Unraveling the Dynamics of Rice Yield in the Zio River Valley, Togo: A thorough analysis of influencing factors

Abstract

Despite Togo's rice production potential, local production only meets 32% of demand, mainly due to relatively low agricultural productivity. With the aim of improving this situation, this study was undertaken to analyze the factors influencing rice production in the Zio River Valley, which is one of Togo's largest rice-growing areas. Data collected from 413 farmers in the region were analyzed using the Cobb-Douglas production function, incorporating variables such as income, farm size, chemical fertilizer use, organic fertilizer use, pesticide use, group membership, experience, education level, gender, access to credit, access to agricultural advice, age, continuous access to water and marital status. The results indicate that only certain factors, such as farm size, income, amount of chemical fertilizer, use of organic fertilizer and experience, have a significant positive impact on paddy rice production, furthermore the No-formal education farmers show a decrease in production. This study will guide decision-makers and farmers in adopting more effective farming practices to significantly improve rice production in Togo. Emphasis should be placed on aspects such as farm size, income, fertilizer use and experience to boost rice productivity.