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Vol.4 , No. 5, Publication Date: Aug. 29, 2017, Page: 52-58
| [1] | Iheke O. R., Department of Agricultural Economics, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria. |
| [2] | C. O. Onyendi, Department of Agricultural Economics, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria. |
Global food insecurty remains a serious problem and more than 900 million people are still hungry in 2010 [7]. With high level of poverty, malnutrition, low agricultural productivity, and followed by considerable and continuous increase in food prices over the past few years, the issue of increasing agricultural productivity has become the main concern to governments. How efficient a farmer is determines his level of productivity and income, and subsequently how food secure he is. This study therefore, examined the economic efficiency and food security status of farm households in Abia State of Nigeria. Multi stage random sampling technique was employed in selecting the respondents and data was collected using structured questionnaire. The economic efficiency of the respondents was analysed using stochastic frontier Cobb-Douglas profit function and the food security status was analysed using food security line. The result of data analysis revealed that education, age of the farmer, primary occupation, farming experience, farm size, credit, membership of association and extension contact were the significant factors influencing the economic efficiency of the farm households. Ninety percent of the respondents were found to be more than 70% economically efficient. The most efficient farmers are found to operate at 99 percent while the least efficient farmers were found to operate at 13.4 percent efficiency level. The average level of economic efficiency was 85.5 percent. Also, the food security needs were not adequately met as 31.25% were food secure while 68.75% were food insecure. Adequate enlightenment and education of the farm households is therefore recommended for the farm households so as to improve their efficiency, as this will lead to increased productivity and food availability. This calls for the strengthening of the agricultural extension system provide the informal training that helps to unlock the natural talents and inherent enterprising qualities of the farm household for increased productivity.
Keywords
Economic, Efficiency, Food, Security, Farm, Households
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