Effect of Farmer Education and Managerial Ability on Food Crop Production in Nigeria

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of education and managerial ability on the technical efficiency of food crop production in Nigeria, using the stochastic frontier production analysis. The research which was conducted in Oyo state of Nigeria used primary data which were obtained from one hundred and fifty representative samples of food crop farmers through the use of well structured questionnaire. Results of the analysis showed that the technical efficiency level ranged between 84.4% and 99.4% with a mean of 94.3%.  The study showed that there still existed some levels of inefficiency among the sampled food crop farmers. The contributing factors to efficiency were age and level of education of the farmers. The study observed that there was a scope for increase in farmers’ efficiency by improving their level of education, and therefore suggested policy recommendations which could ensure food security thereby enhancing national development.

Keywords: Food Crop Production, Farmer Education, Managerial Ability, Nigeria