Determinants of Technical Efficiency Differential among Cooperative Farmers in Anambra State

Abstract

This study examined the determinants of technical efficiency differential among cooperative farmers in Anambra State. The study specifically examined the effect of agricultural credits, high quality seeds, extension information, fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides on the output among cooperative farmers in Anambra State using descriptive statistics like frequencies, percentages, mean, and standard deviation and the inferential statistics such as t-test statistics and the linear regression model on a sample of 441 respondents. Findings revealed access to agricultural credits, high quality seeds, extension information, fertilizers and insecticides & pesticides significantly influenced the technical efficiency differential proxied by weighted mean of farmers output. The study also revealed the major determinants of technical efficiency differential among cooperative farmers in Anambra State by applying the coefficient of determination (R2) and the F–test. In general, the joint effect of the explanatory variables-independent variables-in the model account for 0.743 or 74.3% of the variations in the technical efficiency differential proxied by weighted mean of farmers output. This implies that 75.0% of the variations in the technical efficiency differential proxied by weighted mean of farmers output are being accounted for or explained by the variations in access to agricultural credits, high quality seeds, extension information, fertilizers and insecticides & pesticides. While other independent variables not captured in the model explain just 25% of the variations in technical efficiency differential proxied by weighted mean of farmers output. Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are made: The Ministry in charge of cooperative in collaboration with the societies should ensure that adequate credit facilities are provided for farmers. This is because agricultural credits were found to have significant effect on the output cooperative farmers in Anambra State. The Ministry in charge of cooperative in collaboration with the societies should also ensure that high quality seeds and seedling are provided for farmers to enhance their productivity. Extension information should be readily made available to the farmers to enable have access to modern farming practices and techniques. The Ministry in charge of cooperative in collaboration with the societies should also ensure that high quality fertilizers are provided for farmers to enhance their productivity and output. To prevent insect and pest attacks on farms, the government should make available high quality insecticides and pesticides to the farmers.