ABSTRACT

The study assessed agrochemicals use for rice production among farming households in Southeast Nigeria. Specifically, the study described the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers; examined farmers’ sources of agrochemicals; ascertained farmers’ level of accessibility of agrochemicals; determined the farmers’ level of technical knowledge in the use of agrochemicals; ascertained the extent of use of agrochemicals; examined the perceived effects of the use of agrochemicals; and examined the constraints on the use of agrochemicals. Multi-stage, purposive and random sampling techniques were used to select 240 respondents. Data were collected using structured questionnaire and were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, mean, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and multiple regression. Three null hypotheses were tested at 5% level of significance. The findings showed that the respondents had a mean age of 49 years, 75.0% of the respondents were males, while 25.0% were females. The results also revealed that agrochemicals were accessible ( = 3.08) by the rice farmers. Rice farmers had high technical knowledge ( = 3.84) of the use of agrochemicals. Fertilizer ( = 1.78), herbicide ( = 1.74), rodenticides ( = 0.59), insecticides ( = 0.59), fungicides ( = 0.58) and lime ( = 0.40) were lowly used for rice production. skin irritation ( = 2.54), skin rashes ( = 2.90), respiratory illness ( = 3.04), food poison ( = 3.11) and environmental pollution ( = 2.75) were the perceived effects of the use of agrochemicals on the rice farmers and rice production. High cost of agrochemicals ( = 2.62), far distance to market ( = 2.34) and high cost of spraying equipment ( = 2.31) were the severe constraints militating against rice production. The ordinary least square regression analysis revealed that years of schooling (3.624)*** and extension contact (3.153)*** had significant positive effect on the extent of use of fertilizers at 1% level of significance. Years of schooling (2.105)** and labour (2.137)** had significant effect on the extent of use of herbicides at 5% level of significance. The ANOVA result also revealed that there was significant difference in the extent of use of agrochemicals across the States. The ANOVA result also showed that there was no significant difference in the perceived effects of the use of agrochemicals on rice farmers and rice production across the States. The study concluded that agrochemicals use had positive effect on rice production in the study area. Hence, it recommends that the government and input agencies should be proactive in making agrochemicals readily accessible and affordable to rice farmers.