Farmers’ health and technical efficiency in osun state, Nigeria

The agricultural sector is a major contributor to Nigeria Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, the increasing incidence and spread of disease infections in rural Nigeria threatens the farming households’ efficiency and output. Therefore, this study examined the effects and relationship between farmers’ health and technical efficiency in Nigeria. Structured questionnaires were administered to one hundred and twenty (120) farmers using multistage random sampling technique. Data were collected on health status and production characteristics of the farmers and analyzed using the Maximum Likelihood Estimation Method of Stochastic Production Frontier model. The result of the effect of ill-health on technical efficiency of the farmers showed that land, labour, fertilizer and insecticides were positively related to output while seed was inversely related to output. The average technical efficiency of the farmer was 0.56, that is, the farmers still have 44 percent potential to be on the frontier. In the inefficiency model, adverse health, educational level, age, household size and farming experience have positive effects on inefficiency of the farmers. It could be concluded that it is possible to increase productivity through improvement on the stock of health status of the farmers. It is therefore, recommended that extension workers should work hand in hand with community health workers to improve general health conditions of the farmers by educating them on health tips through health talks and seminars. Also, Government should make the services of health workers available to the rural farmers in order to reduce incidence of diseases.