Project Abstract

<p>                 <b>ABSTRACT&nbsp;</b><br></p><p> Although rice is a traditional crop in Nigeria, local production was limited until recently. Internal demand is growing and, at the same time, rice is a major commodity of world trade. Nigeria is therefore under pressure from international bodies not to restrict imports; production under local conditions to match prices of rice produced on large mechanised farms therefore represents a considerable challenge. Considerable effort has gone into breeding rice for West African conditions by both WARDA and national research and dissemination institutions such as the NCRI. DFID therefore commissioned a three-country study, MAPs (Multi-Agency Partnerships) to be co-ordinated by the Overseas Development Institute, on the effectiveness of linkages between local, national and international institutions in disseminating improved technologies for rice production. The study was conducted in two phases; a literature review and a nationwide survey of rice farmers, intended to both describe the situation of rice producers, and to explore the policy environment. Survey techniques were designed to parallel similar studies conducted in Mali and Ghana. This report is a synthesis of the field study conducted in 2001 by EDO, Jos. A key finding is that despite considerable national and policy emphasis on irrigated rice and large-scale schemes, these now represent an extremely small proportion of rice production. The decline of subsidised inputs during the 1990s has meant that almost all cereal staples are produced in low-input environments on small farms. <br></p>

Project Overview

<p>1.0 INTRODUCTION&nbsp;</p><p> 1 Objectives of the case study</p><p>&nbsp;The first phase of this DFID-funded Multi-Agency Partnerships (M-APs) project covered a literature review and description of the rice growing systems in Nigeria. The key players in the rice enterprise were identified and described. A detailed assessment of the role of each stakeholder was made. The interface with regard to governmental policy on the distribution of improved rice seeds to smallholder farmers was analysed in the light of the reality on the ground regarding formal research and extension services. It was noted that both institutions are moribund largely due to scarcity of funds, inefficiency and lack of commitment on the part of government officials and field workers. Even when funds were available, the extension component as spearheaded by the Agricultural Development Project (ADP) had no efficient feedback mechanism with which to liase between researchers and farmers. M-APs, as a conceptual model, seeks to promote a rapid response to farmers’ needs by both extension and research. This would become possible if forums were created at village, local government, state and federal levels in which problems could be discussed collectively and solutions arrived at on the spot. M-APs aims to bring together all major stakeholders in the rice business for face-to-face interactions. The partnership will involve research organisations (e.g. WARDA, IRRI, NCRI), extension practitioners (e.g. ADPs, NAERLS), multilateral organisations (e.g. FAO, UNDP, World Bank); marketers/millers, seed and other inputs supply companies; and farmers’ organisations (e.g. Apex Farmers’ Co-operatives, Fadama Users’ Associations and community-based organisations such as adashe and labour exchange groups). This case study report1 presents the findings of a national rice survey conducted in two phases. In the first phase, a questionnaire was administered in order to gather data from government officials on the condition of the rice industry in two states in each of the six geo-political zones of Nigeria: North-East, North-West, North-Central, South-East, South-West and South-South. The primary concern of the survey was to engage in face-to-face interactions with officials and farmers. For the remaining 24 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT Abuja), the state questionnaire was given by hand to officials to complete and return. The primary data collected from these structured and unstructured interviews were incorporated into a review and description of the rice systems in Nigeria. The information was also used in preparing this case study report. The first phase took place between October and December in 2000. Questionnaires were also administered to 27 villages and a few individual farmers during that phase. In the second phase, which took place between February and April, 2001, more individual farmers’ questionnaires were administered in notable rice growing areas to bring up the number of potential respondents to 1000. This case study focuses mainly on an analysis of the individual farmer's questionnaires. However, primary data and analyses of the questionnaires issued at state and village level are also presented here in order to give a more complete picture (see chapters 2 and 3). There are therefore three perspectives presented in this case study: official, semi-official and unofficial. These represent state governmental positions, the consensus reached by a group of farmers in a village as a result of a brief discussion, and the frank position of individual farmers whose responses are not influenced by the opinion of other farmers. The broad objective of the M-APs surveys was to identify the socio-economic factors the farmer has to contend with in producing rice. This was to be carried out by an independent researcher in order to avoid the pitfalls of a report whose findings might be couched in the controlled language of government and its institutions. It was of paramount importance to know whether the improved rice seeds being developed by WARDA were reaching farmers and whether the farmers’ responses to such varieties were being received by WARDA. The specific objectives were to: <br></p><p> ™ Identify and describe the socio-economic characteristics of farmers growing rice <br></p><p> ™ Identify and describe the input usage system ™ Describe the problems, if any, farmers face in growing rice, especially with regard to improved seeds&nbsp;</p><p>™ Describe what the farmers perceive as a desirable characteristic in an improved seed&nbsp;</p><p>™ Describe existing FOs, CBOs and other organisations that might play a role in disseminating new seeds and other technologies to Nigerian farmers&nbsp;</p><p>™ Make recommendations on how M-APs may be implemented in Nigeria <br></p><p> 1.2 Methodology&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;A total of 1000 farmers were interviewed using a set of structured and unstructured questions given in Appendix 1. Experienced enumerators, whose names are given in Appendix 2, administered the questionnaires. Although 46 villages should have been surveyed across the whole country, the village questionnaire (Appendix 3) was administered in only 27 (Appendix 4) because of budget constraints. Considering the size of Nigeria, ideally about 1000 farmers should have been interviewed to cover the 774 local government areas (LGAs). However, the villages covered will illustrate adequately the diversity of the rice growing systems in Nigeria. The village survey provides a check on the official information given by state officials about the condition of rice production in their respective areas. The state questionnaire is provided in Appendix 5. A comparison of both questionnaires is provided for the 12 states visited and for 5 others that sent completed questionnaires. The 1000 questionnaires were analysed using Microsoft Access 2000 and a simple query and report method. No attempt is made to analyse parameters such as age and sex in relation to production methods, choice of variety and so on. The sample is too small for such detailed analysis and any conclusion drawn will not be a true representation of the situation in the country. However, the strength of this report lies in its ability to capture the diversity of the rice systems and to present for the first time a response that is from farmers themselves. An implicit contribution to this case study is the author's experience as an agricultural extension practitioner. <br></p>