Determinants of the level of compliance with recommended production practices among rice farmers in Osun state, Nigeria

Despite the expansion of rice production in Nigeria over the past decade, a marked discrepancy in yields between farmers’ fields and demonstration sites threatens food security and economic growth by limiting domestic supply. This suggests that rice farmers are not fully implementing recommended practices. This study therefore employed the Fractional Response Probit Model (FRM), suited for analyzing bounded dependent variables, to examine the factors influencing the level of compliance with recommended practices among rice farmers in Osun State. The study utilized primary data gathered through interviews using a structured questionnaire administered to 180 rice farmers. The study revealed that most rice farmers demonstrated only moderate adherence to recommended practices, with a mean compliance level of 0.48, representing a substantial 52% shortfall from optimal yield. Several factors were identified as positively and statistically significantly influencing compliance, including age, sex, household size, years of education, and frequency of visits from extension agents. High input costs and limited access to credit were among the key obstacles to compliance encountered by the farmers. This study concludes that rice farmers in the study area are on average, 52% below maximum compliance with recommended practices, underscoring the need for improved adoption. It is recommended that rice sector stakeholders such as government agencies, extension agents, non-governmental organisations, and farmer associations support farmers through fertilizer subsidies and by creating platforms to reduce the cost and difficulty of accessing essential production inputs.