Capabilities gained by rice farmers from JICA’s training on sustainable rain-fed lowland rice production technology in Northern, Savanna and North-east

Abstract

Rice farming is a major occupation in the world and Ghana need attention to ensure that there is
increase in its production in terms of quantity and quality. To ensure increase in rice production in
Ghana, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) initiated a training project in two regions
(Ashanti and Northern). This study was undertaken to assess the level at which the training benefitted
the farmers who were selected for the training and to identity capabilities the farmers acquired as a
result of the training and whether such capabilities led to increase in rice yield. The sample, 257 farmers
were selected from the project population using the Krejcie and Morgan table for sample size
determination and this number was proportionately spread across the three areas in the three regions.
All farmers indicated that the training was useful and helped them acquired capabilities such as
identification of proper ploughing, quality seed selection, recommended seeding, timely weed, pest
and disease control which eventually led to increase in rice yield. It is recommended that farmers in
the northern, savanna and north-east regions should be trained on good agronomic practices as taught
by JICA rain-fed lowland rice production technology.