Perceptions of Rice Farmers towards Production Constraints: Case Study of Niger State of Nigeria and Hainan of China

Abstract

Rice yield is still low in Nigeria despite the ecological advantages. Several challenges has been traced it production. The study intend to investigate if other rice producing nations are faced with similar challenges and at what magnitude and more importantly, what can be learn to improve the rice yield in Nigeria. Based on 2013/2014 survey, a total sample of 400 famers were randomly in-terviewed; 164 from Niger State of Nigeria and 236 from Hainan province of China. The study col-late the perception of farmers to rice production constraints categorized into biotic, abiotic and socioeconomics. Biplot analysis was employed to examine multivariate pattern of their percep-tions towards production constraints. The multivariate technique simultaneously displaying dif-ferent yield levels and factor constraints in data matrix providing the inter-unit distances, va-riance and correlations of variables. According to the study, Niger state farmers identified socioe-conomic constraint as the major factors to production and attributed it to lack of or insufficient investment while the Hainan farmers majorly identified abiotic constraints. The study also indi-cated that great potential remain to further improve rice yield in both regions especially in Nigeria given the appropriate investment on essential inputs. This study is of great use to extension offic-ers more so, given the investment in Africa, policy makers take advantage of the bilateral and mul-tilateral relationship to invest ease transfer of agricultural information and technologies between or among partners.