Technical efficacy of laying hen farms in Southern Benin

Abstract

The performance of national poultry farms has been a central issue in the context of massive imports of poultry products into Benin. Socioeconomic considerations have arisen in order to ensure a better allocation of productive resources. This study aimed to establish the performance level of laying hen farms in Southern Benin. Using the parametric approach, technical efficiency levels were estimated from a stochastic production frontier. We collected data on forty-five poultry farms with surveys conducted between August and September 2016. The analyses showed that the majority of the farms were performing well despite differences in efficiency between them. Human capital, labor, veterinary treatments were the main significant factors in the egg production process. The production function regression revealed that the low production of layers resulted more from technical shortcomings of producers (84%) than from the inefficient allocation of resources (16%). Differences in inefficiency were caused by socioeconomic factors including State support, the educational level, the poultry farmer’s age, his/her skills, and poultry density. In conclusion, the poultry farms surveyed in Benin performed well but were weakened by external factors.