Production Frontier Model of Resource Use Efficiency and Factors Influencing Yam Production in Cross River State, Nigeria

Background: A study on production frontier model of resource use efficiency and factors influencing yam production in Cross River State, Nigeria was undertaken. The following were the specific objectives: To determine the efficiency of resource use in yam production in the area and to examine the factors that influence efficiency of resource use in yam production in the area. Methods: Multistage random sampling technique was used to select respondents for the study. Primary data used in the were collected using a set of pre-tested and structured questionnaires. The tool used for the analysis was the Stochastic frontier analysis. Efficiency of resource use was analyzed from the coefficients of the Stochastic analysis. Result: Result of the study showed that fertilizer, yam seed, farm size and agrochemical were underutilized, while capital inputs were over utilized and amounted to economic waste of resources. Sixty four per cent of the variation in yam output was as a result of socio-economic attributes of the farmers. Sex, household size and farm size were found to be inversely related to efficiency of resource use. All other variables were positive and significant. Recommendations: yam farmers should decrease the rate of use of capital inputs and labour. Variables like education, age, farming experience, marital status, farm income and cooperatives membership need improvement.