Gender Differentials in Technical Efficiency among Small-Scale Cassava Farmers in Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined gender differentials in technical efficiency among small scale cassava farmers in Abia State, Nigeria. The profitability of cassava production, technical efficiency as well as the factors influencing inefficiency among the farmers in the study area were determined. Well structured questionnaire and interview schedule were employed to obtain primary data from the 133 male and 147 female cassava farmers sampled from two agricultural zones in Abia State. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, farm budgeting technique and stochastic frontier production function. A total of 73.68% of males and 81.63% of females were married, with an average household size of 6 and 5 persons, mean farming experience of 18 years for males and 16 years for females, and cultivated less than 2ha of land. Cassava production was profitable with a gross margin of ₦140,978.28 per hectare for males and ₦131,070.27 per hectare for females. The maximum likelihood estimates showed male farmers were more technically efficient with mean efficiency score of 0.82 compared to 0.78 for female farmers. Factors affecting the technical efficiency of male farmers included farm size, educational level, extension contact, credit amount while that of the female farmers were age, farm size, cooperative membership, land ownership and off-farm income. High cost of acquiring credit facilities and farm inputs, poor road network, inadequate extension services, limited farmland were the major constraints faced by farmers in the study area. It was concluded that male farmers were more technically efficient and also had higher gross income per hectare than their female counterpart. Policies aimed at improving the female farmers’ access to land and other farm inputs should be established and implemented by the government in order to increase efficiency was recommended.