The Efficiency Gap in Nigerian Cassava Farming: A Stochastic Frontier Analysis

This study examines resource use efficiency among smallholder cassava farmers in Edo State, Nigeria, using a stochastic frontier analysis framework. Data were collected from 240 farmers through a multi-stage sampling technique and analysed using maximum likelihood estimation. The results reveal substantial inefficiency in input use, with a gamma (γ) value of 0.552 indicating that over half of the deviation from optimal production is attributable to managerial factors rather than random shocks. Fertilizer exhibited the highest level of waste at 31.2 per cent, followed by land (24.5 per cent) and labour (18.7 per cent). Key determinants of efficiency included formal education and participation in group-based extension services, which significantly reduced inefficiency across all inputs. Conversely, reliance on informal credit sources increased land use inefficiency, while age showed a small but positive effect on inefficiency. These findings suggest that policy interventions focused solely on input access are insufficient. Instead, complementary investments in farmer education, collective learning institutions, and financial inclusion are necessary to address the allocative inefficiencies that constrain profitability in smallholder cassava systems.