ESTIMATION OF TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY IN PEASANT SORGHUM PRODUCTION IN NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined the estimation of technical efficiency of peasant sorghum production in Niger State, Nigeria using stochastic frontier production function analysis. Primary data were obtained through the use of questionnaire from seventy-five farmers in Niger State, Nigeria. Cobb-Douglas production function was used to represent the production frontier of sorghum farms. The study showed that the levels of technical efficiency ranged from51% to 79% with a mean of 63.2%, which suggest that average sorghum output falls 36.8% short of the maximum possible level. From the results obtained, although farmers were generally relatively efficient, they still have room to increase the efficiency in their farming activities as about 37 percent efficiency gap from optimum (100%) remains yet to be attained by all farmers. Therefore, in the short run there is room for increase in technical efficiencies on sorghum farms in the study area.