Technical and allocative efficiency gains from integrated soil fertility management in the maize farming system of Kenya

Declining land productivity and per capita food availability poses challenges to overcoming land degradation and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. There is a need to identify ways of improving land productivity particularly among smallholders. This study investigated the contribution of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) practices to both technical and allocative efficiencies in the maize farming system of Kenya. To determine efficiency gains from ISFM, we compared efficiencies of two groups of smallholders: those within the contact areas and their counterfactuals. We estimated Cobb-Douglas stochastic functions based on maize production data collected from a stratified sample of 373 farmers. The results indicate that farmers who applied ISFM were more efficient both technically and allocatively than those who did not. Application of ISFM practices increased technical and allocative efficiencies by 26 and 30%, respectively. However, other favourable factors are required for farmers to realize maximum efficiency gains from maize farming activity. They included farming experience, extension contacts, off-farm income and market access. Therefore, policies and practices aimed at enhancing farming efficiency in smallholder agriculture should address these factors. We recommend increased dissemination of ISFM technologies to the wider farming community through effective and participatory approaches to increase efficiency and enhance farm returns.   Key words: Maize, land husbandry, productivity