Determinants of Technical Efficiency of Maize/Cowpea Intercropping Among Women Farmers in Gombe State, Nigeria

Abstract: The study was conducted to examine the determinants of technical efficiency of maize/cowpea intercropping among women farmers in Gombe State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was adopted in selecting 104 respondents. Data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire supplemented with focus group discussion over a period of four months. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and stochastic frontier production function model. Results from socio-economic variables revealed that majority (61%) of the respondents were between 40-59 years with an average farm size of 1.88 hectares. The result of stochastic frontier production function analysis showed that all the estimated coefficients (farm size, fertilizer, family labour, quantity of agrochemicals, hired labour and quantity of seed used) of the independent variables in the model were positive and significant at either 1% or 5% level with the exception of quantity of agrochemicals used. The results further revealed that household size, educational level, farming experience, access to extensions services and off farm income generation were the major determinants of technical efficiency in the study area. Findings from this research work also revealed that the mean technical efficiency of the farmers was 0.84 indicating that the women farmers are relatively efficient in maize/cowpea intercropping. The study therefore suggests intensive efforts at expanding the present scope of maize/cowpea intercropping, given the estimated technical efficiency for the production system.