Determinants of technical efficiency of urban farming in Uyo Metropolis of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
2009
Ebong, V.O. (University of Uyo, AKS (Nigeria). Dept. of Agriculture Economis Extension) | Okoro, U.S. (College of Agriculure, Akwa Ibom State (Nigeria)) | Effiong, E.O.
This study investigated the determinants of technical efficiency of urban farming in Uyo metropolis of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria using a stochastic frontier production functions. Structured questionnaires were used to collect cost-route data from 75 respondents randomly selected from four designated locations in the project area. The findings revealed that the co-efficient of farm size, capital, manures and planting materials were all positively and significantly related to the technical efficiency. For the in-efficiency function, the variation in the level of technical efficiency among the sampled farmers was largely influenced by age, farming experience, level of education, extension contract, and crop diversification and household size. All the farmers were producing below the maximum efficiency frontier. The farmer's pacific technical efficiency index varied between 0.10 and 0.95 with a mean 0.81. Thus, in the short-run, there is a scope to increase output of the urban farming by 19% by adopting the technology used by the best practice farmer. Technical efficiency could be increased with more use of fertilizer, family labor, consolidation of small farm holdings and policies aimed at reducing household size.
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