Sustainable technical efficiency: evidence from vegetable (waterleaf: talinum triangulare) production in southern Nigeria

This study defined sustainable technical efficiency from a set of efficiency indices generated from the maximum likelihood estimation of the stochastic production functions fitted on data collected from waterleaf farms in the Uyo agricultural zone of Akwa Ibom State, southern Nigeria. A multi-stage random sampling method was employed to choose two hundred respondents. A structured questionnaire was administered to the respondents to obtain the necessary data for the study. The empirical results revealed an average technical efficiency of 52.23% while the sustainable technical efficiency averaged 87.77% among waterleaf farmers in the zone. Determinants of Sustainable technical efficiency were identified using the Logit and Tobit models. The results of the two models were consistent and in line with the inefficiency model. Findings revealed that farmers’ age, number of female farmers, household size, farm size, farming experience, access to extension services, membership in social organization, land ownership status and non-farm income earned by farmers positively affected the sustainable technical efficiency of waterleaf farmers in the zone. On the other hand, farmers’ education, farming experience, cost of labour and value of post-harvest losses negatively affected sustainable technical efficiency. To achieve sustainable technical efficiency in waterleaf production, it is recommended that membership in social organizations should be intensified among waterleaf farmers. Also, land development is critical for the sustainability of waterleaf production in the zone. In addition, female beneficiaries should be the major target of any government intervention in waterleaf production. Training-based on-farm demonstrations, focus group discussion, advocacy and talks are preferred instead of a curriculum or formal education for waterleaf farmers in the State.