Comparative Gender Efficiency in Cassava Production in Ogun State, Nigeria

CORE IDEAS: This study described the socioeconomic and production characteristics of cassava producers in the study area. This study determined the production efficiency of cassava farmers. This study found out the effect of gender in production inefficiency of cassava in the study area. Studies have shown that cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) production is dominated by both females and males, each contending for the pride of being an efficient cassava producer. This study compared the production efficiency of male and female cassava farmers in Odeda and Obafemi‐Owode local government areas (LGAs) of Ogun State, Nigeria. A multi‐stage random sampling technique was used to select 120 respondents from the study area. Data were collected through the administration of a structured questionnaire on socioeconomic and production variables of cassava farmers. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and stochastic production frontier analysis (SPFA). The mean age of the male and female farmers was 45 and 48 years, respectively. Most of the farmers, male (88.5%) and female (97.6%), were married with mean household sizes of eight and seven people for male and female farmers, respectively. The mean farm size cultivated and output of cassava by the male and female farmers was 0.96 ha and 1.04 ha and 16,240.74 kg/ha and 12,877.75 kg/ha, respectively. The mean production efficiency estimates for both male and female cassava farmers were 0.54 and 0.59, respectively. The factors affecting cassava production were land area (p < 0.01) and cassava cuttings (p < 0.01). The study also found female farmers (p < 0.01) contributed more to cassava production efficiency than their male counterparts. The study, therefore, concluded that female farmers have contributed more to production efficiency of cassava production. The study recommended, among others, that efforts to boost cassava production should give priority to female farmers to improve their production efficiency.