CLIMATE CHANGE AND COCOA PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY LOSSES IN ONDO EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT, NIGERIA

Effect of climate change on cocoa agriculture cannot be underestimated. This study assessed efficiency differentials in cocoa production under with and without climate change scenarios. The data were collected using multi-stage sampling method. Data were analyzed with simple descriptive statistics and stochastic frontier approach. The results show that cocoa farmers are ageing (mu = 54 years) and many owe small farms (mu = 9.15 ha). Also, production input elasticities when under normal climate are all positive, while those for chemical and spraying hour are negative when there is climate change. Return to scale under climate change is higher (2.097075) than without climate change (1.825603), although lower output under the former still implies low productivity. Average production efficiency with climate change is 65.14 percent while it is 83.75 percent without climate change. The study recommended development of viable and cost effective chemicals to curtail increasing incidence of pests and diseases as a result of climate change, among others. [A.S. Oyekale. Climate Change and Cocoa Production Efficiency Losses in Ondo East Local Government, Nigeria. Life Sci J 2012;9(3):726-732] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 102