PROFITABILITY, INPUTS ELASTICITIES AND RESOURCE-USE EFFICIENCY IN SMALL SCALE COWPEA PRODUCTION IN NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined profitability, inputs elasticities and resource-use efficiency in small scale cowpea production in Niger State, Nigeria. The primary data for the study were obtained using structured questionnaire administered to one hundred randomly sampled farmers from two Local Government Areas. Descriptive statistics, gross margin, net farm income, gross ratio, operation ratio and return on capital investment and production function using regression model were used to analyze the data. The result showed that estimated gross margin; net farm income; gross ratio; operating ratio; and return on capital investment gives an estimated values of N28,063.63 per hectare, N25,550.50 per hectare, 0.46, 0.30 and 1.46 respectively.The regression model estimated revealed that double log (Cobb Douglass) as the lead equation with the value of coefficient of determination (R2) 0.765, indicated that 76.5% of the variation in output of cowpea production was explained by the inputs included in regression model. The F-ratio estimated as 16.369 was significant at 1% level of probability. The result also showed that land (X1), labour (X2) and fertilizer (X5) were significant at 1%, level of probability while Seed (X3) was significant at level of probability. Elasticity of production (return to scale) estimated as 14.383 implies that the production is characterized by increasing return to scale Estimated efficiency ratio( r) shows that the resources used were not efficiently utilized. It was therefore recommended that farm inputs, especially improved seeds and agrochemicals, should be supplied to farmers at the right time and at cost that is within their reach. Also extension agents should be provided to disseminate research findings to cowpea farmers on modern technology.