Statistical Farm Records: Drivers and Challenges Among Smallholder Rice Farmers in Ndop Plain, Cameroon

Abstract

The study seeks to analyze statistical farm records: drivers and challenges among smallholder rice farmers in Ndop Plain, Cameroon. Specifically, to determine the factors influencing smallholder rice farmers in Ndop Plain to keep statistical farm records and to analyze the challenges in the exercise. Methodologically, the study employed primary data collected from some 470 rice farmers using a well-structured questionnaire. Purposive sampling technique was applied to select respondents and a conventional Probit model used to estimate the result. It was observed that: male farmer, level of education, used of records, used of technology to manage statistical farm records, production of different types of rice, use of farm record for input and output analysis, had farm record training and Movement from manual to electronic record keeping are significantly influencing farmers’ statistical farm records practices in Ndop Plain. The challenges observed with record keeping are: fundamental error keeping, bulky records, inadequate finance, records misplacement and burdensome to keep farm records. Considering that only 34% of farmers are involved in records keeping and willing to move from manual way of keeping records to electronic, the study suggests that an online App is created for easy accessibility and inputting of these farm records. This will be a wise-step for the government to scale the process of farm output.