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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2017, Vol. 16 Issue (08): 1865-1873    DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(17)61662-9
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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 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
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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.
Keywords:  technical efficiency        vegetable productivity        farming systems intensification        crop diversification        stochastic frontier analysis  
Received: 21 September 2016   Accepted:
Fund: 

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/.

Corresponding Authors:  Correspondence Jean-Claude Bidogeza, E-mail: bidogeza@yahoo.fr; jeanclaude.bidogeza@worldveg.org   
About author:  Ajapnwa Akamin, E-mail: akaminajap@gmail.com;

Cite this article: 

Ajapnwa Akamin, Jean-Claude Bidogeza, Jules René Minkoua N, Victor Afari-Sefa . 2017. Efficiency and productivity analysis of vegetable farming within root and tuber-based systems in the humid tropics of Cameroon. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 16(08): 1865-1873.

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