Activities of Farmers in Rice Production in Awka North Local Government Area, Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria is a heavy importer of rice and the rate of importation is increasing year by year at an alarming rate. This necessitates the need to ascertain activities of farmers in rice production and specifically in Akwa North Local Government Area, Anambra State, Nigeria. A multi-sage sampling technique was employed in selecting 90 rice farmers for the study. Interview schedule was used to collect data. Data collected were analyzed using percentage, mean score and factor analysis. The findings show that rice farmers used personal savings (75.6%) as capital for engagement in rice production while about 67% had no access to tractor hence 73.3% used hired labour in rice production. On average, the respondents owned 2.7 hectares of land but cultivated 1.7 hectares of this land with rice. They planted different varieties of rice seeds obtained from personal reserve (66.7%) and had no alternative water supply (83.3%). They practiced sole cropping (90%) and planted their seeds by broadcasting method (53.3%). NPK 20:10:10 was fertilizer that 60% of the farmers used in their rice farms and 61.1% processed rice immediately after harvest. Average output and yield from rice were 3.2 tonnes and 1.4 tonnes/hectare per year respectively. Soil fertility and biotic stress, farm-farmers related problems and economic related problems were extracted as constraints to rice production in the area. The study recommends that researchers that are involved in rice breeding should develop high yielding rice varieties while agricultural extension agents should transfer the innovations to farmers and ensure that farmers adopt them through follow up and feed-back exercises/visits to these farmers targeted at boosting output, yield and income from rice production.