Technical efficiency in pig production in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was designed to measure the level of technical efficiency and its determinants in pig production in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria using a stochastic frontier production function. Multistage random sampling technique was used to select 60 pig farms from which input-output data were collected in 2004. The estimated farm level technical efficiency ranged from 66.8% to 99.7% with a mean of 83.6%. Important determinants of technical efficiency of pig farmers were farming experience, farm size, membership of farmers associations/cooperative societies, extension contact and gender. The study found no significant relationship between technical efficiency and credit, age, education, and household size in the study area.Keywords: technical efficiency, frontier pig production function, Akwa Ibom State, NigeriaInternational Journal of Agriculture & Rural Development Vol. 6 2005: 51-57