.

ABSTRACT: The study investigated the technical efficiency status of local poultry farmers in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. A total of 180 respondents were reached and interviewed using the multistage sampling technique. The tools of analysis used were Descriptive Statistics, Budgetary Technique, and Stochastic Frontier Production Function (SFPF) for the socioeconomic variable, cost and returns, and individual farm efficiency analysis. Results obtained showed the mean age (57.47) years, farming experience (19.8) years, household size (9), no of extension contacts (4), monthly income (N29, 119.44), and females (78.3%) among others. Cost and returns analysis revealed that local poultry farmers operate at an optimal level with profit (N164, 330.05), Net Farm Income (N163, 931.04), Gross Ratio (N0.22k), Operating Ratio (N0.28k) and Fixed Ratio (0.04%). Cage Size (0.0421), flock size (0.1347), labour (0.0469) and veterinary drug (0.0318), and household size (-0.1349) were found to negatively influence farm output. The mean technical efficiency score and Return to Scale were 0.680 and 0.602 respectively while the tested hypothesis showed that there is a significant relationship between the total value of poultry and socio-economic
characteristics like age, farming experience, and household size among others. It was concluded based on the results that local poultry production is a profitable enterprise in the study area. It was recommended that good housing and routine feeding should be paramount in the business.

Keywords: Technical Efficiency, Local Poultry, Urban Area, Farmers

JoST. 2021. 11(1): 13-25
Accepted for Publication, February 3, 2020