A Best-Bet System of Rice Intensification for Sustainable Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) Production in Northwestern Nigeria
System of Rice Intensification (SRI) practices are expected to be used in location-specific ways and thus will vary somewhat across countries and regions. This study undertook to identify a ‘best-bet’ version of SRI for conditions in northwestern Nigeria, considering what is feasible for farmer use....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/8/2049 |
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| author | François Siéwé Henry Egwuma Adunni Sanni Ben Ahmed Sunday T. Abu Cordelia O. Nwahia Djomo Choumbou Raoul Fani Aisha Abdulkadir Elijah O. Ogunsola |
| author_facet | François Siéwé Henry Egwuma Adunni Sanni Ben Ahmed Sunday T. Abu Cordelia O. Nwahia Djomo Choumbou Raoul Fani Aisha Abdulkadir Elijah O. Ogunsola |
| author_sort | François Siéwé |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | System of Rice Intensification (SRI) practices are expected to be used in location-specific ways and thus will vary somewhat across countries and regions. This study undertook to identify a ‘best-bet’ version of SRI for conditions in northwestern Nigeria, considering what is feasible for farmer use. Two years of experimental data from 260 farmer-managed rice plots evaluating four of the SRI practices in Zamfara State were analyzed. The variables evaluated were seedling age at transplanting, plant density, irrigation schedule, and fertilizer application. Farm budget analysis showed that the best-bet SRI practices most productive given the natural environment and farming system were transplanting 11-day-old seedlings at 25 cm × 25 cm spacing, with alternate wetting-and-drying of fields, as well as providing full compost plus some inorganic fertilization. Net economic returns were found to be highest with best-bet SRI practices and ranged from USD 1450–2120 ha<sup>−1</sup>. While rice production was profitable under both SRI and more conventional management, the return on investment was at least 40% higher with SRI practices than with the other practices evaluated. Based on our data and analysis, we recommend that the Nigerian government and its development partners prioritize and expand the testing and promotion of SRI in the northwest and other regions of the country. This initiative can significantly enhance farmers’ incomes and, ultimately, bolster food security. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:12:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6a7f3d96f99b4bf482c735c9bc5e2de2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:12:29Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-6a7f3d96f99b4bf482c735c9bc5e2de22023-11-18T23:54:20ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952023-08-01138204910.3390/agronomy13082049A Best-Bet System of Rice Intensification for Sustainable Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) Production in Northwestern NigeriaFrançois Siéwé0Henry Egwuma1Adunni Sanni2Ben Ahmed3Sunday T. Abu4Cordelia O. Nwahia5Djomo Choumbou Raoul Fani6Aisha Abdulkadir7Elijah O. Ogunsola8Department of Agricultural Economics, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 810211, NigeriaDepartment of Agricultural Economics, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 810211, NigeriaDepartment of Agricultural Economics, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 810211, NigeriaDepartment of Agricultural Economics, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 810211, NigeriaDepartment of Soil Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 810211, NigeriaNigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Port Harcourt 500001, NigeriaDepartment of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Buea, Buea P.O. Box 63, CameroonDepartment of Soil Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 810211, NigeriaDepartment of Soil Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 810211, NigeriaSystem of Rice Intensification (SRI) practices are expected to be used in location-specific ways and thus will vary somewhat across countries and regions. This study undertook to identify a ‘best-bet’ version of SRI for conditions in northwestern Nigeria, considering what is feasible for farmer use. Two years of experimental data from 260 farmer-managed rice plots evaluating four of the SRI practices in Zamfara State were analyzed. The variables evaluated were seedling age at transplanting, plant density, irrigation schedule, and fertilizer application. Farm budget analysis showed that the best-bet SRI practices most productive given the natural environment and farming system were transplanting 11-day-old seedlings at 25 cm × 25 cm spacing, with alternate wetting-and-drying of fields, as well as providing full compost plus some inorganic fertilization. Net economic returns were found to be highest with best-bet SRI practices and ranged from USD 1450–2120 ha<sup>−1</sup>. While rice production was profitable under both SRI and more conventional management, the return on investment was at least 40% higher with SRI practices than with the other practices evaluated. Based on our data and analysis, we recommend that the Nigerian government and its development partners prioritize and expand the testing and promotion of SRI in the northwest and other regions of the country. This initiative can significantly enhance farmers’ incomes and, ultimately, bolster food security.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/8/2049rice productionSystem of Rice Intensificationfertilizer applicationreturn on investment |
| spellingShingle | François Siéwé Henry Egwuma Adunni Sanni Ben Ahmed Sunday T. Abu Cordelia O. Nwahia Djomo Choumbou Raoul Fani Aisha Abdulkadir Elijah O. Ogunsola A Best-Bet System of Rice Intensification for Sustainable Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) Production in Northwestern Nigeria Agronomy rice production System of Rice Intensification fertilizer application return on investment |
| title | A Best-Bet System of Rice Intensification for Sustainable Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) Production in Northwestern Nigeria |
| title_full | A Best-Bet System of Rice Intensification for Sustainable Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) Production in Northwestern Nigeria |
| title_fullStr | A Best-Bet System of Rice Intensification for Sustainable Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) Production in Northwestern Nigeria |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Best-Bet System of Rice Intensification for Sustainable Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) Production in Northwestern Nigeria |
| title_short | A Best-Bet System of Rice Intensification for Sustainable Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) Production in Northwestern Nigeria |
| title_sort | best bet system of rice intensification for sustainable rice i oryza sativa i l production in northwestern nigeria |
| topic | rice production System of Rice Intensification fertilizer application return on investment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/8/2049 |
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