Abstract
Management is key in any production process, including agriculture; however, many studies on productivity and production efficiency often exclude consideration to farmers' managerial ability. Hence, this study examined the effect of managerial capacity on cassava-based farmers' production in Ogun State. A total of 120 farmers were selected with multistage sampling technique using a pre-tested questionnaire in obtaining data on socio-economic characteristics of the sampled farmers. The data were analyzed using Descriptive Statistics, Managerial Capacity Index and Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA). Results revealed that majority (93.3%) of the farmers were male with a mean age of 46.8 years. Furthermore, 36.7% of the farmers belonged to a farmers’ association, 44.1% had a second occupation while 75.8% had farming as the major occupation with an above average (63%) farm managerial capacity. SFA showed that planting material, labor and land had an incremental effect on cassava-based farm output (p<0.01). Furthermore, SFA revealed that the farmers were relatively efficient (0.71) technically with the operation of the cassava farms (CFs) attributable to crop combination, type of planting material (p<0.1) and managerial capacity (p<0.05). Hence, farmers with the same planting materials, similar weather conditions and inputs may have different efficiency level due to managerial capacity. Therefore, stakeholders need help cassava-based farmers improve their managerial capability in the study area.