Journal of Integrative Agriculture ›› 2017, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (08): 1865-1873.DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(17)61662-9

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  • 收稿日期:2016-09-21 出版日期:2017-08-20 发布日期:2017-08-02

Efficiency and productivity analysis of vegetable farming within root and tuber-based systems in the humid tropics of Cameroon

Ajapnwa Akamin1, Jean-Claude Bidogeza2, Jules René Minkoua N1, Victor Afari-Sefa3   

  1. 1 Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Yaounde II, P.O. Box 18 Soa Yaounde, Cameroon
    2 Liaison Office Cameroon, West and Central Africa, World Vegetable Center, P.O. Box 2008 Messa Yaounde, Cameroon
    3 Samanko Research Station, West and Central Africa, World Vegetable Center, P.O. Box 320 Bamako, Mali
  • Received:2016-09-21 Online:2017-08-20 Published:2017-08-02
  • Contact: Correspondence Jean-Claude Bidogeza, E-mail: bidogeza@yahoo.fr; jeanclaude.bidogeza@worldveg.org
  • About author:Ajapnwa Akamin, E-mail: akaminajap@gmail.com;
  • Supported by:

    The authors would like to thank Humidtropics (through the World Vegetable Center for leading this study) and all donors who supported this research through their contributions to the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) fund. For a list of fund donors please see: http://www.cgiar.org/about-us/our-funders/.

Abstract:     The study analyzes the technical efficiency of vegetable farmers in root and tuber-based farming systems within selected sites of the humid tropics of Cameroon. Multistage sampling was used to collect primary data from a cross-section of vegetable farmers drawn from eight selected sites in Santa sub division, Northwest region of Cameroon. Stochastic frontier analysis was used to estimate the technical efficiency of vegetable farmer and to examine its determinants. The results showed that farmyard manure was the most productive factor input, followed by farm equipment and labor. The mean technical efficiency level was 67%, revealing production shortfalls and indicating possibilities of significantly increasing production with the current input levels. Female, as well as more educated farmers were found to be significantly more efficient than their counterparts. The results also showed that farmers become less technical efficient as farm sizes become larger. Our study findings suggest that smallholder farmers’ access to manure, farm implements, and increased women participation in vegetable farming, will produce huge payoffs in vegetable production efficiency in Cameroon.

Key words: technical efficiency ,  vegetable productivity ,  farming systems intensification ,  crop diversification ,  stochastic frontier analysis