TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY AND POST-HARVEST LOSSES AMONG RICE VALUE CHAIN ACTORS IN MIDDLE RIMA VALLEY IRRIGATION SCHEME (MRVIS), SOKOTO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study analyzed technical efficiencyand post-harvest losses among rice value chain actors in Middle Rima Valley Irrigation Scheme, Sokoto State, Nigeria. The actors identified werefarmers, parboilers and millers. Total of 201 actors were sampled using simple random sampling technique. The data were collected using questionnaire and then analyzed using descriptive statistics, Data Envelopment Analysis, Tobit model, Estimation method andFarm budgeting model.The profit share analysis shows that farmers were the most profitable with an average profit of ₦3,917.61/bagfollowed by parboilers and millers with 12.93% and 6.04% respectively. The estimation of post-harvest losses confirmed that a total of 575kg (8.44%) of total production was lost from harvesting to storage. At parboiling stage, 9.4kg/85kg of paddy were lost. The losses at milling stage were 10.1kg/85kg of paddy.The technical efficiency status for majority of the farmers was moderate ranging from 0.51-0.95. However, only 10.2% of the farmers were technically inefficient.Land, seed, fertilizer, labour, farming system, and capital were the determinants of the technical efficiency. Post-harvest operations were traditionally practiced by most of the actors and thus led to higher grain losses. It was recommended that Government should installmodern techniques for rice farming and processing in MRVIS.

ABSTRACT The study analyzed technical efficiencyand post-harvest losses among rice value chain actors in Middle Rima Valley Irrigation Scheme, Sokoto State, Nigeria. The actors identified werefarmers, parboilers and millers. Total of 201 actors were sampled using simple random sampling technique. The data were collected using questionnaire and then analyzed using descriptive statistics, Data Envelopment Analysis, Tobit model, Estimation method andFarm budgeting model.The profit share analysis shows that farmers were the most profitable with an average profit of ₦3,917.61/bagfollowed by parboilers and millers with 12.93% and 6.04% respectively. The estimation of post-harvest losses confirmed that a total of 575kg (8.44%) of total production was lost from harvesting to storage. At parboiling stage, 9.4kg/85kg of paddy were lost. The losses at milling stage were 10.1kg/85kg of paddy.The technical efficiency status for majority of the farmers was moderate ranging from 0.51-0.95. However, only 10.2% of the farmers were technically inefficient.Land, seed, fertilizer, labour, farming system, and capital were the determinants of the technical efficiency. Post-harvest operations were traditionally practiced by most of the actors and thus led to higher grain losses. It was recommended that Government should installmodern techniques for rice farming and processing in MRVIS.