Technical Efficiency of Rain-fed Lowland Rice Production in Niger State, Nigeria

Aims: Aims of the study were to determine the technical efficiency of rain-fed lowland rice producers and factors influencing technical efficiency of rain-fed lowland rice producers in Niger State.

Study Design: Primary data were collected from rain-fed lowland rice producers through the use of structured questionnaires.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in three local government areas comprising nine villages in Niger State, Nigeria during 2014 cropping season.

Methodology: Multistage purposive and random sampling techniques were employed for data collection.

Results: The mean technical efficiencies were 63%. Findings further revealed that none of the sampled rice farms reached the frontier threshold. However, variables included in the model for the efficiency effects were seed, fertilizer, labour and agrochemical. The parameters of the stochastic frontier production function were estimated simultaneously with those of the model of inefficiency effects. Results indicated that farm size, fertilizer and labour were significant (p<0.01).

Conclusion: Findings further revealed that none of the sampled rain-fed lowland rice farms reached the frontier threshold. Also, household size, educational status, farming experience and cooperative membership were the socio-economic variables responsible for the variation in technical efficiency of the rain-fed lowland rice producers. It was therefore recommended that timely and adequate supply of fertilizer and labour should be made available to farmers at affordable price in order to enhance the production of rice in Niger State.