Effects of flood-recession production system on rice yield in Ghana

Farmers in the Oti Region of Ghana use flood-recession and conventional rainfed rice production systems. While promoting a flood-recession rice production system in the face of already existing rainfed production, it has become highly imperative to compare the yield disparity of the two. This study delved into the yield dichotomy between conventional rainfed and flood-recession rice production systems in the Oti Region of Ghana. The study used cross-sectional data and an endogenous treatment effect model for the comparative analysis. The results revealed that the two categories of farmers have different factors influencing their decision to use any of the two systems. While education, agriculture extension contacts, and contract farming increase farmers' probability of using flood-recession rice production system; farmers who are more experience and those who stay far away from river banks tend to engage in convention rice farming. For rice yield, capital, labour, pesticide use, credit, extension contacts, education, contract farming, and location are critical factors. Farmers cultivating rice under a flood-recession system can obtain 0.85Mt/Ha yield higher than their counterparts who produce rice under rainfed. In a nutshell, there is compelling evidence that the flood-recession rice production system has the potential to minimize the effects of rain failure on crops. Therefore, farmers should be sensitized to use river banks for flood-recession rice production whilst considering production cost implications. Ministry of Food and Agriculture and research institutions should intensify extension service delivery on flood-recession rice production.