ABSTRACT. Nigerian rice production is mainly rain-fed and naturally prone to vagaries of rainfall variability. The objective of this study was to determine the probable effect of rainfall variability on average yield of rice in Nigeria during a 22-year period . The mean annual rainfall data from major rice producing states and national average rice yields were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression models. Results of the analysis revealed a significant variation in mean annual rainfall across vegetation grouping in a descending order from swamp forest to Sudan savanna. Mean rainfall was adequate for rice production in all vegetation grouping except Sudan savanna where rainfall was less than the prescribed minimum quantity for rice production. Rainfall was positively related to yield of rice in all vegetation grouping except Sudan savanna but relationship was not statistically significant at 5% level. It was concluded that annual rainfall variability had statistically negligible effect on national average rice yield. It was recommended that the cultivation of rice should go along with farming practices that aimed at mitigating adverse effects of rainfall variability on the yield of rice especially in the Sudan savanna.

Climate change is becoming a threat to sustainable agricultural production and food security in Africa. Farmers need to be more resilient to climate change and produce more food through adoption of Climate Smart Agricultural Practices. The objective of this study was to determine the extent of farmers" adoption of selected Climate Smart Agricultural practices in the North Western geopolitical zone of Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select sample of 577 farmers who cultivate rice and maize as major crops across three distinct vegetation strata. Data were collected through interview schedule with the aid of questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that adoption of the selected agricultural practices was generally low. Agronomic components were the mostly adopted practice. Practices such as Integrated Pest/Weed Management, agro-forestry, efficient soil fertilization and water management were not highly adopted. Bush burning remained a major setback towards effort of building resilience to climate change in the study area. Sensitization of farmers on reality of climate change and the need to adopt climate smart practices towards reduction of adverse effect of climate change should continue. Policy and support programme that would enhance dissemination of Climate-Smart Agricultural practices to a larger proportion of farmers is recommended.

This study assessed the benefits derived by fish farmers from Fadama II project in Lagos State by interviewing 185 fish farmers who participated in Fadama II project from 9 Fadama Community Associations (FCAs) through a multistage sampling technique. Data collected with the aid of structured interview guide were analyzed with descriptive statistics and Chi-square. Majority of the fish farmers were male (71.89%), Christians (53.51%), married (41.62%) and educated (89.19%). The mean level of participation indicated that fish farmers participated mostly in decision making (2.97), election of group/association executives (2.95) and attendance at group meetings (2.86). The fish farmers benefited mainly from technical support through training, technological and material supports via the project. The fish farmers greatly benefited from the provision of fingerlings (96.77%), provision of drag net (96.77%), provision of generator (94.05%), purchase of weighing machine (92.97%) and provision of pelleting machine (92.43%). Acceptance of production system for use was high for concrete tanks (69.73%), earthen pond (58.92%) and wooden tank system (50.27%). The result of Chi-square deduced that there were significant associations between the fish farmers' level of benefit derived from Fadama II project and their level of participation in decision making (χ 2 =7.153, p<0.05), financial contribution (χ 2 =6.122, p<0.05), advisory services to other group members (χ 2 =10.903, p<0.01), maintenance of association equipments (χ 2 =10.121, p<0.01), rehabilitation or construction of local fish markets (χ 2 =0.003, p<0.01) and election of association executives (χ 2 =11.415, p<0.01). The study therefore concluded that NFDP II has not only economic benefits but also social, technological, technical and material supports on fish farming in Lagos State and recommended that development projects should employ the demanddriven, bottom-top, informal and community-driven approaches in addressing the need of the poor in rural areas.

Nigerian rice production is mainly rain-fed and naturally prone to vagaries of rainfall variability. The objective of this study was to determine the probable effect of rainfall variability on average yield of rice in Nigeria during a 22-year period (1992-2013). The mean annual rainfall data from major rice producing states and national average rice yields were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression models. Results of the analysis revealed a significant variation in mean annual rainfall across vegetation grouping in a descending order from swamp forest to Sudan savanna. Mean rainfall was adequate for rice production in all vegetation grouping except Sudan savanna where rainfall was less than the prescribed minimum quantity for rice production. Rainfall was positively related to yield of rice in all vegetation grouping except Sudan savanna but relationship was not statistically significant at 5% level. It was concluded that annual rainfall variability had statistically negligible effect on national average rice yield. It was recommended that the cultivation of rice should go along with farming practices that aimed at mitigating adverse effects of rainfall variability on the yield of rice especially in the Sudan savanna.

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