Technical Efficiency of Small-Holder Cocoyam Farmers in Anambra State, Nigeria, Using a Translog Stochastic Frontier Production Function

This study employed a translog stochastic frontier production function to measure the level of technical efficiency and it’s determinants in small-holder cocoyam production in Anambara state, Nigeria. Multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 120 cocoyam farmers in the state in 2005 from whom input-output data were obtained using the cost-route approach. The parameters of the stochastic frontier production function were estimated using the maxim likelihood method. The results of the analysis show that individual farm level technical efficiency ranged between 69.01% and 98.42% with a mean of 92.96%. The study found farm size, farming experience, use of fertilizer and membership of farmers’ association/cooperative societies to be positively related to technical efficiency while no significant relationship was found between technical efficiency and age, education, extension contact, household sizes and credit.