Do Land Ownership and Agro-Ecological Location of Farmland Influence Adoption of Improved Rice Varieties? Evidence from Sierra Leone

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of farmland ownership and agro-ecological location on the adoption of the two most important sources of improved rice varieties (NERICA and ROK) in the context of Sierra Leone. In terms of farmland ownership, the results showed that farmers who cultivated their own land had a higher tendency of remaining as non-adopters of improved varieties, but those who rented farmland or were engaged in sharecropping had higher adoption rates of improved rice varieties. Also, the location of farmland (uplands or inland valley swamps) determined the rates of adoption of improved varieties differently. For instance, upland regions showed faster adoption of ROK varieties, but inland valley areas showed faster adoption of NERICA varieties. We also examined the survival rates of local rice varieties. The adoption of improved varieties was only occurring at a very low rate, and the farmers' adoption of ROK varieties was swifter than for NERICA varieties. This study recommends that policies advocating the adoption of improved rice varieties in Sierra Leone must take into consideration the patterns of farmland ownership and location.

Does Credit Influence Fertilizer Intensification in Rice Farming? Empirical Evidence from Côte D’Ivoire

“…Thus, the few women (14% of respondents) engaged in rice production are more likely to follow the recommendation in terms of fertilizers and other inputs needed for better yield as they expect good financial gain. This finding corroborates those of Degefu [44] and Mansaray et al [45], who found that female-headed households were more likely to adopt improved inputs, in comparison with male-headed households in Ethiopia and Sierra Leone, respectively. Nevertheless, this finding contradicts the study of Nahayo et al [43], who reported that male farmers have more willingness to participate in crop intensification in Rwanda.…”

“…Indeed, the most educated rice farmers can easily understand the importance of fertilizer in rice farming and apply it as recommended by researchers. The positive influence of a high educational level on the adoption of improved inputs has been reported in previous studies carried out in Sierra Leone [45] and Nigeria [46].…”

“…The variable gender refers to the sex of the rice farmer. In the literature, Nahayo et al [43] found that male farmers are more likely to apply agricultural technologies, while Degefu et al [44] and Mansaray et al [45] found the opposite result. Regarding the access to credit, Tadesse [24] reported that male farmers have a high probability of AC compared to female farmers.…”

“…The level of education is a proxy of human capital. According to the literature, the educational level is an important determinant in the adoption of new agricultural technology [45,46]. Farmers with a higher education level may understand the necessity of adopting agricultural innovations.…”

Farmers’ preferred traits, production constraints, and adoption factors of improved maize varieties under South-Kivu rainfed agro-ecologies, eastern D.R. Congo: Implication for maize breeding

“…Land ownership also stimulate the producer to invest in more demanding or long-term agricultural technologies than if not owned. However, these results disagreed with Mansaray et al (2019) and Mugumaarhahama et al (2021) who showed that farmers who cultivated their own land had a higher tendency of remaining non-adopters of improved varieties, but those who rented farmland or were engaged in sharecropping had higher adoption rates of improved rice and potato varieties to make the investment pro table. Access to agricultural credit positively and signi cantly in uenced the adoption of IMVs.…”