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PATTERNS OF RICE PRODUCTION AND YIELDS IN SOUTH EASTERN NIGERIA
This study assessed the patterns of rice production and yields in South Eastern Nigeria. The study focused on clusters of production systems and estimation of rice yields. The study adopted a questionnaire survey design. The instrument was subjected to face and content validation by three experts and the reliability of the instrument was determined with an internal consistency of 0.79. Four states, three Local Government Areas (LGAs) from each of the selected states were purposively selected, while two communities were randomly selected from each of the twelve LGAs making a total of twenty four communities. Twenty farm households were randomly selected from each of the two communities making a total of forty farm households per LGA. In all, a total of four hundred and eighty farm households were sampled. Data were collected on the rice types, patterns and yields in South Eastern Nigeria. Data generated were analysed using descriptive statistics, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Pearson correlation with STATA software. The results on the patterns of rice production showed that rainfed dry upland and shallow fadama rice systems were the most widespread rice production systems across the states in the study area. Valley bottoms or ‘deep fadama’ are practiced in Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi States. The preferred rice type in Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi States is MAS 2401, while IR 1416 is the chief variety at
Uzo-Uwani LGA of Enugu States and FARO 16 is the most preferred rice type in Abia State. The null hypothesis indicates that there exists a statistically significant variation in the patterns of rice production across the study areas. The mean yield estimation curve identified that Ebonyi State recorded the highest mean estimation production value of (7,805kg/ha) in rice production. The Pearson correlation results indicate that a very high (0.91) relationship exists between rice production patterns and yields in the study area. Based on these findings, it was concluded that the variations in the patterns of rice production across the study had resultant effect on the rice yields. It was recommended that policy makers should address the needs of local rice farmers by providing agricultural interventions at State and Local Government levels through improved agronomic practices, better inputs management and efficient water management to boost production and enable Nigeria attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on food security [25].
Key words: Rice Production, Spatial Patterns, Rice Yields, Correlation, South eastern Nigeria