This study estimated the profitability of rice production among small scale farmers in Bida agricultural zone of Niger state. The study utilized a multi-stage random sampling technique to select a total of one hundred and five (105) rice farmers in the area. The data was collected through a well-structured questionnaire from four communities in the study area. Descriptive statistics and farm budgeting tools were used for the analyses. The descriptive analysis showed that the farmers are highly productive between the age range of 37- 48 years. Furthermore, results also revealed land area cultivated by the farmers to be generally below two hectares. The finding further revealed the variable cost per hectare for rice production to be $126,100 per production cycle, while total revenue of $227,500 was realized by the respondents. The results also revealed cost of labour to account for the largest portion (54.0%) of the total variable cost. This is followed by the cost of seed, fertilizer, transportation, herbicide, pesticide and bagging. The farm budgeting analysis revealed the costs and returns of rice production to be profitable with a gross margin of $101,400 and net farm profit of $98,546.4. The gross profit ratio was calculated to be 0.45 which implies that farmers are selling their rice produce at a relatively high profit percentage. Based on the results obtained from the study, it was concluded that rice production in Bida Agricultural Zone of Niger State is profitable. Hence, the cultivation of rice is an important enterprise that should be encourage, considering the fact that it is a major staple. It is therefore recommended that timely availability of farm inputs such as improved seed variety and agrochemicals will further boos trice production in the area. Furthermore, provision of credit facilities to small scale farmers is a viable policy to be pursuedJ. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 16(1): 88-92, April 2018
This study estimated technical efficiency levels of cereal crops producers. The study employed the translog stochastic frontier model to estimate efficiency levels of maize, rice and sorghum producers in the survey area. Findings revealed that maize and sorghum farmers were operating in the efficiency range of 0.50 to 0.98, while for rice farmers efficiency estimates ranged between 0.71 and 0.98. Fur- thermore, it was also observed that a majority of the rice farmers operate in the range 0.91 and 0.98 efficiency levels. Also, about 18% of the farmers operate in the efficiency range of 0.81 and 0.90, while just about 14% operate in the range of 0.96 and 0.98 efficiency levels for rice production. Findings suggest that, all things been equal, most of the cereal crops producers could improve their current levels of production by adjusting their input combination.
This study examined risk aversion among farmers in Southern Part of Borno State, Nigeria. The study used mainly primary data collected from one hundred and twenty (120) farmers using structural questionnaire administered using multistage random technique. Tools used for the analyses were descriptive statistics and asymmetry of income distribution of the farmers. Analysis of results revealed that majority of the farmers were males and are above 30 years. It was also discovered that 40%, 26% and 34% of the farmers had Western education, Koranic (Islamic) and no education respectively. The asymmetry of income revealed that 78.4% of the respondents were risk averse (Asym. = 0.01 to 1), with 5.8% risk neutral (Asym. = 0.0) and 15.8% risk proclivity (Asym. = -1 to -0.01). Among those that had risk proclivity, about 73.7% were below the age of forty years, with 5.3% of the number being females. The study recommended that farmers should be educated on risk aversion and its attendant negative effects on decision making.KEY WORDS: risk aversion, asymmetry of income, probability.
The decision “to till” or “not to till” is premised on the farmers’ perception of the inherent negative effects of tilling vis-à-vis the crop output performance and the profitability of the farm venture. Land tillage practices and land related problems of farmers were assessed in Agricultural Zone I of Niger State, Nigeria. Furthermore, the relation between land related problems and rice production levels was also investigated. Cross sectional data was collected for the analysis using questionnaire from one hundred and twenty (120) rice farmers. Descriptive statistics as well as the Chi-Square Test were used to analyze data collected. Findings revealed that 40.8 % and 56.7% of the respondents utilize manual and mechanized tillage methods on their farms, respectively. Thus indicating a majority (97.5%) of the farmers intensively tilling the soil as a cultivation practice. Land related problems reported by farmers include induce errosion, loss of nutrient, insect pest attack and change in soil texture. Furthermore, it was also found that farmers operating at a higher level of production experience more land related problems on the fields. The Chi square analysis revealed a strong relationship between tillage method and prevalence of land related problems and incidences of pests and diseases. Also levels of production at which farmers operate was found to have a relationship with the incidence of tillage related problems observed on the farms. It is therefore the opinion of this study that agronomist need to research and put forward environmentally friendly tillage methods that best suits farmer needs in the study area. Furthermore, farmer education about the negative effects of tilling without recourse to the environment is also advocated.J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 16(1): 98-103, April 2018
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