FARM SIZE AND PRODUCTIVITY OF FOOD CROP FARMERS IN ABEOKUTA NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined farm size and productivity of food crop farmers in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. The study was based on primary data obtained through the use of structured questionnaires. The survey involved a cross section random selection of 112 farming households from the study area. Data were obtained on the socio – economic characteristic of the farming members of the households, mode of land acquisition, parcels of land available for cultivation, total parcels of land cultivated, resources used, cost and outputs of food crops on parcels of land cultivated. The data was analyzed by both descriptive statistics and stochastic frontier model with the level of land fragmentation measured by Simpson index as well as the number of parcel cultivated. It was found that significant evidence exists to show that most farms cultivated in the study area are relatively fragmented which was caused by inheritance mode of land acquisition and this have effect on food crop production. The farm sizes cultivated by farming households have significance effect on output. Hired labour and cost of intermediate materials used have significant effect on the production efficiency of farmers. The finding revealed that most farming households in the study area were found operating relatively on scattered farm land. On the basis of the above findings, it was recommended that Farmers' accessibility to loans should be addressed by government and to establish farm estate, pattern of land holding and also acquisition of more farmland should be addressed for high production efficiency.