Nigeria has abundant land and water resources to embark on irrigation schemes to ensure all year round rice production. Additional yield to annual rice production through dry season farming in 2012 in 10 pilot States of the country was found to be over 1 million metric tonnes. This shows that an intensive and consistent irrigated rice production scheme will set Nigeria on a pathway to rice self-sufficiency thereby bringing an end to the gross loss in foreign exchange due to importation and smuggling of the commodity. The study reviewed irrigation subsector in Nigeria, and revealed that the prospects of achieving rice self sufficiency through irrigation farming is hampered by some major challenges namely-underdeveloped subsector promoted by fragmented, inconsistent and unimplemented policies, multiple water regulatory institutions with overlapping and duplicating mandate and poor management system. Other challenges include-the absence of a viable market for local rice as well as high cost of labour inputs, irrigation equipments and other operating costs. The study concluded that for Nigeria irrigation potentials to be harnessed towards rice self-sufficiency there is need to amend policies on irrigation and water resources, create conducive market for local producers and provide subsidized and appropriate farm implements.

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.

ABSTRACT

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The study investigated the application of eco-engineering approach for rice yellow mottle disease management caused by Rice yellow mottle virus in rain-fed lowland rice fields at Edozhigi and Makurdi, Nigeria between 2012 and 2015 cropping seasons. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with fourteen rice genotypes obtained from AfricaRiceCenter, Cotonou and National Cereals Research Institute, Badeggi. The Lady's finger (Abelmoschus esculentum L.) was introduced on bounds to effect ecological modification in 2013 and 2015, whereas the conventional cropping system for rice without cultural modification was adopted for reference in 2012. The results indicated that RYMV incidence at 32 and 60 days after transplanting (DAT) was the highest in 2012 with the susceptible checks (FKR 28 and Sahelika) recording higher values in the range of 43.54 -48.03% across the two locations. Other rice yellow mottle disease indices such as plant height reduction (cm) and spikelets sterility (%) were also highest among the susceptible checks in 2012 when conventional cropping system was adopted across the two locations. The average mean yield of 2.26 t/ha obtained in 2012 was signifacnlty (P = 0.01) lower than respective mean yields (t/ha) of 3.01 and 3.09 obtained in 2013 and 2015 when the eco-engineering approach was adopted. The introduction of nectar-rich lady finger on rice bunds contributed to ecological modification which was apparent in wider range of insect presence in the field, and reduction of RYMV incidence by 50% at both locations. The present work has established for the first time in Nigeria the use of eco-engineering approach of planting nectar-rich plants to effect habitant manipulation and reduce spread and incidence of RYMV in natural field condition. The practice is therefore been recommended as a short/medium-term management approach for RYMV in disease endemic field locations.