Authors: S.O. Akinbode, A.O. Dipeolu, D. A. Ibrahim
World Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 7 (3): 359-367, 2011
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of diseases among rice farming households and how these affect technical efficiency in rice production. A total of 188 rice farming households were sampled through a multi- stage random sampling procedure.
Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, cost of illness (COI) analysis, t-test of difference of two means and Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA). The average areas cultivated to rice was 3.01ha. About half of the illnesses in the households were due to malaria. An average COI of N12,411.12 was incurred during the rice production cycle (4months). About half of these costs were due to time costs, with households losing an average of 17 man-days to illnesses during the period. The return to scale estimation revealed that farmers were operating in stage II of the production surface which is the normal region of operation for rational producers. The mean technical efficiency was 0.696. This implies that rice farmers can still increase output or save cost without the need to change existing technology. Days lost by households to disease attack affected technical efficiency negatively. Extension contact and seed variety affected technical efficiency positively. The study recommended among others that extension and health education services be strengthened to reach more farming households.
Key words: Disease, burden, Households, Production, Rice, Efficiency