CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Rice (Oryza sativa) has become one of the most important staple foods in Nigeria. Demand has grown with urbanisation and rising incomes, and the country still relies on imports to meet part of its needs. Government programmes and development partners have therefore encouraged farmers to expand local rice production. Ebonyi State, in the South-East, is one of the leading rice-producing states in the country, and rice farming is a major source of income for many rural households.

Yields on smallholder rice farms remain below their potential because many farmers do not use improved varieties, recommended seed rates, correct spacing, fertiliser, agrochemicals and appropriate harvesting methods. Adoption of these improved practices depends on farmers’ knowledge, resources and access to advisory services. Agricultural extension is the main channel through which improved rice practices are communicated to farmers.

Studies in Ebonyi State and elsewhere in Nigeria link extension to adoption. Umeh and Chukwu (2015) investigated the determinants of adoption of improved rice production technologies among 240 rice farmers drawn from the three agricultural zones of Ebonyi State. More recently, Chukwu et al. (2026) assessed adoption of improved rice technologies promoted by the IFAD Value Chain Development Programme and their effects on yield and income among 120 beneficiary farmers in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. Ezeh et al. (2022) examined farmers’ utilisation of improved rice production technologies in the state, while Emmanuel et al. (2024) studied the impact of climate change and extension service on the yield of 402 rice farmers in Ebonyi State. In neighbouring Imo State, Onyeneke (2017) reported that each additional visit by an extension agent increased the likelihood of adopting several improved rice practices, including improved varieties, spacing, fertiliser and agrochemicals.

Ikwo Local Government Area is one of the rice-growing areas of Ebonyi State. Although extension services are provided by the Ebonyi State Agricultural Development Programme and by projects such as the IFAD programme, there is little documented evidence on how far these services have influenced the adoption of improved rice production practices among farmers in Ikwo. This study addresses that gap.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Increasing rice output is a national priority, yet many rice farmers in Ebonyi State still record low yields because they use unimproved practices. Extension services are expected to bridge the gap between research recommendations and farm practice. However, the reach and quality of extension are often limited by inadequate staff, funding and logistics, and studies report that adoption varies widely among farmers (Chukwu et al., 2026; Umeh & Chukwu, 2015).

In Ikwo Local Government Area it is not clearly known which extension services rice farmers receive, how often they receive them, which improved practices they have adopted, and whether extension is what makes the difference. Without this information, the state extension system cannot tell whether its efforts are producing results. This study therefore examines the effect of agricultural extension services on the adoption of improved rice production practices among rice farmers in Ikwo Local Government Area, Ebonyi State.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of the study is to determine the effect of agricultural extension services on the adoption of improved rice production practices among rice farmers in Ikwo Local Government Area, Ebonyi State. The specific objectives are to:

(1) describe the socio-economic characteristics of rice farmers in the study area;

(2) identify the sources and types of extension services available to the farmers;

(3) determine the extent of adoption of improved rice production practices;

(4) determine the effect of extension services on the adoption of improved rice production practices; and

(5) identify the constraints to the adoption of improved rice production practices in the study area.

1.4 Research Questions

(1) What are the socio-economic characteristics of rice farmers in the study area?

(2) What extension services are available to the farmers, and from what sources?

(3) What is the extent of adoption of improved rice production practices?

(4) What is the effect of extension services on the adoption of improved rice production practices?

(5) What constraints hinder adoption of improved rice production practices?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses will be tested at the 5% level of significance:

H01: Agricultural extension services have no significant effect on the adoption of improved rice production practices among farmers in the study area.

H02: There is no significant relationship between farmers’ socio-economic characteristics (age, sex, education, farm size, farming experience and cooperative membership) and their adoption of improved rice production practices.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The findings will help the Ebonyi State Agricultural Development Programme, the IFAD-supported value chain programme and other extension providers to assess how well their services support adoption and where improvements are needed. Rice farmers will benefit from recommendations that make extension more useful. Policy makers can use the results to plan rice development programmes in the state. The study also adds to the literature on extension and technology adoption in the South-East.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study covers rice farmers in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. It examines agricultural extension services as the independent variable and the adoption of improved rice production practices as the dependent variable. The practices considered include improved varieties, seed rate and spacing, fertiliser and agrochemical use, weed control and harvesting methods.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

The study is limited to one local government area and may not be generalised to all rice farmers in Ebonyi State. Farmers may not remember accurately the extension contacts they received or when they adopted a practice. Some respondents may be reluctant to share information on income and farm size. These limitations will be reduced through the use of trained enumerators, a pre-tested questionnaire and assurance of confidentiality.

1.9 Definition of Terms

(1) Agricultural extension: An educational service that gives farmers information, skills and advice to improve their production and livelihoods.

(2) Adoption: The decision by a farmer to accept an improved practice and continue to use it.

(3) Improved rice production practices: Recommended practices for rice such as improved varieties, correct seed rate and spacing, fertiliser and agrochemical use, and proper harvesting.

(4) Extension contact: Any visit, meeting, training or other interaction between a farmer and an extension agent.

References

Chukwu, V., Ogunfolaju, M., & Nwovu, P. (2026). Adoption of improved rice production technologies among beneficiary farmers of the International Fund for Agricultural Development Value Chain Development Programme in Izzi Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural Extension, 31(1), 334–341.

Emmanuel, O. E., Nkiruka, B.-C. G., Nnenna, O. M., Ojoko, N. I. U., Chinenyenwa, T.-A. A., Ada, A. B., Oluwakemi, O. I., Thankgod, E. K., Oscar, O. I., & Nnabugwu, U. B. (2024). Impact of climate change and extension service on rice farmers’ yield in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Asian Journal of Agriculture, 8(2), 116–123. https://doi.org/10.13057/asianjagric/g080205

Ezeh, A. N., Enyigwe, J. O., & Egwu, P. N. (2022). Farmers’ utilization of improved rice production technologies in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Global Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 21, 43–49. https://doi.org/10.4314/gjass.v21i1.6

Onyeneke, R. U. (2017). Determinants of adoption of improved technologies in rice production in Imo State, Nigeria. African Journal of Agricultural Research.

Umeh, G. N., & Chukwu, V. A. (2015). Determinants of adoption of improved rice production technologies in Ebonyi State of Nigeria. Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare, 5(7), 170–176.