The acknowledged benefits of the DFI seems to be more than the demerits, and this seems to explain the current move of developing countries, seeking to attract private DFIs by removing the structural barriers and encouraging foreign investors. This study examines the impact of DFI on productivity at the firm-level in the agro/ agro-allied sector of the Nigerian economy as an example of developing countries. Data were obtained from agro/ agro-allied companies listed in the first tier market (comprising firms with some foreign compo-nents), and the second tier foreign exchange markets (involving domestically owned firms) as contained in the publications of the Nigerian Stock Exchange Commission and Central Bank of Nigeria. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation and regression techniques to achieve the stated objectives of the study. A comparison of the firm level productivity measures show that foreign firms' productivity is higher than that of their domestic counterpart. The results of the impact of DFI on productivity growth showed that there is positive and significant spillover effect at the firm level. However, the extent of the spillover may not extend to the sectoral level.

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Abstract:The study determined the levels of New Rice for Africa (NERICA) technology adoption and identified the factors influencing the levels and intensity of technology adoption among the NERICA rice farmers with a view to improving NERICA production among rice farmers in the study area. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 200 NERICA rice farmers for the study. Primary data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and technology adoption index. Results showed that there were two main levels of NERICA technology adoption among the farmers based on the mean adoption index 0.9547. These were partial adopters with an index of <0.9547 and full adopters with an index of >0.9547. Partial adopters of the NERICA technology accounted for 50.5% of the farmers while full adopters accounted for 49.5%. The levels of adoption of NERICA technology was influenced by factors such as age, farming experience and quantity of fertilizer used while intensity was influenced by factors such as number of labour used, farming experience and quantity of fertilizer used. The study concluded that the adoption rate of NERICA technology in Ogun State could be improved by increasing the quantities of seed, number of labour and appropriate use of fertilizer.

This paper evaluates the costs and returns incurred by the use of chemical and biological crop products among households in five selected Compro communities in the derived, Southern Guinea, Northern Guinea, Sudan and Sahel Savanna agro-ecological zones (AEZs) in West Africa. Sixty households were randomly selected in each of the communities to give a total of 300 households. Data were collected on the characteristics of the chemical products, households' socio-economic variables such as age and education, as well as, on farm input and output quantities and prices in the 2009/2010 periods using a pre-tested questionnaire. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and budgetary techniques. The Results obtained show a male dominant, fairly literate farming household, with small landholdings (comprising mainly cereal and legume fields) that are predominantly inherited and located far away from the homestead. Inorganic fertilizers, organic manure, improved seeds and pesticides are known as commercial inputs/ products used on farmers' fields, while agrolizer, apron plus and boost extra are the emerging products. The average quantity of inputs applied varied across the zones. The total quantity of inorganic fertilizer applied on the fields was highest in the NGS (924 kg) and lowest in the Sudan (676 kg). However, fertilizer application per hectare by respondents was below recommended dosages across the zones. The emerging chemical inputs (Agrolizer, Boost Extra and Apron Plus) were used only in Compro communities in the derived savanna (DS) and southern guinea savanna (SGS) by a small number of households. The results obtained from budgetary analysis show that gross margin per hectare was highest in the SGS ($ 254) where the emerging inputs were used by 41.7% of the households and lowest in the Sahel ($ 76). Organic fertilizer was used only in small quantities in the AEZs. Total variable costs accounted for more than 30% of revenue generated, and labour and fertilizer accounted for the highest percentage of these costs. The study concludes that promoting the emerging chemical inputs through increased accessibility and farmers' training on their appropriate agronomic use would increase farmers' income generating potentials for sustainable crop production across the AEZs.

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