Gender and Resource Productivity in Rice Production n Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract: The inadequacy of information on resource productivity and their differentials by gender in rice production has prevented rice farmers from knowing the resources they are yet to realize their full potentials. This study analyzed resource productivity by gender in rice production in Ebonyi State of Nigeria. Multi-stage random sampling techniques were used to select a sample of 130 rice farmers comprised of 65 males and 65 females from the 13 Local government areas of Ebonyi State. Data were collected with structured and validated questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics and productivity model. Results showed that marginal productivity of labour, capital and land for male farmers were higher than those of female farmers, while the marginal productivity of fertilizer and seed for female farmers were higher than those of male farmers. Rice farmers should be encouraged to use more of the resource imputs since a unit change in their use increases rice output