Constraints Facing Rice Farmers in Iraq

Abstract

There is a decrease in cultivated area and production of rice in Iraq. This study was conducted in Mahanawiyah District, Diwaniyah Province, Iraq, to identify constraints facing rice farmers. One hundred and thirty rice farmers were randomly selected. A list of 3 categories affecting rice cultivation: production, financial and institutional, covering 25 constraints was prepared and administered to the respondents.50% of rice farmers indicated there was a high level of constraint facing them. Water shortage, low price during harvested, laborious nature of rice cultivation, weeding problems, poor extension service, scarcity of trained labor, high cost of inputs(fertilizer, pesticides), reluctance of rural youth to involve in rice cultivation, high cost of irrigation, high cost of improved varieties, instability of government policies for rice production, low productivity, unfavorable government marketing system, and high cost of land preparation, were the most cited. There were a negative significant relationships between respondents age, educational level and years of experience in rice cultivation with overall constraint score. Constraints were differed in their effect depending on rice farmer’s characteristics’.