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Land Management and Food Crop Production in Nigeria

Abstract This paper analyzed land management practices and crop production among farmers in Ikorodu division of Lagos State. A two-stage sampling technique was used to collect primary data from 130 farmers in the study area through structured questionnaires. A combination of descriptive and regression analyses was used to analyze the data. Specifically, a stochastic production frontier based on Cobb-Douglas function was developed to capture inefficiency variables and land management variables. The maximum-likelihood estimation of the stochastic production function revealed that the conventional input (land, labor, planting materials, and implements) increased the output of food crops. In addition, the use of fertilizer, flat land, well-drained soil, and fallowing were positively associated with higher levels of crop output. The production process in the study area is in Stage 2 with respect to inputs productivity. This indicates that there is room for expansion. The study further revealed mean output-oriented technical efficiency of 0.66 for the farmers. Farmers with efficiency index between 0.30 and 0.39 are about 4 percent, those with technical efficiency between 0.60 and 0.69 constitute about 28 percent while about 21 percent have technical efficiency index between 0.70 and 0.79. The study therefore suggested adequate land availability and acquisition pattern, improved production environment to retain farm labor in the rural areas and better access to improved, high yielding crop varieties. In addition, education of the farmers and their household members should be seriously considered.