Gender Roles and Technical Efficiency of Farmers for Sustainable Cassava Production in Abia State, Nigeria

This study was conducted to determine the gender roles and technical efficiency of cassava farmers in Abia State. Multi-stage sampling technique was employed in selecting 180 cassava farmers. Data were collected with the aid of interview schedule. Analysis was carried out using frequencies, percentages and Cobb-Douglas functional forms of the Stochastic Frontier Production Function. Results revealed that more of younger females than the males were in cassava production. Greater number of the males than females cultivated more farmland, belonged to cooperative societies, had more years of farming experience and education. However, more of the females than the males participated in almost all the production activities. The results further revealed that farm size, labour, planting materials and capital input positively affected the cassava output of the male farmers while fertilizer, capital input, farm land and labour affected that of the females. Meanwhile, access to credit, farm size, house-hold size farming experience and extension contact had positive effect on the technical efficiency of the male farmers. On the other hand, farm size, education, household size, farming experience, access to credit and membership of cooperative society had positive effect on the technical efficiency of the female farmers. However, the male farmers were found to be more technically efficient than their female counterparts even though both farmer genders were not fully technically efficient in their use of resources in cassava production. Hence it was recommended that efforts to improve production of cassava and the technical efficiency of the farmer gender should consider those variables that had positive effects on technical efficiency of both farmer genders. This would enhance production, ensure sustainability, alleviate poverty among the farmers and make room for sustainable rural development in the state.