Determinants of Technical Efficiency in Pixie Production in Makueni County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the farm technical efficiency in pixie farming in Makueni County, Kenya and the factors which influence the technical efficiency. The specific objectives of the study were: determination of technical efficiency in pixie production, examination of how socio-economic characteristics affect the technical efficiency in pixie production, and determination of how the adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies influence the technical efficiency in pixie production. Primary data was collected where questionnaires and interview schedule were adopted to obtain information from a sample of 311 pixie farmers through both purposive and simple random sampling technique. Non-experimental cross sectional research design was adopted. Generalized linear regression model and stochastic frontier model were used. The study results found that the mean technical efficiency was 75%. There only existed a 25% potential towards realization of optimum output by the average farmer. Different socio-economic characteristics of the farmers were found to influence technical efficiency among the pixie farmers. Maximum likelihood estimates of technical efficiency derived from the stochastic frontier production function results indicated that use of fertilizer, manure and labour contributed to increased productivity. The adopters of the different sustainable agricultural technologies had higher technical efficiencies than the non-adopters. The study recommends young farmers be encouraged in the practice of pixie farming to help in realization of high pixie output. The government should: Put in place measures to increase credit access to farmers, harmonize the repayment time of the loans and design strategies in place for the pixie farmers to be educated on the need of adopting the sustainable agricultural technologies and how to use them in order to reduce the big gap in their productivity levels.