ABSTRACT

This study investigated the economic analysis of rice production by small-holder farmers in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State. A total of 150 farmers were randomly selected and interviewed for the study. The survey aims among others to compute the gross margin of Upland and Swamp rice production, information on variable inputs and output coefficients as well as socio-economic factors such as age, sex, marital status, level of education, household size, farm size, problems affecting the level of participation of rice farmers in the study area and cost and returns associated to the farm operation. The data collected were analysed by use of statistical techniques such as percentages, averages, frequency, test of significance and regression analysis. The result revealed a gross margin of N12,450.00 for Upland rice and N27,810.00 for the Swamp rice system, showing that both systems operates at a profitable level. Constraints in rice production like poor state of roads, high cost of labour, lack of investment funds, and lack of storage facilities were also identified. It was recommended that extension agency should design special teaching programmes for rice farmers and conduct such training in the farmers own locations. This will go a long way to reduce the rate of illiteracy and enable the rice farmers in the area acquire basic agricultural knowledge and skill needed in rice production. Also the drudgery involved in rice farming could be reduced by providing the farmers with tractor services in farm operation such as land preparation. This study concluded by calling for optimal utilization of farm resources as a way of increasing food production in Ogoja Local Government Area and Cross River State as a whole.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title: Pages:

TITLE PAGE:i

CERTIFICATION:ii

DEDICATION: iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: • iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS: v-vi

LIST OF TABLE3: vii

ABSTRACT: viii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION: 1

1.1: BACKGROUND INFORMATION: 1-2

1.2: PROBLEM STATEMENT: 2-4

1.3: OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: 4-5

1.4: JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY: 5-6

1.5: ORGANISATION OF THIS WORK: 6-7

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW: 8

2.1: RICE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS: 8-10

2.2: CONSTRAINTS TO RICE PRODUCTION: 10-13

2.3: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: PRODUCTION

FUNCTION: 13-t.

2.4: RESOURCE USE EFFICIENCY IN RICE

PRODUCTION: 15-16

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY: 17

3.1: STUDY AREA: 17

3.2: SAMPLING TECHNIQUES AND DATA COLLECTION: 17

3.3: MEASUREMENT OF INPUTS AND OUTPUTS: 18

3.4: METHOD O DATA ANALYSIS: 18-21

3.5: MARGINAL VALUE PRODUCT: 21-22

3.6: COST DISCRIPTION OF RICE PRODUCTION: 22

3.7: LIMITATION OF THE STUDY: 23

Title: Pages:

HAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND INTER-

PRETATION 24

4.1,: AGE DISTRIBUTION OF FARMERS: 24

4.2: EDUCATIONAL LEVEL OF FARMERS: 24

4.3: RICE PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE: 25

4.4: SOURCES OF INVESTMENT FUND: 26

4.5: LAND ACQUISITION: 27

4.6: FARM SIZES: 27

4.7: PROBLEMS OF RICE PRODUCTION: 28

4.8: GROSS MARGIN ANALYSIS: 29

4.9: PRODUCTION COEFFICIENT OF RICE FARMERS: 30-33

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY,RECOMMENDATION AND

CONCLUSION: 34

5.1: SUMMARY: 34

5.2: RECOMMENDATIONS: 35-36

5.3: CONCLUSION: 37

REFERENCES: 38-40