Management of rice production systems to increase productivity

shortages, especially those in the Sahel region of West Africa. They will
therefore have to employ more efficient irrigation technologies and cultural
practices that increase water‐use efficiency as well as minimize contamination
or pollution of water bodies.
1.2. Performance of the Rice Sector in The Gambia, West Africa
In The Gambia the agricultural sectorʹs share of the gross domestic
product (GDP) decreased from 40% to 24% between 1980 and 1996. Despite
the decrease in output, agriculture still remains the principal source of
employment in the country. Currently 75% of the total population of 1.3
million depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Of the farming population,
only 40% are male. Women are the predominant farmers in The Gambia, in
fact 67% of the female population are engaged in agricultural production (1993
census). Female farmers are those predominantly involved in rice cultivation.
Sixty‐three percent of the total population lives in the rural area, a majority of
which are resource‐poor, subsistence farmers. Sixty‐eight percent of the total
population lives below the poverty level. The Gambiaʹs Human Development
Index ranking in 2001 was 149 out of 162 countries. The literacy rate is only
36%.
Rice production can contribute significantly to poverty alleviation in
The Gambia. Unfortunately, rice farm productivity in The Gambia is on the
decline. This is an indication that improved technology adoption has been
low, what adoption has occurred, e.g. use of high yielding varieties (HYVs)
depended heavily on government subsidization. With government subsidies,
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