Abstract
Underutilization and overutilization of inputs is a major problem in aquaculture production in Nigeria. Hence, resource use efficiency is critical to aquaculture production. The study examined the technical efficiency of non-integrated aquaculture farms in Rivers State, Nigeria using a stochastic frontier production function. The non-integrated fish farmers buy feeds and fingerlings outside their farm to produce table fish while the integrated fish farmers produced feeds and fingerlings that were used on their farms. Several stages of sampling were adopted which resulted in the selection of 119 non-integrated aquaculture farms used. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire and interview schedule. Descriptive statistics such as frequency as well as stochastics frontier production function was used. The findings showed that the technical efficiency of the non-integrated aquaculture farms range from 88-98% with a mean of 93%. This shows that the fish farmers still need 7% increases in productivity to achieve 100% efficiency. Stock size, feed, fertilizer, water, and labour were found to have positive coefficients meaning that they have direct relationship with the output of fish among non-integrated aquaculture farmers while pond size, fingerlings, lime and depreciation cost were found to have negative coefficients meaning that they have indirect relationship with the yield of fish. Age and educational level of the farmers negatively affect technical inefficiency. It was therefore suggested that non-integrated aquaculture farms can be increased by adding more stock size, feed, fertilizer, water and labour during aquaculture production.