Productivity Analysis of Small-Scale Cotton Farmers in Makonde District, Zimbabwe

Abstract

To improve cotton production is undoubtedly one of the greatest challenges facing Zimbabwe. The purpose of this study was to analyze technical efficiency of cotton production of small-scale farmers in Zimbabwe Makonde District. The research targeted 378 respondents but only 237 responded. That means the research achieved a response rate of 62.7 %. The specific objectives were for small-scale cotton farmers in Makonde district, examine: first, the effects of farm level factors on technical efficiency , second, the effects of household level factors on technical efficiency, third the cotton yield per hectare on cotton production, and fourth, determinants of productivity of small scale cotton farmers. These objectives were analyzed using closed-ended questions using self administered structured questionnaires. The data entered in Excel® and analyzed using SPSS software IBM® SPSS® Statistics 25, using multilinear regression analysis. The results indicated that household size (.003), total family income (.025), farm size (.000) and side marketing (.000) were significant in the interpretation of cotton productivity. With the increase in the number of individuals living together the chances of cotton production to increase was high, one person produced a yield of an average of 20kg per ha as compared to four individuals who had an average of 400kgs. With the level of education, the more an individual was educated there was an increase in cotton production. The percentage of individuals who side marketed was 54%, this means that there is a causative relationship as the more the individuals’ side marketed, there was a decrease in cotton production. The larger the farm size under cotton production led to an increase in total gross yield of cotton The level of productivity showed that the maximum production of the respondents was 7591kgs with a minimum of 12kgs and a median of 602.08kgs. Based on the findings from this study it is recommended that various actions by the government and all other key stakeholders in cotton in order to improve technical efficiency and cotton productivity. Such actions should aim at improving access to farmland since 91.6% own 0-6ha, improve mechanization in cotton production, increase male involvement in this study males constituted about 47% of the participants, and improve the participation of youths since majority of the respondents were of the age group 41-50 with a percentage of 41.8% .