TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF SMALL SCALE FARMERS: AN APPLICATION OF THE STOCHASTIC FRONTIER PRODUCTION FUNCTION TO FISH FARMERS IN IBADAN METROPOLIS, OYO STATE, NIGERIA

This study assessed the technical efficiency of fish farmers in Ibadan metropolis of Oyo State, Nigeria using the stochastic frontier production function analysis. Primary data were collected from 82 fish farmers in Ibadan metropolis. The mean efficiency value was 0.906 with majority (65.9 percent) of the fish farmers being over 90 percent efficient and about 34.1 percent having technical efficiency ranging from 50 to 90 percent. The distribution of results also showed that the fish farmers were more efficient in the use of some inputs. Changing the input combinations was observed to increase farm level efficiency. The farmers in the study area therefore need to use available input intensively and rationally so as to produce better output and be more technically efficient