EFFECT OF EDUCATION AND MEMBERSHIP OF FARMER-BASED ORGANISATIONS ON COMMERCIALIZATION OF PADDY RICE: A GUIDE FOR PUBLIC AGRICULTURAL POLICIES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Rice commercialization is the deliberate action on the part of rice farmers to use factors of production in a way that a greater volume of rice produced is exchanged for sale. This study examined the effect of education and membership of farmer-based organizations (FBOs) on rice commercialization in Gwagwalada Area Council, Federal Capital Territory. Cross sectional data collected from 140 rice farmers were used for this study. The data were collected from 140 rice farmers through multistage sampling technique. The data were analysed using commercialization index and Beta model. The result of the commercialisation index indicates that majority of the farmers highly commercialised rice. The result of the Beta model analysis shows that age of the farmers, education level of the rice farmers, farm size, literacy ratio, household size and membership of farmer-based organisations were important variables that were significant with policy implications. On the results of the constraints militating against rice commercialization in the study area, lack of/ adequate credit for rice production, high cost of fertilizer, and lack of or inadequate proper storage facilities were identified as very serious constraints in the study area. The study recommends that younger farmers should be encouraged to cultivate and commercialize rice and, Governments should take seriously the literacy programmes to address agricultural commercialization literacy, and make education programmes that is geared towards agribusiness development to be much more marketing oriented rather than the general secular education. Governments and development partners should encourage formation and establishment of farm-based organizations to enhance agricultural commercialisation in Nigeria. Credit facilities more accessible to rice farmers, and there is also need to train rice farmers more in rice commercialization.