EFFECT OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES ON PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY OF MAIZE FARMERS IN OYO AND OGUN STATES OF NIGERIA.

One of the important factors of improving productivity in agricultural production is efficient utilization of inputs and having knowledge of production input elasticity and any socioeconomic characteristics of farmers that may be associated with production efficiency. This study assessed the status of Sustainable Agricultural Practices (SAPs) adoption and the link to efficiency in production of maize among farmers in Ogun and Oyo States, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 370 maize farmers across Local Governments Areas and communities in the two States. Primary data were obtained from the farmers through questionnaire administration on their socio-economic characteristics, sustainable practices adopted, maize production resource use, and costs during farm season by the farmers. Analysis of data were carried out using descriptive statistics Stochastic Frontier Production and Stochastic Cost Function. The study showed that adoption of SAPs among farmers was generally low except for the use of improved seed that was adopted by more than 50% of the farmers. The parameter estimates of the production function showed that farm size (β = 0.4318, p<0.05), seed (β = 0.1077, p<0.05), fertilizer (β = 2197, p<0.05), labor (β = 0.1527, p<0.05), herbicide (β = 0.1329, p<0.05) and insecticide (β = 0.0921, p<0.05) have positive significant influence on the farm output. Socioeconomic factors influencing technical inefficiency were education, household size, farming experience, extension contact and access to credit while SAP factors influencing technical inefficiency were agroforestry and improved variety. Rent on land (β = 0.1788, p<0.01), price of seed (β = 0.0629, p<0.10), price of labor (β = 0.0984, p<0.01) and price of herbicide (β = 0.4117, p<0.01) were the significant variables in cost model. Socioeconomic factors influencing cost efficiency were age, farming experience, extension contact, and access to credit. SAPs factors affecting cost efficiency were use of organic manure, cover cropping, agroforestry, crop rotation and mixed cropping. The estimated average technical, allocative and economic efficiency were 0.59. 0.56 and 0.31 respectively. Adoption of different SAPs options was found as determinant factor of production. Farmers are encouraged to embrace SAPs to increase their productivity with present available resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]