Resource Use Efficiency in Small Scale Cowpea Production System in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area, Kano State, Nigeria

Abstract: The study examined the Resource use efficiency in cowpea production in Dawakin Kudu local Government area of Kano State, Nigeria. Multi stage sampling technique was used in the study in which Dawakin Kudu local government area was purposively selected and six villages including Dawaki, Dosan, Tsakuwa, Sarai and Tamburawa were selected using the same procedure. Simple random sampling technique was employed to select 15 small scale cowpea producers in each village making a total sample size of 90 respondents. The data for the study were collected using of structured questionnaire and were analysed using descriptive statistics, farm budget model and multiple regression model. The results of the analyses revealed that majority (53.9%) of respondents were between the ages of 21-40 years. Also 47.7% had informal quranic education while 86.2% were males. Respondents who had 2-10 years of experience in cowpea production constituted 53% while 65% had household size of 2-10 persons and majority (56.9%) had 0.1-1 ha of land. The average total variable cost, total revenue and gross margin per hectare for cowpea production were N22, 716, N47, 019.3 and N24, 303.3 respectively The result from the multiple regression analysis revealed that double-log function gave the best fit with R²of 79.5% and the regression coefficients with respect to farm size, seed and fertilizer were positive and significant while chemical and labour were not significant. Almost all the resources used were over-utilized with only fertilizer which was under-utilized. Incidence of pest and disease, high cost of fertilizer and chemical, problem of flooding and high cost of labour were the major problem affecting cowpea production in the study area .Resource adjustment, provision of extension services, formation of more farmer cooperative societies were recommended.