Land Administration Practices and Effects on Allocative Efficiency of Irrigated Rice Farmers in North-East Nigeria: Implications for Sustainable Food Security

This paper analysed the effects of land administration on allocative efficiency of rice farmers in Dadinkowa Irrigation Scheme area, North-Eastern Nigeria. Primary data from a sample of 400 rice farmers were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results showed that land administration authorities in the area performed above average (0.67), with Large-scale PuBlic Authority (LPBA) significantly higher (0.74) than Large-scale PriVate Authority (LPVA), Small-scale PuBlic Authority (SPBA) and Local Authority (LA), being 0.67, 0.64, 0.6 respectively. Allocative efficiency of farmers ranged between 0.24 and 0.97 in LPBA, 0.39 and 0.98 in LPVA, 0.73 and 0.94 in SPBA and between 0.84 and 0.97 in LA; mean values being 0.86, 0.94, 0.85 and 0.93 respectively. Thus, large scale private authority achieved significantly higher allocative efficiency (F-cal 26.02) at 1% level. Farmers’ perception of land administration service, land value, land use, non-farm income, household size and hired labor significantly influenced their allocative efficiency at 1% level. Public-private land administration reform that emphasize land tenure security, irrigation development and access to farm inputs would likely encourage long-term investment and efficient resource allocation; thereby promoting sustainable agricultural and food production, and contributing to national food security.