A Historical Appraisal of Local Rice Production and Its Impact on the Agro-Economic Sector of Ekiti State 1945-2015

Abstract:

The study examines the historical development of local rice production and its economic important to the people of Ekiti State between the period of 1945-2015. Local rice was introduced Ekiti land during the colonial years by the Christian missionaries but started gaining ground in the post independent years. Ekiti people are well-known as the major producers of local rice. Its production in Ekiti started long before 1945 but the year1945 has been chosen as a remarkable date due to the activities of a well-known Igbemo farmer who specialized in the production of local rice and yam, where local rice industry is said to have started in Ekiti state. The introduction and adoption of local rice into the agricultural sector of Ekitiland marked a significant epoch in the agro-economic sector of Ekiti people. On this note, this paper aim at making an assessment of the production of local rice and its overall implication on the economic growth and development of Ekiti people. The methodology adopted for this paper is historical approach; hence, the study is based on primary and secondary sources. The primary source comprises of oral interview, newspapers, government gazette while relevant books were considered as useful secondary sources. The study concludes that the introduction and production of local rice has transformed the agro-economic sector of Ekiti state.