CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an important staple for more than half of the world’s population. It accounts for 18.99% of calorie, 1.83% of fat and 12.73% of protein intake per day (FAOSTAT, 2011). The demand for rice may increase by 60% by 2025 (Fageria et al., 2003). The demand for rice is growing particularly in sub-Saharan Africa due to rapid population growth, consumer preference and rising income. Nigeria is the largest consumer of rice in sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated demand of 6.7 million metric tons of milled rice (USDA, 2017). Production is estimated at 3.8 million metric tons of milled rice and has failed to keep pace with the growing demand resulting to the importation of 2.6 million metric tons of milled rice to fill the gap. (USDA, 2017).
Low yield has been identified as major constraint to rice production in Nigeria where average yield is estimated at 1.88 tons per hectare (USDA, 2017). Soil nutrient depletion and low fertilizer use have been commonly cited as yield limiting factors in Nigeria (Ezui et al., 2010; Liverpool-Tasie et al., 2014). Farmers understand the need to apply nutrients to their land but little is used due to the economic and social factors surrounding access to fertilizer. High cost and delayed delivery of fertilizer are major limitations to its use in rice production. The expenses incurred in procuring fertilizer in Sub-Saharan Africa are two to six times the cost in Europe or the United States (Sanchez, 2002). Cost of importation, market inefficiencies and transportation cost are some of the factors responsible for high fertilizer prices. Excessively high fertilizer cost usually reduces the profitability of fertilizer use (Kaizzi et al., 2012a).