Adoption of Improved Maize Seeds and Production Efficiency in Rivers State, Nigeria

Maize is an important staple food in Nigeria. Declining yields of maize as a result of several environmental and biological factors have necessitated technological innovations focusing on maturity time, disease resistance and palatability of the crop. This study therefore assesses the adoption of improved seeds and efficiency levels of farmers in River state, Nigeria. The data were obtained from 150 farmers that were randomly selected using two-stage sampling procedures. The Probit model and production function analysis were the analytical methods. Results show that education, farming experience, mono-cropping, minimum tillage and use of fertilizer significantly influence adoption (p<0.1). Also, use of hybrid seeds significantly reduces inefficiency (p<0.1) along with other factors like age, experience, crop rotation, minimum tillage, fertilization. It was recommended that efforts to increase adoption of improved maize seeds for enhanced farm efficiency should focus on farmers’ education, farming experience and access to fertilizers.