Assessment of technical efficiency in dairy farming among small scale holder farmers in Buhweju district

Abstract

Over the past two decades, the Ugandan dairy sector has exhibited remarkable technological development. This process of technology adoption has implied significant changes in dairy farming production system. The models of production have been changing from natural conditions to new farming systems that involve pasture cultivation and supply of nutritive feeds for example changing from pastoral farming to intensive farming system. The study mainly focused on dairy farming practiced on a smaller holder basis in Buhweju district in southwestern Uganda where a random sample of 200 farmers was made. Technical efficiency estimates were generated for 200 dairy farms. The results of this study indicated that technical efficiency of milk production by most of dairy farms in sampled is low. The mean technical efficiency was estimated to be only .9281275 for the sampled dairy farmers. Technical efficiency can be further improved through provision of education, training and orientation of the farmers toward dairy farming practices. More education will be crucial in increasing technical efficiency. There is need to improve farmers’ access to extension services and more emphasis on use improved pasture. The need to involve farmers more in the extension process itself should be encouraged.