Efficiency of village extension agents in Nigeria: Evidence from a data envelopment analysis

Determining the technical efficiency of extension personnel especially at the village level is paramount if farm productivity is to be increased. The present study determined the technical efficiency of Village Extension Agents (VEAs) in North Central Nigeria. Data for the study were collected using structured questionnaire that was administered on 81 VEAs. The findings of the study indicated that 32.1% of the VEAs were aged between 38 and 45 years with a mean age of 41 years; while 50.6% were holders of national diploma certificates. The monthly income of a VEA ranged between N16,000 and N21,000. The average technical efficiency of VEAs was 42% with minimum and maximum values of 0.03 and 1 respectively. There was a positive significant association between the age (P<0.10), education (P<0. 10) and income (P<0.01) of VEAs and their technical efficiency levels. The results imply that prompt payment of allowances/salary, regular promotions and trainings are the necessary impetus that can improve agricultural extension service delivery in Nigeria, particularly at the village level