Comparative Study on Factors Influencing Rice Yield in Niger State of Nigeria and Hainan of China

Abstract

The trajectory of rice output in Nigeria has been increasing, but it has little to do with an increase in yield compared to other rice producing nations like Egypt, China, and the USA. This study provides empirical factors influencing rice yield in Niger state, a major rice producing state in Nigeria, and Hainan of China, a province sharing relatively similar crops and climate conditions, all with the intent of finding yield influential and determining to what extent any man­agement system could be inserted into the Nigerian rice system. Based on a sur­vey carried out in 2013/2014 consisting of 164 and 236 farmers from Niger state and Hainan, respectively, the study employed Cobb-Douglas production function analysis. The results indicate that yield can be further improved in both regions, especially in Niger state, when the appropriate investment on essential inputs are provided to the farmers. A lot can be learned from China’s rice subsector. Policy makers should take advantage of the existing bilateral relationship with China for transfer of information and technologies.