Rice Production under the Youth Empowerment Scheme in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

The study was conducted to analyze rice production under the Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES) in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 160 rice farmers made up of 80 participants of YES and 80 non participants. Primary data were collected through the use of structured questionnaires and personal interview. Data were subjected to descriptive statistics, linear regression and t-test. Majority of the respondents were less than 31 years and 31 to 40 years for participants and non participants, respectively. The respondents were mostly males and married with a minimum of secondary school education. Majority (62.5%) and (70%) of the participants and non participants, respectively were engaged in farming as main occupation, with less than 7 years farming experience and cultivating less than three hectares of land. Annual income and farm size had positive and significant effect on rice production with an R 2 value of 0.895. There was no significant difference (t=0.265 ; p> 0.05) between the yield of participants and non participants. Inadequate funds, high cost of agrochemicals, and inadequate extension services were the serious constraints to rice production. The study therefore, recommends that more efforts need to be put in place by government and all relevant stakeholders to provide adequate funds, agrochemicals and extension services.