Comparative Analysis of Technical Efficiency among Smallholder Rice Farmers Using Local and Improved Seeds in North Central Nigeria

Abstract

The research compared technical efficiency among smallholder rice farmers using local and improved seeds in North Central, Nigeria. A multi-stage random sampling to choose a total sample size of two hundred and thirty-four (234) rice farmers which comprises 88 and 146 smallholder farmers who cultivated local and improved rice seeds, respectively. Primary data were used for the study. The data were collected with the aid of well-structured questionnaire which was subjected to validity and reliability tests. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, stochastic production frontier model, and t-test statistics. The results show that the mean age of smallholder farmers utilizing local and improved rice seeds were 43 and 42 years, respectively. The average farm sizes were estimated at 2.00 and 1.99 hectares, respectively. The analysis indicates that farm size, fertilizer, and agrochemicals are 
significant predictors with a positive impact on rice yields for both local and improved seed users. Furthermore, the inefficiency model reveals that increased farming experience significantly enhances technical efficiency across both groups of smallholder farmers. The mean technical efficiency scores of smallholder farmers who cultivated local and improved rice seeds were 50.2% and 77.2%, respectively. This leaves an inefficiency gap of 49.8% and 22.8%, for improvement, respectively. The study recommends that credit facilities should be made available to rice farmers at low-interest rate devoid of bureaucratic processes. Improved rice seed and other farm inputs such as fertilizer should be made available to smallholder farmers at affordable prices to increase productivity and efficiency.