POULTRY ENTERPRISE COMBINATION AMONG SMALL-SCALE FARMERS IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA: A TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY APPROACH

^*Ologbon, Olugbenga A. C and Ambali, Omotuyole I.

Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management

Olabisi Onabanjo University, Yewa Campus, Ayetoro

E-mail: chrislogem@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The need for increase in income level and reduce the income and food poverty necessitated the combination of poultry enterprise among farmers in Nigeria. The study analyzed the technical efficiency of poultry enterprise combination among farmers in Yewa division of Ogun State, Nigeria. Primary data were collected through a multistage process from 80 poultry farmers. The data were analyzed using descriptive, budgetary and stochastic frontier analysis methods. The findings revealed that the farmers are still in their productive age with a mean age of 47 years. The budgetary analysis result showed that poultry farming is a profitable enterprise. The result of the stochastic frontier analysis showed that number of layers, number of broilers and feed are the major determinants of poultry revenue. In addition, age, education and years of experience in poultry production are the determinants of technical efficiency of the farmers. There is need to improve the efficiency of farmers by 31 per cent with the present technology. This study recommends additional unit of birds to address the problem of over-utilization of feed and to improve the efficiency level of the farmers. Lastly, education of poultry farmers need to be strengthened through adult literacy education as education had positive effect on the efficiency of farmers.

Key words: Poultry farmers, enterprise combination, technical efficiency, Nigeria