Part-Time Farming in Idah Local Government Area,Kogi State, Nigeria

This study examines the overall efficiency of part-time farming in Idah Local Government Area of Kogi State. Farm level data were collected from 110 part-time farmers selected using stratified random sampling technique and analyzed using descriptive statistics, regression analysis, gross margin analysis and stochastic frontier analysis. Farm level technical, allocative and economic efficiencies of the sample part-time farmers range from a minimum of 36.58percent to a maximum of 98.80percent, 96.10-99.80 percent with average economic efficiency of 63.67 percent. This indicates that the part-time farmers were relatively very efficient economically. It is recommended that the Government should recognize part-time farming as an area for policy support, while production support should be provided to reduce the high cost of labour and other constraints of part-time farming. The need for further research into the contribution of part-time farming to aggregate food supply is also recommended.