The Nature and Extent of Technical Efficiency of Maize Production for Smallholder Farmers in Conflict-Prone Areas
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53797/agrotech.v2i1.1.2023Keywords:
conflict prone areas, technical efficiency, maize production, AfghanistanAbstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the nature and extent of technical efficiency of maize production in Afghanistan. A multi-stage sampling framework was used to randomly select 250 farm households, and a Cobb-Douglas production function was applied to the data collected. The results revealed that land, labor, seed, fertilizer, and pesticides significantly influence maize productivity. Additionally, 25% of the variations in output among maize producers are due to uncontrollable factors, such as unpredictable weather, pest and disease attacks, water scarcity, and frequent changes in agricultural policies by the government. Interestingly, the range of technical efficiency was between 0.21 – 0.97, and the average technical efficiency (0.86) of all farmers implies that they can still increase their maize production by 14% with the same available inputs and given technology. This is an important finding, especially for an economy that has been severely devastated by war. Furthermore, the study establishes that various socioeconomic and institutional variables influence the technical efficiency of small maize farmers in these conflict-prone areas. Given the United Nations' call to achieve zero hunger and alleviate populations from poverty despite climate change and other conflicts through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the study offers insightful recommendations.
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