Resource Use Efficiency among Maize Farmers in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria
O. S. Aasa
Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka-Kaduna, Kaduna State, P.M.B. 2273, Nigeria.
R. Suleiman
Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka-Kaduna, Kaduna State, P.M.B. 2273, Nigeria.
U. U. Emeghara
Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka-Kaduna, Kaduna State, P.M.B. 2273, Nigeria.
U. F. Yahaya
Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka-Kaduna, Kaduna State, P.M.B. 2273, Nigeria.
O. E. Olagunju
Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka-Kaduna, Kaduna State, P.M.B. 2273, Nigeria.
N. E. Onwuegbunam
Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka-Kaduna, Kaduna State, P.M.B. 2273, Nigeria.
R. Akanni- John
Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka-Kaduna, Kaduna State, P.M.B. 2273, Nigeria.
L. Ganiyu
Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka-Kaduna, Kaduna State, P.M.B. 2273, Nigeria.
S. Omodona
Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka-Kaduna, Kaduna State, P.M.B. 2273, Nigeria.
O. Olukotun *
Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka-Kaduna, Kaduna State, P.M.B. 2273, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study was carried out to analyzed the resource-use efficiency of maize production in Lere local government area of Kaduna state. Data were collected from a sample of 100 maize farmers selected through multi-stage sampling procedure using questionnaire and data collected were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics, production function and marginal value productivity analysis. The result showed that 82% were in their working age of between 21-50 years, majority of the farmers 53% were married, 91% had formal education, in terms of farming experience, majority (68%) of the respondent had farming experience that is above one year. The linear function gave the best fit with R2 of 70.2%. Production inputs such as fertilizer and agrochemicals significantly influence maize output in the study area. Maize production in the study area has an increasing return to scale from the sum of elasticity of production (20.439). Land, labour, fertilizer, seed and agrochemicals were underutilized in maize production. Profit could be enhanced by increasing the quantity used of land, labour, fertilizer, seed and agrochemicals inputs, as well as their timely supply. It is also recommended that financial support in term of accessibility to credit facilities at low interest rate be given to farmers to allow them increase output and total revenue.
Keywords: Resource use efficiency, production function, maize farmer, elasticity of production, Lere Kaduna; Nigeria.