Productivity and Technical Efficiency of Catfish Farmers in Benue State, Nigeria

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Date
2013-06
Authors
Tsue, P.T.
Lawal, W.L.
Ayuba, W.O.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ResearchGate
Abstract
The study analyses the productivity and technical efficiency of catfish farmers in Benue State of Nigeria. This is with the view of analyzing the factors that influence this efficiency. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to collect data from 143 catfish farmers using a well structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and the Cobb-Douglas stochastic production frontier function were used as methods of data analysis. The study revealed that size of catfish farm, quantity of fish feed had positive and significant influence on catfish output in a production pattern that exhibited decreasing return to scale (0.96). The study found technical efficiencies of the farmers to vary from 0.29 to 0.94 with a mean of 0.82. Furthermore, farmers’ age (-6.22) and years of schooling (-0.27) were found to reduce farmer’s technical inefficiency. However, increases in the household size (0.95) increased farmers’ technical inefficiency in the study area. The study recommends that training and education of farmers should be encouraged for better and efficient production of catfish to meet the demand and the protein need of the populace.
Description
Scholarly Articles
Keywords
Technical efficiency , Catfish , Stochastic production frontier , Productivity , Research Subject Categories::SOCIAL SCIENCES::Social sciences::Education
Citation
Tsue, P. T., Lawal, W. L. & Ayuba, W.O. (2013). Productivity and Technical Efficiency of Catfish Farmers in Benue State, Nigeria, Advanced Journal of Agricultural Research, 1(2), 20-25.