RESOURCE USE EFFICIENCY OF ACHA (Digitaria specie) PRODUCTION IN SOUTHERN BAUCHI, BAUCHI STATE NIGERIA

The study examined resource use efficiency in acha production in Southern Bauchi, Bauchi State, Nigeria.  A multistage random sampling technique was employed which led to a sample of 384 acha farmers randomly selected for the study.  Data were collected through the use of structured questionnaire.  Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data.  Socioeconomic characteristics of acha farmers showed a mean age of 42 years, household size of 8 persons, mean farming experience of 10 years and a mean farm size of 0.6hectares devoted to acha production.  Four factors were significant in determining resource use efficiency of acha farmers; these were seed quantity at (P≤0.01), fertilizer and labour (P≤0.05) and farm size (P≤0.1).  The rate of technical substitution (RTS) of 0.88 indicates that acha production operates in Stage II of the production function, characterized by decreasing positive returns to scale. The resource use efficiency ratios indicated that seed, insecticide, and farm size were under-utilized, as their ratios were greater than one; while the ratio for fertilizer was less than one. Constraints to acha production were found to include insufficient funds (83.1%), soil infertility (72.1%) and manual method of harvesting (65.4%).  It was concluded that acha farmers were efficient in the use of resources but not without opportunity for adjustment of input use to optimize production. Providing farmers with training on optimal input use and resource management can help in adjusting their practices according to the efficiency ratios was recommended, among others.