International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Shweta Singh, Reshma Kaushal, Shubhi Singh and Rohit Bhagat

abstract
Agriculture plays a crucial role in the Indian economy, supporting a significant portion of the population and contributing substantially to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). With a massive food grain production of 329.68 million tonnes in 2022, ensuring food security remains a paramount concern. The efficient use of resources plays a critical role in agricultural productivity, particularly amidst growing population pressures and shrinking arable land per capita. This study focuses on assessing the profitability and resource use efficiency of maize cultivation in Balrampur and Kondagaon districts of Chhattisgarh through Cobb-Douglas production function analysis. A total of 280 farmers were selected using multistage random sampling, with data collected from diverse sources including government statistics and agricultural websites. The analysis revealed that hired labor, manure & fertilizer, irrigation, and seed significantly influence maize production in both districts. However, there is evidence of overutilization of manure & fertilizer, seed, and hired labor inputs, coupled with underutilization of irrigation. Specifically, the Marginal Value Product (MVP) to Marginal Factor Cost (MFC) ratio for maize cultivation in Balrampur district indicates overutilization of Manure & Fertilizer (0.007), Seed (0.005), and Hired Human Labour (0.001), while Irrigation shows significant underutilization (1.32). In Kondagaon district, Manure & Fertilizer (0.014) and Seed (0.01) are identified as overutilized inputs, whereas Irrigation exhibits a notably high MVP/MFC ratio of 37.28, indicating substantial underutilization despite its critical role. The study underscores the need for optimizing resource allocation to enhance efficiency and reduce production costs. Strategies promoting sustainable agricultural practices, particularly in enhancing irrigation efficiency, are recommended to boost crop yields amidst varying production environments. Further research and policy initiatives should focus on incentivizing farmers to adopt technologies that maximize resource use efficiency while ensuring environmental sustainability and maintaining yield quality.