DOI: 10.36347/sjavs.2016.v03i02.002

Pages: 88-92

Inhabitants of the coastal areas of Delta State are faced with the problems of poverty, deteriorating economic conditions and unemployment and thus engage in shrimp fishing to earn income for their livelihood. The study examined the technical efficiency and its determinants among motorized shrimp fishers at the small scale level in the coastal shrimp producing areas of Delta State, Nigeria. Primary data were obtained from 108 shrimp fishers using a multistage random sampling procedure. We hypothesized that the motorized shrimp fishers at the small scale level in the coastal shrimp producing areas of Delta State were technically efficient. By applying a Cobb Douglas stochastic production frontier function analysis to the data, the findings were that: the mean technical efficiency (TE) of shrimp fishers was 58%: boat, nets (significant at 5%) and fuel use impact positively on shrimp output; access to credit and distance covered were negative and statistically significant (1% level of probability) in reducing the level of technical inefficiency and; age had a positive coefficient and was statistically significant (1% level of probability) in increasing the level of technical inefficiency. We concluded that shrimp fishers are technical inefficient in the study area and recommend that Government should implement policies aimed at the provision of subsidized inputs, improves access to credit, and encourages local cooperative group formation.