INFLUENCE OF FARMERS’ GROUP MEMBERSHIP AND ACCESS TO CREDIT ON THE TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF RICE FARMERS IN OBAFEMI-OWODE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA
Publication Type: Journal Article.
Publication Year: 2026
Author(s): Rachael Iyabo Awoyinka, Gbemisola Oduroye, Olubunmi Lawrence Balogun, Osagie John Afodu, Ibukunoluwa Adenike Akintunde, Lukman Abiodun Akinbile and Adeyinka Oye Akintunde
Journal Name: (IJAEMD)
ABSTRACT
This study examined how farmers’ group membership and access to credit affect the technical efficiency of rice farms in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area, Ogun State, Nigeria. Primary data were collected from 128 rice farmers using a semi-structured questionnaire administered via a two-stage random sampling procedure. We used the Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production function to estimate farm-level technical efficiency, while a Probit regression model assessed the determinants of credit access. Results showed that most respondents were male (57.8%), 64.1% were married, and 59.4% had attained secondary education. A majority (58.2%) belonged to village associations, and 41.4% accessed credit through cooperatives. The mean technical efficiency score was 95.28%, indicating that farms operated at a high level of efficiency relative to the production frontier. Socio-economic factors, including age, gender, marital status, and household size, significantly influenced credit decisions, while membership in farmer associations positively influenced access to credit. The study recommends strengthening rural credit institutions and farmer group structures to improve agricultural productivity and resource-use efficiency.
Keywords: Farmer group; Access to credit; Technical efficiency; Rice farmers; Stochastic frontier; Nigeria