Resource-Use Efficiency in Rice Production Under Sm all Scale Irrigation in Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State

Abstract

The study was conducted in Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State to appraise the efficiency of the resources used in ri ce production under small scale irrigation. The specific objectives of the study were to determine resource use efficiency, describe socio-economic characteristics of irrigated rice growers and ident ify constraints to irrigated rice production among respondents. Data were collected using purposive si mple random Sampling techniques involving three villages and sixty rice farmers. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and production function analysis. Data were fitted to t wo functional forms based on the OLS techniques. The Cobb-Douglas (power function) production functi on gave the best fit in terms of R 2 value and number of significant variables. The results reveal ed that 90.0% of the variation in dependent variable is explained by the independent variables. All the co-efficient carried positive signs. The result revealed that fertilizer, labour and land we re being used inefficiently hence below optimum economic level. This was attested by the high ratio s (greater than unity) of MVP/MFC of all the variables. For optimum resource allocation to ferti lizer, labour and land about 85.7%, 83.3% and 69% increase in MVP is required respectively. The estimated elasticity of production summed up t o 0.815 meaning decreasing return to scale. Major pro blems include lack of adequate fertilizer, capital and access to land. Agricultural Policies should be directed toward provision of farming input such as fertilizer and effective extension services for efficient resources utilization.