Management of rice production systems to increase productivity

In situations where there are limited controls on the growing
conditions, it is more difficult to pinpoint the factors responsible for a
particular yield. However such knowledge is of prime importance for people
who are engaged in agricultural planning and development because it forms
the basis for any attempts to improve the situation. In the developing world,
where agricultural research institutions lack adequate resources and capacity,
such knowledge is often lacking.
Recent approaches to agricultural development, emphasizing food
production and food security, have largely failed to reduce the absolute
number of people who are food‐insecure or to ensure environmental
sustainability (Pretty et al., 1997). The economy of the majority of African
countries is agriculture‐based, but Africa’s per capita food production has not
kept up with its population growth. Food insecurity is becoming a critical
problem especially in low‐income households. African governments and
international agricultural research centers as well as international
development agencies are looking for ways to improve returns to farmersʹ
resources in a broader context this includes expanded opportunities for non‐
farm micro‐enterprises, higher returns from cash and subsistence cropping,
and agricultural labor.
International agricultural research centers’ progress in plant genetic
research has been effective in addressing numerous production constraints
such as tolerance to various biotic and abiotic stresses, and increasing yield.
However, practical experience has proven that the contribution of crop
management practices toward alleviating production constraints is somewhat
greater than that contributed by genes alone. Adequate crop management
practices could be the key to addressing production constraints such as poor
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