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This study evaluated the efficiency and the technological gap ratios (TGRs) of the agroforestry production in the rural areas of Kaduna State, Nigeria and discussed the implication for environmental resource management. A multi-stage sampling technique was used. A total number of 120 respondents comprising of 62 (51.67%) male agroforestry farmers and 58 (48.33%) female agroforestry farmers were selected. The primary data were collected based on a well-structured and a well-designed questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the following tools: descriptive statistics, the stochastic production efficiency frontier model, the stochastic meta-efficiency frontier model, and the principal component model. Farm size, labor input, chemical input, fertilizer input, and agroforestry tree density positively contribute to the output of male and female agroforestry farmers as well as pooled data respectively. The average agroforestry farmers achieve 83.1% (male), 64.7% (female) and 72.8% (pooled) of their frontier output given their present technologies. In other words, agroforestry farms lose 16.9%, 35.3% and 27.2% of their maximum potentials output to inefficiencies. The mean technical efficiency relative to the meta-frontier was estimated to be 74%, 47% and 59% for the male and female agroforestry farmers and the pooled data respectively. Based on the estimated technological gap ratios (TGRs) of 90%, 73% and 82% for the male and female agroforestry farmers and the pooled data respectively, the average male and female agroforestry farmers and the pooled data could be more technically efficient by increasing their output and closing the gaps of 10%, 27% and 18% respectively. The study recommended that farmers should be educated about the benefits of the agroforestry production technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated economic efficiency of rice production among smallscale women farmers in Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 100 smallscale women rice farmers. Primary data were collected with the aid of well-designed and well-structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, farm budgeting technique, financial analysis, Stochastic production frontier efficiency model, and Tobit dichotomous regression model. The results show that 88% of women rice farmers were less than 50 years of age. The mean age was 44 years. Averagely, they are smallscale farmers with 1.31 hectares of farm land. The labour input in mandays constitutes the highest percentage of about 50.8% of total costs of activities involved in rice production. The net farm income and gross margin ratio was estimated at 416,800 Naira and 0.63 respectively. This shows that rice production by women farmers was profitable and worthwhile. The mean allocative, economic, technical efficiency scores were 50.3%, 50.8%, and 51.20% leaving the efficiency gaps of 49.7%, 49.2%, and 48.8% for improvement respectively. The significant factors influencing economic efficiency of rice production among women farmers include: - farm size (P < 0,01), labour input (P < 0.05), household size (P < 0.05), seed input (P < 0.01), fertilizer input (P < 0.05), chemical input (P < 0.05), farm experience (P < 0.05), and access to credit (P < 0.05). The major constraints encountered by women rice farmers include: - inadequate credit facilities (1st), high cost of labour (2nd), high cost of fertilizers (3rd) and high cost of herbicides (4th). The study recommended that farm inputs such as improved seeds, fertilizer input, chemical input and herbcides should be made available to women farmers at affordable prices. Credit facilities devoid of rigorous administrative procedures at low interest rate should be made available to women farmers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]