assessment of farmers perception on relevance of improved rice technologies in wushishi local government area of niger state, nigeria

Abstract

This study examined perceived relevance of improved rice technologies by rice farmers in Wushishi Local Government Area of Niger State, Nigeria. The specific objectives are to describe the socio-economic characteristic of the rice farmers; assess level of awareness and perceived relevance of improved rice technologies; determine the factors affecting its adoption and constraints encountered by the rice farmers. Data were collected from 120 rice farmers randomly selected using structured questionnaire complemented with an interview schedule. Descriptive statistics (frequency counts, percentages and means) and inferential statistics (Logit regression) as well as 4-point Likert scale was used to analyzed the data collected. Results of the analysis revealed that the majority (83.3%) of the rice farmers were males, 85.0% were married, while 73.3% were young within the productive ages of 21 – 40 years. More so, the majority (74.2%) of the rice farmers were educated, while 79.2% had experience in rice farming between 11 – 30 years. There was high level of awareness of Fadama development (X ̅ = 2.39), Sawah technologies (X ̅ = 2.35), improved rice varieties like Faro 57 and 61 (X ̅ = 2.68), machineries such as reap harvester (X ̅ = 2.95) and planter (X ̅ = 2.93) as well as agro – chemicals like Gramazone, Weed off and 2.4D (X ̅ = 3.00). Most of the improved rice technologies were perceived to be relevant by the rice farmers. The result of the logit regression analysis revealed that cooperative membership (4.29) was statistically significant at p<0.01, labour cost and household was significant at p<0.05, age and gender was significant at p<0.10. They were found to statistically influence adoption of improved rice technologies. Major constraints encountered by the rice farmers were inadequate capital and transportation (100.0%), land degradation (77.5%) and shortage of planting material (65.0%) ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd, respectively. It was therefore recommended that extension agencies should pay greater attention to the socio-economic characteristics of rice farmers as it influences their adoption of improved rice technologies.