Economic Efficiency of Small holder Swamp Rice Farmers across Gender in Anambra State, Nigeria. An application of Stochastic Production Frontier Function

Economic efficiency of small holder swamp rice farmers across gender in Anambra State, Nigeria was studied. The objectives of the study were to determine the level of economics efficiency and its determinants across gender and identify and analyze the constraints to swamp rice production in the study area. Multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 120 swamp rice farmers (60 males and 60 females). Mean, maximum likelihood method and factor analysis were employed to address the objectives of the study. The result of mean economic efficiency of the male group (0.65) was higher than that of the female group (0.61). The cost of production of swamp rice to both male and female was affected by prfert (price of fertilizer), cptal (capital) and larent (Land rent). The determinant factors to economic efficiency that cut across both gender were educa (educational level), farmexp. (farming experience) and memorg (membership of organization), while only Accredit (credit) was to male farmer group. The problems of poor access to credit, poor access to post harvest technology, poor access to improved varieties and high cost labour cut across both gender. Policies to ensure farmers’ access to credit, educational programme, improved rice varieties and labour saving devices were proffered.