Assessment of the level of awareness on improved postharvest practices among smallholder rice farmers in Kano State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the level of awareness of improved postharvest practices among smallholder rice farmers in Kano state, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 400 respondents for the study, and data was collected using questionnaires and analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistical tools. The mean age of the respondents is 48 years, farm size of 1.3 ha, the
household size of 10 persons, and farming experience of 14 years. A majority (80.0%) are males, married (72.5%), and have primary, secondary, or tertiary education (72.5%) status, respectively. A significant proportion (67.5%) of the clientele are members of social associations, full-time rice farmers (54.5%) using hired (52.5%) and family (32.5) labour significantly. Available postharvest rice practices are drying (35.0%), threshing (27.3%) and storage (14.0%), among others. A majority (84.5%) had a high awareness level of improved rice postharvest practices as well as a high perception (84.0%) of the same. The ridge regression analysis shows significant determinant socioeconomic factors with respect to age, sex, educational level, household size, and farming experience, among others, at a 5% level of probability. The main constraints to awareness of improved postharvest rice practices are lack of capital (95.8%), poor access to credits (91.5%) and high cost of equipment (78.8%), among others. It was concluded that the respondents have a high awareness and perception of improved rice postharvest practices. It was recommended that with the high awareness level, other sources of awareness of IPRPs should be incorporated to sustain awareness, improve food security, and strengthen those positive determinants of awareness.