Utilising the Total or Cultivation (TFC) and Multiple Regression (MR) Models to Examine the Factors Influencing Rice Cultivation Farms in the Bombali District, Sierra Leone

Abstract

Many obstacles to attaining rice self-sufficiency in Sierra Leone, is the stumpy cultivation of this staple food crop which transformed to inadequate rice availability for the entire sierra Leonean population. Several determinations have been made by the successive Sierra Leone governments towards rice self-sufficiency. Much attention is constantly given to improving the inputs utilised by the rice cultivators, and improvement of better-quality rice seed varieties whereas the main reasons of the low rice cultivation are left unaddressed. Consequently, this study focussed on the examination of the main factors that influence rice cultivation farms in Bombali district, North-Eastern of Sierra Leone. Through a multi-stage sampling technique, approximately 600 rice farms were selected. This study used primary source with structured questionnaire for the collection of data. The data were analysed by using mean, percentage, standard deviation, Total Factor Cultivation (TFC) and Multiple Regression (MR) techniques. The result from data analyses confirms that the size of rice farm, household size, and extension visitation positively and significantly influenced cultivation of Bombali district rice farms, whereas the herbicide practise and age of the farmer negatively influenced cultivation of Bombali district rice farms. Additionally, the result disclosed that a 1% surge in herbicide amount significantly reduced the cultivation of rice farms by 3.84 %. Consequently, Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI), and other agricultural agencies that are responsible for the training of farmers should strengthen effort in the herbicides practise. Systematic and thorough soil analysis ought to be conducted in Bombali district rice farms to establish the compatibility of soil and herbicide practice.