Description
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Farm production efficiency as a success indicator helps to identify source of efficiency
differential (Shehu, 2013). In an attempt to improve efficiency of yam farmers in Nigeria, there
is need to examine the factors that determine technical efficiency of yam production. The
resources used in agricultural production are very important because of their limited supply. The
supply of agricultural products to satisfy human and livestock requirements is equally important
because of competitive demand for it.
Most Nigerian farmers are poor in resource endowment, therefore, agricultural inputs
need to be efficiently utilized to avoid waste of resources and obtain maximum output to meet
the demand. The farmers have to be technically efficient as much as possible. The inefficient
allocation of farm inputs could affect the development of Nigerian agriculture as it is still remain
at traditional level. The efficient use of farm inputs has become important due to increase in
population and household real income and invariable rise in demand for agricultural products.
More than 60 million people in West Africa eat yam (Babaleye, 2005); therefore, it is important
to attain greater technical efficiency, lower cost of production and scale up its production
(Oluwatusin, 2011).