomic practices, the mean TE of farmers is very low (44.33%), implying that there is a wider room for increasing crop production in the study areas through increasing the TE of smallholder farmers without additional investment in novel agricultural technologies. Results also show that large-scale irrigation user farmers (21.05%) are less technically efficient than small-scale irrigation user farmers (60.29%). However, improving irrigation infrastructure shifts the frontier up and has a positive impact on smallholder farmers’ output.

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Insect pest management and socio-economic circumstances of small-scale farmers for food crop production in western kenya: A case study

International Journal of Tropical Insect Science ◽

10.1017/s1742758400021469 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 10 (04) ◽

pp. 443-462 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

K.N. Saxena ◽

A. Pala Okeyo ◽

K.V. Seshu Reddy ◽

E.O. Omolo ◽

L. Ngode

Keyword(s):

Pest Management ◽

Crop Production ◽

Insect Pest ◽

Small Scale ◽

Insect Pest Management ◽

Food Crop ◽

Western Kenya ◽

Food Crop Production ◽

Small Scale Farmers

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Adaptation of Small-Scale Tea and Coffee Farmers in Kenya to Climate Change

African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation ◽

10.1007/978-3-030-45106-6_70 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 29-47

Author(s):

Alice Nyawira Karuri

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Crop Production ◽

Mitigation Measures ◽

Small Scale ◽

Food Crop ◽

Coffee Farmers ◽

Food Crop Production ◽

Small Scale Farmers ◽

Two Sectors ◽

Adaptation And Mitigation

AbstractThe adverse effect of climate change on agriculture is well-documented and is a cause of concern for governments globally. In addition to concerns over food crop production, the economies of numerous developing countries rely heavily on cash crops. The coffee and tea sectors are key in Kenya’s economy, contributing significantly to the gross domestic product, foreign exchange, and the direct or indirect employment of millions. Farmers engaged in the production of coffee and tea are predominantly small-scale farmers, with the majority farming on less than five acres. Climate change poses a threat to the production of these two crops and by extension to the economy of Kenya and the livelihood of farmers and those employed in these sectors. This study identifies the challenges posed by climate change in the tea and coffee sectors, the adaptation and mitigation measures identified, and the scope of their implementation. The production, processing, and marketing of tea and coffee in Kenya differs widely in terms of the institutions and institutional arrangements in the two sectors. This study will therefore analyze the role played by institutions in both sectors and how this affects climate change adaptation and mitigation measures by small-scale farmers.

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Analysis of cost efficiency in food crop production among small-scale farmers in Adamawa state, Nigeria

Global Journal of Agricultural Sciences ◽

10.4314/gjass.v14i1.3 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 17

Author(s):

DC Maurice ◽

Y Adamu ◽

M Joseph

Keyword(s):

Cost Efficiency ◽

Crop Production ◽

Small Scale ◽

Food Crop ◽

Food Crop Production ◽

Small Scale Farmers

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Economic Efficiency of Sorghum and Millet Production for Small Scale Farmers in Traditional Rainfed, North Kordofan State, Sudan

Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology ◽

10.24925/turjaf.v6i2.150-155.1490 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 150

Author(s):

Ibrahim Elnour Ibrahim

Keyword(s):

Cost Function ◽

Economic Efficiency ◽

Stochastic Frontier ◽

Primary Data ◽

Small Scale ◽

Stochastic Frontier Approach ◽

Effect Factor ◽

Small Scale Farmers ◽

Stochastic Frontier Cost Function ◽

Structured Questionnaire

The purpose of this study was to measure and analyse the economic efficiency, and to identify the main factor behind economic efficiency of sorghum and millet for small scale farmers in traditional rainfed sector in North Kordofan State. Primary data is collected using structured questionnaire for a sample of 205 farmers from four localities namely (Sheikan, Umrwaba, Elnuhoud, and Elkhowi). Stochastic frontier approach (cost function) was used to analyse economic efficiency and descriptive statistics were used to analyse socio-economic characteristics of farmers. The results of stochastic frontier cost function revealed that the estimated economic efficiency of the sorghum and millet farmers obtained was found the mean economic efficiency to be 39% and 15%, respectively. The economic efficiency is very weak, because most parameters and inefficiency effect factor found to be not significant, these determinants may give a clear picture of farmers that could be targeted in order to increase efficiency

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The Agrarian Question in Contemporary Zimbabwe

Africanus Journal of Development Studies ◽

10.25159/2663-6522/5713 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 49 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Toendepi Shonhe

Keyword(s):

Capital Accumulation ◽

Crop Production ◽

Job Creation ◽

Food Crop ◽

Contract Farming ◽

Agrarian Question ◽

Food Crop Production ◽

The Government ◽

Agrarian Transition ◽

Depth Interviews

The reinvestment of rural agrarian surplus is driving capital accumulation in Zimbabwe's countryside, providing a scope to foster national (re-) industrialisation and job creation. Contrary to Bernstein's view, the Agrarian Question on capital remains unresolved in Southern Africa. Even though export finance, accessed through contract farming, provides an impetus for export cash crop production, and the government-mediated command agriculture supports food crop production, the reinvestment of proceeds from the sale of agricultural commodities is now driving capital accumulation. Drawing from empirical data, gathered through surveys and in-depth interviews from Hwedza district and Mvurwi farming area in Mazowe district in Zimbabwe, the findings of this study revealed the pre-eminence of the Agrarian Question, linked to an ongoing agrarian transition in Zimbabwe. This agrarian capital elaborates rural-urban interconnections and economic development, following two decades of de-industrialisation in Zimbabwe.

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