Adoption Prospects and Challenges of Rice-Cum-Fish Farming Technology in the Low-Land Plains of Southern Nigeria

This study examined the adoption prospects and challenges of rice-cum-fish production technology among rice and fish farmers in selected States in southern Nigeria (Delta, Edo, Lagos and Ondo States). Using questionnaire, data was sought from 720 sampled rice and fish farmers in the selected States. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, logit regression. Results showed that more than half the respondents were not aware of the rice-cum-fish technology; however, majority had a high perception of the potential benefits associated with the technology and expressed willingness to adopt it (fish farmers = 95.71%; rice farmers = 87.25%). Potential constraints to farmers’ adoption of the technology included inadequate finance, lack of technical competence, perceived difficulty associated with the practice and limited land. Significant determinants of the rice farmers willingness to adopt the technology were age (b = -0.060), education (b = -0.253), income (b = -0.779), awareness of rice-cum-fish technology (b = 1.919) and perception of the technology benefits (b = 0.084). For the fish farmers, the only significant factor was farming experience (b = -0.388). Rice-cum-fish production technology, therefore, has great prospects for adoption in the study area if popularized. To enhance uptake of this technology, farmers should be trained on the rice-cum-fish production technology.