Farmers’ Resource-Use Efficiency in Rice (Oryzae sativa) Production in Benue State, Nigeria
Maurice E. Tyokever* & Sunday, S. Koona
Department of Agricultural Education, College of Education, Katsina-Ala, Benue State
Department of Agricultural Education, College of Education, Katsina-Ala, Benue State
E-mail: mauric4real1@yahoo.com *Correspondent author
ABSTRACT
This study examined the resource-use efficiency in Rice Production in Benue State Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 152 respondents on whom structural questionnaires were administered to collect data on input and output of rice farmers in the study area. Descriptive statistics, gross margin and multiple regression analysis were employed for data analysis. The analysis revealed that the mean age of respondents was 36 years with majority (64%) of the respondents having formal education, while majority (80%) of the respondents had more than 16 years of farming experience. costs, gross income and gross margin per hectare for rice production were N123,500, N180,000 and N56,500. The farmers were found to be efficient in the use of seeds, herbicides and labour whereas farm size and fertilizer were over utilized. It was recommended that financial institutions should consider making more credit available to rice farmers so as to enable them increase the use of the inputs that were underutilized. Also, the Federal and State governments as well as donor agencies intensify efforts aimed at introducing labour saving devices such as mechanization to remove inefficiencies associated with labour. It was also suggested that more extensive workers should be deployed in the study area to educate farmers on the need for correct use of farm inputs.
