Jonathan Herman Mpuya2026-05-132026-05-132010https://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/20.500.14820/7570DissertationThe study on input use efficiency for maize production was carried out in Iringa region specifically in Njombe and Ludewa districts. The study aims at estimating efficiency components of smallholder maize farmers and identifying socio-economic and farm specific factors influencing input use inefficiency. A purposeful sampling technique was employed to select the two districts with relatively higher potential in maize production. In each district two villages were randomly selected to make a total of four villages. Also in each village 25 farmers were randomly selected for interview. Descriptive statistics were employed to study the households’ socio-economic characteristics while, a non parametric method of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was used to determine the relative technical, scale and allocative efficiencies of individual decision making unit. Likewise, a logistic regression model was employed to determine the factors influencing inefficiency level of smallholder maize farmers. The results of DEA scores revealed that the mean technical efficiency and scale efficiency were 0.73 and 0.95 respectively. The study further confirmed that, the present inefficiency is largely due to technical rather than scale effect. Therefore, by using the existing technology, the sample households can obtain the same level of output even if the input cost is reduced by 27%. In terms of cost minimization, the result show that the mean allocative efficiency was 0.49 implying that, inefficiency due to inappropriate input mix accounts for 51% loss of households’ income. The result of the logistic regression model provided evidence that, technical inefficiency decrease with the frequency of contact with extension agents. However, farmer’s actual age, years of schooling, farm size and distance were found to increase technical inefficiency. The empirical findings of this study indicate that, improvement of input use in the study area lies upon improving technical efficiency of the relatively inefficient smallholder farmers.enMaize productionSocioeconomicNjombeLudewaThesis