Determinants of adoption and productivity of improved rice varieties in southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

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.