Improved Rice Production Technologies Research Articles

Comparative analysis of male and female adopters of improved rice production technology in Ogun and Ekiti states, Nigeria

Sustainable food production in developing nations is retarded by gender-related constraints and uneven access to production inputs and opportunities. Gender-linked differences in the adoption of improved rice production technology are responsible for the low production of the crop in Nigeria. Therefore, this paper investigates the differences between male and female adopters of improved rice production technology in Ogun and Ekiti states with hope of facilitating wider adoption of the technology in Nigeria. Following a survey of male and female rice farmers in Ogun and Ekiti states in Nigeria, t-test and the factor analyses, there was significant difference between male and female farmers' adoption of improved rice production technology in the study areas. Institutional, motivational, innovational, attitudinal, environmental and different socio-economic variables are the key factors influencing male and female farmers' decisions on technology adoption. These key factors need to be taken into consideration when expanded program on technology adoption is to be considered.

On the transferability of the Asian rice green revolution to rainfed areas in sub-Saharan Africa: an assessment of technology intervention in Northern Ghana

This article investigates the impact of technical intervention on the adoption of a set of improved rice production technologies, as well as on productivity and profit for smallholders in rainfed lowland areas in Northern Ghana. The key finding is that productivity and profit are significantly enhanced when modern varieties (MVs) and chemical fertilizer are adopted, coupled with water control techniques. This is essentially the transfer of the Asian Green Revolution to sub-Saharan Africa. Such transfer, however, is not truly successful unless information about the use of MVs and fertilizer is directly disseminated by extension activities.

Predictive models for yield and protein content of brown rice using support vector machine

Rice production in Japan is facing problems of yield and quality instability owing to recent climate changes, aging of farmers, and a decrease in the farmer population. Thus, it is becoming important to develop an improved rice production technology that utilizes collected data about rice production rather than relying on the conventional technology that is based on the experience and knowledge of individual farmers. We developed predictive models for yield and protein content of brown rice that can provide useful knowledge to support farmer’s management decision-making, utilizing data sets from 47 paddy fields where rice was produced under various environments and management styles. Support vector machines (SVMs) were applied to build the predictive models based on explanatory variables representing the growth and nutrition conditions after the heading stage and the meteorological environment after the late spikelet initiation stage. The models achieved quantitative accuracy that was within approximately 1tha−1 in yield for 85.1% of the total data sets and within 0.8% in protein content for 76.6% of the total data sets, respectively. Further, patterns of explanatory variables classified in three classes of yield and protein content, which were visualized by the predictive models, were reasonable in terms of knowledge of crop science. We found that the predictive models using SVMs had the potential to describe a relation between yield or protein content and multiple explanatory variables that reflected diverse rice production in actual fields, and could provide useful knowledge for decision-making of topdressing and basal fertilization.

Enhancing farmers access to technology for increased rice productivity in Ghana

A two-year emergency rice (Oryza sativa L.) initiative was launched in 2009 in response to the global rice crises in 2008. The objective of this initiative in Ghana was to increase rice productivity in order to improve food security. Project activities included planning sessions, demonstrations, training courses and community seed production. The project made remarkable progress in enhancing access to quality seed and fertilizer for over 12,600 farmers while expanding knowledge of best-bet production technologies. Farmers produced 28,663 Mt of paddy which was 16,841 Mt above what they normally produced without project intervention. Average yield increased by 92% and also 4,093 women farmers constituting about 32.4% of the total number of participating farmers benefited directly from the project. Seed fairs, rural radios and audio-visual broadcasts on improved rice production technologies were used to reach non-participating farmers. The combination of methods that stimulated adoption of improved rice production technology was effective in achieving both increased paddy yields and household income. We conclude that investment in rice technology transfer and production efforts during the two-year period was well justified. Key words: Technology-transfer, emergency, seed fair, improved-technology.

Adoption of Improved Rice Production Technologies among Youth Farmers in Gbako Local Government Area, Niger State

The study examined the adoption of improved rice production technologies by youths in Gbako L.G.A. of Niger State. To achieve the study objectives, 74 youth rice farmers were randomly selected from eight villages in the area using simple random technique. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test. Findings showed that fertilizer application was adopted by 79.72% of the respondents, while the least technology adopted was plant spacing practice as reported by 18.92% of the respondents. Results of the study also revealed that adoption of rice technologies had increased output/income, encouraged children education and improved health condition of the respondents. The study equally indicated that preferences for grains quality and straw yield are some of the reasons for adopting improved rice varieties. Furthermore, income, extension contact and social participation had significant relationship with adoption ( p< 0.05). The major constraints identified include pest invasion reported by 55.41 percent, followed by inadequate knowledge on plant spacing and planting time with 45.95% response and grazing problem as indicated by 25.68 % of the respondents. Based on the findings, it was suggested that more promising rice varieties that will meet the respondents’ preference and requirement for grains and straw yield should be developed. Moreso, a team approach to rice extension should be introduced to find holistic solution to the problems of pest and inadequate knowledge

PERCEIVED RELEVANCE OF IMPROVED RICE PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES IN KATCHA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

This study examines perceived relevance of improved rice production technologies in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State, Nigeria. Structured questionnaire was used in collecting data from 90 rice farmers who were randomly selected from the study area. Data on the socio­economic characteristics of the respondents, their awareness and perception of the improved rice technologies as well as yield before and after adopting the improved technologies were obtained. Descriptive statistics and T-test were used for statistical analysis. The findings indicated that majority (83.1 %) of the farmers were male with mean age of 41years. The mean household size was 8 people and also 46% had less than secondary school education. Awareness of the improved rice technology recorded 85.4% for sawah practices, 69.7% for fadama, 94.4% for improved seed variety (nerica), 80.9% for plough, 62.9 for power tiller and 73.0% for planter. Improved seed variety and land evaluation technology were highly perceived to be relevant by the respondents in the study area. There was a significant difference between the output before and after adopting the improved technologies (t-value = -3142). The study recommended that extension agents should encourage farmers on the use of farm machinery and equipment, agrochemicals and land evaluation technologies to further boost rice production and that there should be adequate awareness creation for improved rice production technologies by extension agents and relevant stakeholders with a view to improving rice production through adoption of proven technologies. KEYWORDS: Farmers, perception, improved technologies, rice, sawah practices

Biosystematics of rice brown planthopper and rice green leafhoppers

The Brown planthopper,Nilaparvata lugens (Stal) is causing serious damage to rice cultivation in tropical countries of Asia for the last 10–15 years. Green leafhoppers,Nephotettix spp. are also assuming serious proportions in different parts. This has been attributed to improved rice production technology, especially with the introduction of high yielding varieties. Damage is not only through loss of sap as a result of feeding but also by transmitting diseases in this process. Various reasons have been attributed like breaking of resistance, migration, insecticidal treatment etc. One such reason, which led to the biosystematic studies of these pests is the assumption that this is due to evolution of new forms referred to as biotypes. Of late biotypes have also been reported inNephotettix virescens. This term is basically used with reference to differential ability of the insect to infest particular rice cultivars having resistant genes. This phenomena is attributed by some scientists, not to the breaking of resistance, but to the evolution of new forms which are different from the original population. As per the conventional taxonomy, this new form is similar to the original form, and hence biosystematists attempted various methods like chemical and honeydew analyses, cytology, acoustic behaviour, morphometrics, etc in order to help the breeders in differentiating and identifying these and also to find out the mechanism and causes evolving such biotypes.