Soil Management And Technical Efficiency Of Small-scale Maize Farmers In Northwestern Kenya

Abstract

This paper examined the technical efficiencies of two groups of smallholder maize farmers in Lugari and Trans Nzioa districts, one within the contact areas of soil management project and the other comprising the counterfactuals. The analysis was based on Translog stochastic production functions estimated from maize production data for 2006 season. The empirical results indicate that farmers within the project area were more technically efficient than those outside the project area, given their respective technologies. The frontier output was 26 percent higher for farmers who applied the integrated soil fertility management practices. Educational attainment, soil fertility management choice, extension contacts and market access were significant determinants of technical efficiency. It is therefore likely that maize production in Kenya will require continuing policy and technological support addressing these factors in order to raise the level of efficiency and productivity to sufficiently higher levels. To this end, we recommend increased dissemination of integrated soil fertility management technologies to wider farming community and collective action approach to increase efficiency, access to credit and enhance returns at farm levels.