Efficiency of resource utilization in small-scale maize production in Keiyo District, Kenya
2003
Mengist, c.(Moi University, Dept. of Agric Marketing and Cooperatives, Eldoret, Kenya) | Iruria, D.M.(Moi University, School of Business Management, Eldoret, Kenya) | Mauyo, l.W.(Moi University, Dept. of Agric Marketing and Cooperatives, Eldoret, Kenya) | Maritim, h.k.(Moi University, Dept. of Agric Marketing and Cooperatives, Eldoret, Kenya)
To increase the net fann income, the degree offarm resources utilization is an important concept to the societies which are dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. In Keiyo District the income of the people is derived mainly from crop production. However the current perfoID1ance of crop production is low, leading to more than 47% of the population living below the poverty line. The aim of this paper therefore is to investigate the resource use practice in the present maize farming and find out the possibilities of increasing the net fann income through examining the efficiency of the existing resource utilization. Using the production function, this paper identified the factors that influence yield and tested the efficiency of the resource use. The production function analysis results showed that the input labor, fertilizer and pesticide expenditure significantly influence yield. The result of the efficiency test revealed that the small¬scale farmers are inefficient in labor, fertilizer and pesticide utilization, indicating that reallocating of these resources would increase the farm profit. Thus there exist a substantial potential to increase farm profit by overcoming these inefficiencies.
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