Resource Productivity and Allocative Efficiency on Improved Cassava-Based Mixed Cropping System in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

The study examined the resource productivity and allocative efficiency in an improved cassava-based mixed cropping system in Ebonyi State of Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 120 respondents (comprising 60 adopters and 60 non-adopters of improved cassava-based mixed cropping system) to whom structured questionnaires were administered. Inferential statistics involving the Cobb-Douglas production function and descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. The regression results revealed that all five resource inputs including land, labour, cassava stem cuttings, agrochemicals and miscellaneous variable capital inputs for the adopters and four resource inputs including land, labour, cassava stem cuttings and miscellaneous variable capital inputs for the non-adopters of the improved cassava-based mixed cropping system positively contributed to output of the respondents in the area. The results further showed that except for labour input, other resource inputs were of higher productivity (contribution to output) under the adopters than the non-adopters. The results also showed that whereas the adopter sunder utilized land, labour, cassava stem cuttings and agrochemicals, but overutilized only the miscellaneous variable capital inputs, the non-adopters underutilized land and cassava stem cuttings, but overutilized labour and miscellaneous variable capital inputs. The result of the deviation from unity (one) of the ratio of the Marginal Value Product (MVP) to Marginal Factor Cost (MFC) revealed that the adopters were more efficient in the allocation of land, cassava stem cuttings and miscellaneous variable capital inputs than the non-adopters of the improved cassava-based mixing cropping system in the area. Major constraints to increased cassava production in the area include lack of finance, high cost of farm inputs, lack of cassava processing/storage facilities, scarcity and high cost of improved cassava cuttings among others. Policy measures aimed at liberalization of agricultural credit schemes to enhance farmers’ access to finance, effective planning and implementation of inputs distribution programmes and introduction of labour-saving techniques to farmers among others were recommended towards increased cassava production and profitable cassava value chain business in Nigeria.