Measuring technical efficiency and its determinants among sweet potatoes farmers in Western Uganda

Abstract

Sweet potato is one of the important staple food for majority of Ugandans. As such, it is depended on by many households. Reportedly, sweet potatoes production is low especially in Western Uganda. This may have been attributed to resource misallocation leading to some levels of efficiency or inefficiency. However, the current level of efficiency or inefficiency and its determinants in sweet potatoes production is unknown. As such, this study determined technical efficiency and its determinants among sweet potatoes farmers in western Uganda. Data were collected from 160 households using multistage and random sampling techniques. After data cleaning, 151 questionnaires were considered for the study. Data envelopment analysis was used to determine technical efficiency while Tobit regression model was used to analyse the determinants technical efficiency. The results showed that the mean technical efficiency stood at 55%. Accordingly, household size, farm location, group membership and use of pesticides had a positive and statistically significant effect on technical efficiency while farm size and input prices had an inverse and statistically significant association with technical efficiency. To increase on sweet potatoes yields, farmers should be encouraged to form various groups where they could share production ideas, use pesticides for effective control of weeds and government should subsidise farm inputs to improve on affordability and timely acquisition.