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Determinants of Technical Efficiency in Smallholder Sorghum Farming in Zambia

Chimai, Bernadette Chewe
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306247474

Abstract Details

2011, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Agricultural, Environmental and Developmental Economics.
Sorghum production has been widely promoted among smallholder farmers owing to its ability to thrive in drought prone conditions and low input requirements compared to most staple cereals. However, sorghum production and productivity among smallholder farmers remains low. Variations in productivity among smallholder farmers are due to differences in efficiency which may be affected by various regional and farm specific socio-economic factors. This study measured technical efficiency and its determinants in sorghum production, and the contribution of growing sorghum to technical efficiency in field crop production. The study used Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) followed by an Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression of the DEA scores on the household and farm characteristics. Average technical efficiency in sorghum production among the smallholder farmers was 34 percent. Technical efficiency in sorghum production was affected by household size, number of dependents, use of animal draught power, gross value of field crop production, value of assets, income from livestock activities, access to credit, seed rate and whether a household is located in a low rainfall area or not. On average, sorghum farmers were significantly more efficient in field crop production than non sorghum farmers. Therefore, sorghum production improves technical efficiency in overall field crop production among smallholder farmers.
Cameron Thraen, PhD (Advisor)
Donald Larson, PhD (Committee Member)
Gelson Tembo, PhD (Committee Member)
87 p.
Agricultural Economics; Economics
Technical efficiency; sorghum; Data Envelopment Analysis

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Chimai, B. C. (2011). Determinants of Technical Efficiency in Smallholder Sorghum Farming in Zambia [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306247474

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Chimai, Bernadette. Determinants of Technical Efficiency in Smallholder Sorghum Farming in Zambia. 2011. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306247474.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Chimai, Bernadette. "Determinants of Technical Efficiency in Smallholder Sorghum Farming in Zambia." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306247474

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1306247474
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© 2011, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.