Determinants of Technical Efficiency in Maize Farming in Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya
| dc.contributor.author | Chepleting, Joan | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-07-31T13:06:29Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-07-31T13:06:29Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-04 | |
| dc.description | A Research Project Submitted to the Department of Economic Theory in the School of Business, Economics, and Tourism in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of Degree of Master of Economics (Econometrics) of Kenyatta University, April 2025 Supervisors: 1.Dianah Ngui Muchai | |
| dc.description.abstract | This study examines the factors influencing the technical efficiency of maize farming in Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya, with a focus on farm size and seed quantity as significant determinants. The specific objective was to identify and evaluate the socio-economic and farm-level factors affecting technical efficiency and to quantify the levels of technical efficiency in maize farming in Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya. The socio-economic factors were Level of Education, age, gender and household size and access to credit while the farm-level factors were quantity of seeds and farm size. For this study secondary data from Kenya Integrated Household Budgetary Survey, 2015 – 16 was used and Seventy-Seven (77) maize farmers in Trans-Nzoia County were the response rate which was analyzed. The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was employed to estimate the technical efficiency scores of maize farming, while Tobit regression model was used to identify the factors influencing technical efficiency. Using empirical analysis, the study finds that larger farm sizes contribute positively to efficiency by enabling economies of scale, while excessive seed use negatively affects productivity due to overcrowding and competition for resources. Specifically, for each additional unit increase in seed quantity, technical efficiency is expected to decrease by approximately 0.62% (-0.0062), whereas for each additional unit increase in farm size, technical efficiency is expected to increase by approximately 9.94% (0.0994), holding other variables constant. Based on these findings, the study concludes that optimizing farm size and improving seed management are critical to enhancing technical efficiency in maize farming. The positive impact of farm size suggests that policies should focus on land consolidation, cooperative farming, and improved land utilization strategies to maximize productivity. Conversely, the negative impact of excessive seed use highlights the need for proper seed spacing and planting techniques to prevent overcrowding and inefficiencies. To address these issues, the study recommends targeted interventions, including farmer education on optimal seed application rates, increased access to improved and certified seed varieties, and enhanced agricultural extension services to promote best planting practices. Additionally, policies that facilitate land expansion through leasing or cooperative farming models should be encouraged to enable smallholder farmers to achieve economies of scale. Implementing these recommendations can significantly improve maize productivity, enhance farmer incomes, and contribute to food security in the region. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/30975 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.title | Determinants of Technical Efficiency in Maize Farming in Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya | |
| dc.type | Thesis |