Allocative efficiency of scarce farm production resources among smallholder sugarcane farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria

The study examines the resource-use efficiency in sugarcane production among smallholders in Kwara State of Nigeria. This study used survey data of 2017 cropping season elicited from 105 farmers selected by employing a multi-stage sampling technique. The collected data were analyzed using multiple regression model estimated by ordinary least square (OLS) technique. It was observed that poor capital base caused the insufficiency in the application of agrochemicals by the farmers in the production of sugarcane in the studied area. However, there was excess use of hired labour due to abundant cheap available labour force in the studied area, thus affecting sugarcane production. Generally, the farmers were inefficient in the use of farm resources in the production of sugarcane with most of the important farm inputs (sucker and farm size) been under-utilized. Therefore, the study recommends that the farmers should increase the use of the aforementioned important inputs and are advised to pool their social capitals in order to take advantage of pecuniary economies, thus exploring the potentials in sugarcane production. In addition, credit facilities and extension service delivery should be enhanced to improve sugarcane productivity and doubling farmers’ income for better livelihood of farm households.