scholarly journals Technical efficiency analysis of maize production: evidence from Ghana

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 73-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice Bempomaa ◽  
Henry de-Graft Acquah
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Returns To Scale ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Stochastic Frontier Approach ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Productivity Level ◽  
Work Activities ◽  
Increasing Returns To Scale ◽  
Farm Work

The study applies the single-stage modelling stochastic frontier approach to investigate the performance of maize farmers in the Ejura-Sekyedumase District of Ghana. It estimates the level of technical efficiency and its determinants for 306 maize farmers. Findings indicated that land, labour and fertilizer influenced output positively whilst agrochemicals and seeds affected output negatively. A wide variation in output was also found among producers of maize. The study further revealed that age, sex and off-farm work activities were significant determinants of technical inefficiencies in production. Results from the maximum likelihood estimate of the frontier model showed that averagely, farmers were 67% technically efficient, implying that 33% of maize yield was not realized. The return to scale which measures the productivity level of farmers was 1.22, suggesting that the farmers are operating at an increasing returns to scale.

scholarly journals Risk Adjusted Production Efficiency of Maize Farmers in Ethiopia: Implication for Improved Maize Varieties Adoption

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (9) ◽  
pp. 1099
Author(s):  
Sisay Diriba Lemessa ◽  
Molla Alemayehu Yismawu ◽  
Megersa Debela Daksa ◽  
Mulugeta Damie Watabaji
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Production Efficiency ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Returns To Scale ◽  
Stochastic Frontier Approach ◽  
Technical Inefficiency ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Production Risk ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Maize Varieties

This study analyzes the technical efficiency and production risk of 862 maize farmers in major maize producing regions of Ethiopia. It employs the stochastic frontier approach (SFA) to estimate the level of technical efficiencies of stallholder farmers. The stochastic frontier approach (SFA) uses flexible risk properties to account for production risk. Thus, maize production variability is assessed from two perspectives, the production risk and the technical efficiency. The study also attempts to determine the socio-economic and farm characteristics that influence technical efficiency of maize production in the study area. The findings of the study showed the existence of both production risk and technical inefficiency in maize production process. Input variables (amounts per hectare) such as fertilizer and labor positively influence maize output. The findings also show that farms in the study area exhibit decreasing returns to scale. Fertilizer and ox plough days reduce output risk while labor and improved seed increase output risk. The mean technical efficiency for maize farms is 48 percent. This study concludes that production risk and technical inefficiency prevents the maize farmers from realizing their frontier output. The best factors that improve the efficiency of the maize farmers in the study area include: frequency of extension contact, access to credit and use of intercropping. It was also realized that altitude and terracing in maize farms had influence on farmer efficiency.

scholarly journals Analysis of technical efficiency in maize production in Guji Zone: stochastic frontier model

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aschalew Shiferaw Belete
Keyword(s):  
Maximum Likelihood ◽  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
National Average ◽  
Likelihood Method ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Total Production ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Truncated Normal

Abstract Background The Guji Zone in particular and Oromia region in general have a huge potential for crop production that can even contribute for the country as a whole in the struggle for achieving food security. Maize is Ethiopia’s largest cereal crop in terms of total production, acreage, and the number of farm holdings. It is one of the staple crops produced in the study area. However, the farm productivity per hectare is low compared to the national average which indicates the presence of farming inefficiency in the study area. Thus, this study was undertaken with the objective of estimating the level of farmers’ technical efficiency in maize production and identifying the factors which determine the variation in the level of technical efficiency among the farmers. Results This study was relied on the primary data collected from a sample of maize producing farm household of Adola Rede and Anna Sorra districts of the Guji Zone using a survey questionnaire. A simple random sampling technique was found appropriate for selecting the respondents, since the populations of these study area are homogeneous. The analysis was relied on a cross-sectional data collected from 234 sample farm households. A one-step stochastic frontier normal/truncated-normal model was used to estimate the farmers’ technical efficiency as well as to identify the determinants of yield per hectare of maize which was estimated by maximum-likelihood method. The empirical result indicates that there are large numbers of inefficient farmers in both districts. The estimated technical efficiency for maize producing farmers is equal to 69.03%. Besides, the current study revealed that 69.23% of maize producing farmers have been operating within a technical efficiency score interval equal to (0.5–0.75) in both districts. In addition, the maize yield per hectare in the study area is very low compared to the national average, i.e., the mean yield is 19.2 quintal per hectare. Moreover, the maximum-likelihood results show that gender of the head of the household, age of the head of the household, farm income, row planting, access to credit, number of active labor force, land size owned, access to improved seed and seed type used, and number of livestock were significantly determine the farmers technical inefficiency. Conclusion The results of the study revealed that there is an opportunity which is being squandered in maize production in the study area. For instance, with a given technology, it is possible to raise the maize yield per hectare by 30.07% in the study area. Thus, the government and any concerned stakeholders should facilitate access to improved seed and fertilizer, credit, farm technology, and short-term training. Besides, all stakeholders should work in a cooperative and organized manner to implement the full agricultural package on farm level.

scholarly journals Technical Efficiency of Independent Oil Palm Smallholder In Indonesia

2021 ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
Firna Varina ◽  
Sri Hartoyo ◽  
Nunung Kusnadi ◽  
Amzul Rifin
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Returns To Scale ◽  
Stochastic Frontier Approach ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Result Show ◽  
Input Variables ◽  
Farmer Education

This study assesses technical efficiency and possible sources of inefficiency of independent smallholder oil palm production in Indonesia with stochastic frontier approach.  The result show all the input variables is  positively affect the oil palm production and exhibit decreasing returns to scale .  The farmers have mean technical efficiency (TE) values 0.6541, however about 53 % farmers have TE above 0.70. Factors such as age of farmer, education, extension services, member of farmer group,  land ownership and funding sources have a positive and significant effect on technical efficiency. It is suggested that by improving factors such as input used, education level, technical assistance on farming practice and accessibility to credit facilities should be increase the productivity and technical efficiency of oil palm production.  The farmers who have plant over 30 years old, which the TE and productivity are the lowest values,  should be thinking about replanting

scholarly journals Technical efficiency of hybrid maize production in eastern terai of Nepal: A stochastic frontier approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 189-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Surya P. Adhikari ◽  
Krishna P. Timsina ◽  
Peter R. Brown ◽  
Yuga N. Ghimire ◽  
Jeevan Lamichhane
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Production Model ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Efficient Production ◽  
Stochastic Frontier Approach ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Socioeconomic Variable ◽  
Older Farmers ◽  
Hybrid Maize

Maize is the second most important crop after rice in terms of area and production in Nepal. This article analyzes the technical efficiency and its determinants of hybrid maize production in eastern Nepal. Using a randomly selected data from 98 farmers (41 from Morang and 57 from Sunsari) in eastern Nepal, the study employed a stochastic frontier production model to find the production elasticity coefficients of inputs, determinants of efficiency and technical efficiency of hybrid maize farmers. The results showed that maize production responds positively to increase in amount of urea, DAP and the area planted, where as it is negative to seed quantity. The study indicate that farmers are not technically efficient with a mean technical efficiency 79 %. Socioeconomic variable age had a negative and significant while the household size had a positive and significant related to maize output. The younger farmers were observed more technically efficient than older farmers. Larger the members in the household higher the maize production. It is recommended that farmers should increase their fertilizer dose and farm size while they should decrease their seed rate for efficient production.

Technical efficiency and production risk of maize production: Evidence from Ghana

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-80
Author(s):  
Atta Boahen Oppong
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Production Efficiency ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Returns To Scale ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Production Risk ◽  
Intermediate Inputs ◽  
Labor Inputs ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
Input Variables

The paper performs an investigation of maize production efficiency in Ghana by the stochastic frontier model with flexible riskproperties using a cross section of 232 farms from the Brong-Ahafo Region. The findings of the study are the translog model isbest fit for the mean output function, whilst the input variables: seed, herbicide, land, labor and cost of intermediate inputspositively influence maize output at decreasing returns to scale. The study also finds that seed and labor inputs are negativelyrelated to production risk, whilst land and cost of intermediate inputs are classified as risk increasing inputs. The averagetechnical efficiency estimate is 62% and the combined farm specific factors explain the variation in technical efficiency. Thestudy concludes that on the average 38% of potential output is lost due to technical inefficiency and production risk in inputsand the use of the best farm practices contribute to produce maize optimally.

scholarly journals Agricultural Technical Efficiency of Smallholder Farmers in Ethiopia: A Stochastic Frontier Approach

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 246
Author(s):  
Markose Chekol Zewdie ◽  
Michele Moretti ◽  
Daregot Berihun Tenessa ◽  
Zemen Ayalew Ayele ◽  
Jan Nyssen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Stochastic Frontier Approach ◽  
Small Scale Irrigation

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.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document