Abstract

This study focused on the analysis of farmer‘s efficiency in cowpea production in Kwara State.This study was carried out in three Local Government Areas in KwaraState, Nigeria between April and Julyduring the 2014 cropping season. A multistage sampling technique was usedto select the farmers for this study. The first stage was purposive selection of the three Local Governments based on predominance of cowpea production among the farmers. Secondly, nine villages were purposively selected, Three from each local government area based on their intensity of cowpea production. Finally, a simple random sampling was employed in selecting farmers from each of the villages. Ten percent of the sample frame (1680) was used as the sample size. In all, 168 farmers were randomly selected.Descriptive statistics, net farm income and stochastic frontier production function were used in analyzing the data. The study showed that 32% of the respondents fell within the age range of 30 and 39years.The majority of the farmers (49%) had no formal education. About (87%) of the farmers have household sizethat ranged from 1-10 persons while the mean was 6.About (83%)of the farmers were not members of a Cooperative Society. The parameters of the stochastic frontier production function were estimated simultaneously with those of the model of inefficiency effects. Results indicated that all the efficiency variables were significant (P < 0.05). The mean technical and allocative efficiencies were 75% and 68% respectively. Findings further revealed that none of the sampled cowpea farms reached the frontier threshold.However, the average economic efficiency of the cowpea farmers was 51%. Also, household size and extension contact were responsible for the variation in technical efficiency of the cowpea producers. It could be concluded that cowpea production in the study area is profitable. It was therefore recommended that extension agents should be encouraged by providing adequate incentives to enhance their services. Lastly, farmers should be enlightened on the importance of belonging to functioning co-operative association because of the importance and benefit that can be derived from it.

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

Agriculture in Nigeria is dominated by small-scale farmers who produce about 80%

of the total food requirement (Fayinka, 2004). These farmers are characterized by

strong dependence on agricu