Effect of household demographics on the technical efficiency of cowpea farmers : evidence of stochastic frontier analysis in Nigeria.

Abstract

Technical efficiency of cowpea production in Nigeria has been associated with numerous factors, comprising institutional, production and farmer specific factors. However, outcomes regarding the latter continued to receive attention, given the resources poor nature of farming households. This study therefore examined the effects of household demographics on the technical efficiency of cowpea farmers in Niger State, Nigeria. Data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to 286 respondents. Descriptive statistics and stochastic frontier analysis model were used for data analysis. The study revealed that household demographics and educational status have direct statistical effects on the technical efficiency of the cowpea farmers. The key challenges witnessed by respondents were lack of credit and low income as reported by 83.22 and 74.83% of the respondents respectively.