RESOURCE USE EFFICIENCY OF GUINEA CORN (Sorghum bicolor L.) PRODUCTION IN BALI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, TARABA STATE, NIGERIA

The objectives are to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the guinea corn farmers in the study area; determine the technical efficiency level of guinea corn producers; and estimate the costs and returns of guinea corn production. Simple random sampling techniques were used in the selection of 160 respondents, using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was employed for the analysis. The results of the socio-economic characteristics revealed that 79% of the respondents are male, while 77% had farm size less than 1.5 hectares. The Stochastic frontier production result showed that farming experience and marital status have positive coefficients and are significant at 1% and 5% levels. The age, household size and level of education has a negative coefficient, and is significant at 1%, meaning that its use increased the variable output. The profitability index (ratio of total revenue to total cost minus 1) was 2.5, implying that for every N1 invested in guinea corn farming, there was a return of 1.50 kobo. This finding implies that guinea corn production is highly profitable. Therefore, the study recommends that improved policies should be supported to help farmer with resources in the study area.