Do smallholder farmers ensure resource use efficiency in developing countries? Technical efficiency of sesame production in Western Tigrai, Ethiopia

Analysis of technical efficiency of irrigated onion (Allium cepa L.) production in North Gondar Zone of amhara regional state, Ethiopia

Onions are a significant source of revenue and food security for households. Despite their importance in human nutrition, economic benefit, and area coverage, in Ethiopia, onion productivity is significantly lower than it should be. The purpose of this study is to address this gap by examining efficiency variations and determining the variables that affect onion farmers' levels of efficiency in the North Gondar Zone of Ethiopia. The sources of data were both primary and secondary. 205 onion farmers from the Gondar Zuria, Takusa, and Dembia districts were chosen using simple random sampling proportional to sample size. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather primary data from these participants. A Cobb-Douglass production function, a single-stage stochastic frontier model, and descriptive statistics were used to investigate the technical efficiency of onion production at the farm level. The mean technical efficiency of an irrigated onion was 53%, according to the maximum likelihood estimates of the stochastic frontier analysis. By enhancing agricultural methods using current technology, it is possible to raise the average production efficiency of irrigated onions. The stochastic frontier model's maximum likelihood estimates revealed that plot size, Di Ammonium Phosphate, and oxen have a significant effect on onion output; education, livestock holding, experience, and frequency of watering have a positive and significant effect on technical efficiency, whereas family size and marketing training have a negative and significant effect on technical efficiency. Therefore, the government or any relevant bodies should deliver continual scheduled training and an integrated adult education at the existing farmers' training center; modern livestock production techniques; further groundwater resources and proper watering technologies should be used since currently farmers use an inefficient irrigation system, specifically furrow irrigation.

Measuring Technical Efficiency for Closuring Yield Gap and Improving Water Productivity of the Irrigated Durum Wheat in Tunisia

In Tunisia, the development of the irrigated cereal sector plays a key role in the mitigation of the fluctuation of the rainfed production and to ensure a minimum of production. However, the archived yields remain under the expected potential performance, and the water productivity is very low. Hence, this work aims to investigate the performance of the irrigated durum wheat activity and to identify eventual determinants to improve the water productivity. To reach the objective, a field survey was carried out with a sample of 555 farmers. We adopted a data envelopment analysis approach to assess the technical efficiency and water use efficiency. A Tobit model was estimated to identify determinants of the technical performance. The results showed that the technical efficiency reached only 63%, which meant that farmers could increase the durum wheat yield from 3.5 tha−1 to 4.8 tha−1. The water use efficiency reached only 30%, which translates to an unwise use of the water resource. The results also showed an eventual improvement of the water productivity by more importantly saving the irrigation water rather than optimizing the production. To improve the performances, the results revealed some key determinants that could be taken into account by policy makers to implement appropriate strategies.

Are farmers technically efficient in growing sorghum crops?: evidence from western part of Ethiopia Gudeya Bila district

Agriculture provides the majority of Ethiopian rural households with their principal source of income, yet it performs poorly. There is a rise in food insecurity as well as a decline in productivity as a result of this. Even if sorghum production in Ethiopia is increasing rapidly, it requires an efficient level of output to ensure high levels of productivity and profit. Hence the goal of this study was to examine the technical efficiency of sorghum production and its determinants in the Gudeya Bila area in western Ethiopia, utilizing primary data obtained through semi-structured questionnaires from 203 randomly selected households. The study utilized one-stage stochastic frontier production model to investigate the technical efficiency and its determinants. The mean technical efficiency of the homes was 45.64 percent, according to the results of the stochastic frontier of the parametric approach. These results suggest that farmers in the research area are technically inefficient in sorghum by 56.36 percent on average. Weeding frequency, farm size, and cell phone use were also key factors of technical efficiency in a one-stage stochastic frontier approach. As a result, the study reveals that by enhancing technological efficiency, it may be possible to increase production to the level of potential output. Ensure mobile information service, raise knowledge about intensive land use, subsidize chemical inputs, and expand educational possibilities in the research region are some of the numerous strategies to improve technical efficiency.