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Determinants of adoption
and productivity of improved rice varieties in southwestern
Nigeria
J. O. Saka and B. O. Lawal*
Institute
of Agricultural Research and Training, Moor Plantation,
Ibadan, Nigeria
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
bolaw2001@yahoo.com.
Accepted
6 July, 2009 |
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The study
examines the status of adoption of improved rice varieties
and its impact on rice production among smallholder farmers
in southwestern Nigeria. Data for this study were generated
from a farm survey of rice farmers selected by multi-stage
sampling technique in two of the rice producing states of
the region. The study employed adoption index, logit model
and stochastic frontier model to assess the adoption status,
its determinants and impact on farmers’ productivity
respectively. The results show that farmers have responded
appreciably to intervention programme that promote the use
of improved rice varieties with an adoption rate of 68.7%
which has resulted in an estimated proportional production
increase of 19.4%. The mean yield of improved rice varieties
(1.601 tons/ha) was significantly higher than the yield of
the local varieties (1.154 tons/ha) with a yield advantage
of 38.7%. In addition, rice yield for adopters of improved
rice varieties (1.90 tons/ha) was significantly higher than
that of non adopters (1.07 tons/ha). However, land area
cultivated to rice, frequency of extension contact and the
yield rating of the improved rice varieties were significant
determinants of farmers’ decision to adopt improved rice
varieties while with an average technical efficiency score
of 78.4%, rice farmers have room to increase their
productivity by increasing their farm size, quantity of
improved seed and fertilizer.
Key
words:
Improved rice variety, farm productivity. Southwestern
Nigeria. |
