Analysis of Technical Efficiency and its determinants in Rice Production: Evidence from Abia State, Nigeria

The study was carried out to determine the technical efficiency of rice production in Abia State, Nigeria. It specifically analyzed the socio-economic characteristics of the rice farmers, the level of technical efficiency and inefficiency among rice farmers and identified the constraints of rice production in the study area. Data for the study were obtained from a total of 93 farmers and were analysed using descriptive statistics and stochastic frontier production function model. The results showed majority (65.6%) of the rice farmers were in the age bracket (40 60 years), 58.1% of them were women and most of the farmers (48.4%) had farming experience of 11 years and above. A mean technical efficiency of 83% was recorded in the area. The gamma coefficient was (0.81) which implied that 81% of the variation of rice output from the production frontier was accounted by the technical inefficiency of the farmers. The major factors which influenced the farmers' technical efficiency were farm size and labour while gender and occupation exerted a significant effect on their inefficiency level. The major problem faced by the farmers were insufficient fund, pest and diseases, planting materials, high price of inputs, cost of production, access road and processing equipment. Improved production technology, land acquisition policies and mechanized labour was recommended for the government and ministries intervention.