The study was conducted to examine the determinants of technical efficiency of maize/cowpea
intercropping among women farmers in Gombe State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was
adopted in selecting 104 respondents. Data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire
supplemented with focus group discussion over a period of four months. Data collected were analyzed
using descriptive statistics and stochastic frontier production function model. Results from socioeconomic
variables revealed that majority (61%) of the respondents were between 40-59 years with an
average farm size of 1.88 hectares. The result of stochastic frontier production function analysis showed
that all the estimated coefficients (farm size, fertilizer, family labour, quantity of agrochemicals, hired
labour and quantity of seed used) of the independent variables in the model were positive and significant
at either 1% or 5% level with the exception of quantity of agrochemicals used. The results further revealed
that household size, educational level, farming experience, access to extensions services and off farm
income generation were the major determinants of technical efficiency in the study area. Findings from
this research work also revealed that the mean technical efficiency of the farmers was 0.84 indicating that
the women farmers are relatively efficient in maize/cowpea intercropping. The study therefore suggests
intensive efforts at expanding the present scope of maize/cowpea intercropping, given the estimated
technical efficiency for the production system.