ANALYSIS OF TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY IN CASSAVA PRODUCTION

The smallholder farmers farming activities is characterized by low production and productivity. To improve this problem integration of modern technologies with improved level of efficiency become concern that is more important for smallholder farmers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyses the technical efficiency of cassava production for the smallholder cassava farmers in Abaya district of Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. A multi-stage random sampling technique was adopted in selecting one hundred and twenty (120) cassava farmers. Structured questionnaires were used in collecting a cross-sectional data for the study. Stochastic production frontier model was employed to estimate technical efficiency levels, whereas single stage estimation method was used to identify factors affecting it. The test result indicated that there is inefficiency in the cassava production process in the study area and the relative deviation from the frontier duo to the effects of inefficiency is 20%.