UTILIZATION OF SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AMONG ARABLE CROP FARMERS IN OSUN STATE, NIGERIA
Abstract
This study examined the utilization of soil fertility management practices (SFMPs) among arable crop farmers in Osun state, Nigeria. Multistage sampling was used to select 160 arable crop farmers. Data were collected using a well-structured interview schedule and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Person Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). The results revealed that the majority of the farmers are married males, mostly aged 51 years old, with an average farm size of 2.6ha, and mainly growing maize (96.9%), cassava (91.9%) and yam (68.1%). The respondents use cultural methods, synthetic fertilizers and organic manure in that order as SFMPs. SFMPs are used at the following levels: cultural methods: ridging across the slope with a weighted mean score (WMS) of 2.81, rotational cropping (WMS = 2.66) and mulching (WMS = 2.47); synthetic fertilizers: NPK (WMS = 1.75) and urea (WMS = 1.27); organic manure: poultry manure (WMS = 0.77) and animal dung (WMS = 0.76). The major source of information for SFMPs was radio (95.6%). PPMC analysis showed that age (r = 0.20*; p = 0.01) and farm size (r = 0.16*; p = 0.04) are significantly related to the utilisation of SFMPs. In conclusion, the respondents were small scale farmers who mostly utilize cultural methods of SFMPs and are mainly influenced by crop type as a function of age and farm size.
Keywords
arable crop farmers; soil fertility management; socio-economic; information
References
Adeola, R.G., Tijani-Eniola, H., Fakunle, A.O. (2014). Assessment of farmers’ participation in on-farm adaptive research in southwest-ern, Nigeria. Int. J. Innov. Appl. Stud., 9(3), 1155–1160.
Adeola, R.G., Adetumbi, S.I. (2015). Farmers’ perception of sustainable agriculture in southwestern Nigeria. Implication for rural economy. Int. J. Appl. Agric. Apicult. Res., 1(2), 86–92.
Adeola, R.G., Ogunleye, K.Y., Bolarinwa, I.F. (2017). Yellow cassava attribute influencing its utilization among cassava processors in Oyo State, Nigeria. Int. J. Env. Agric. Biotechnol., 2(5), 2452–2658. https://doi.org/10.22161/ijeab/2.5.47
Adewumi, A., Tanko, L., Ibrahim, F.D., Yisa, E.S. (2019). Principal component analysis of production constraints of smallholder arable crop farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria. In: Proceedings of the 53rd Annual Conference of the Agricultural Society of Nigeria (ASN) held at National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI), Badeggi, Niger State on the 21st – 25th October (pp. 327–331).
Amanze, B., Eze, C., Eze, V.M., Chiedozie, I.O., Blessing, R.E. (2012). Factors influencing the use of fertilizer in arable crop produc-tion among smallholder farmers in Owerri Agricultural Zone of Imo State. Acad. Arena, 2, 90–99.
Bwambale, N. (2015). Farmers’ knowledge, perceptions, and socioeconomic factors influencing decision making for integrated soil fertility management practices in Masaka and Rakai Districts, Central Uganda. Graduate Theses and Dissertations, 15671.
Edeoghon, C.O., Ajayi, M.T., Ugboya, T.O. (2008). Awareness and use of sustainable agricultural practices by arable crop farmers in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State. J. Sust. Dev. Agric. Env., 3, 55–63.
FAO (2013). What is conservation agriculture? Retrieved 8th Oct 2020 from: http://www. fao.org/ag/ca/1a.html.
Gebeyaw, T.Y (2015). Assessment of farmers’ perceptions about soil fertility with different management practices in smallholder farms of Abuhoy Gara Catchment, Gidan District, North Wollo. Am. J. Env. Prot., 3(4), 137–144.
Igbalajobi, O., Fatuase, A.I. Ajibefun, I. (2013). Determinants of poverty incidence among rural farmers in Ondo State, Nigeria. Am. J. Rural Dev., 1(5), 131–137.
https://doi.org/10.12691/ajrd-1-5-5
John, H. (2012). Where are the future farmers to grow our food? International food and agribusiness. Manag. Rev., 15, 9–11. https://doi.org/10.12691/ajrd-1-5-5
Kassie, M., Teklewold, H., Jaleta, M., Marenya, P., Erenstein, O. (2015). Understanding the adoption of a portfolio of sustainable in-tensification practices in eastern and southern Africa. Land Use Pol., 42, 400–411.
Khoshgoftarmanesh, A.H., Eshghizadeh, H.R. (2011). Yield response of corn to single and combined application of cattle manure and urea. Comm. Soil Sci. Plant Anal., 42, 1200–1208.
Mahapatra, R., (2019). Farmer’s ageing, new generation disinterested: who will grow our food? Down to earth, downtoearth.org.in. Retireved 7th Oct 2020.
Mittal, S., Tripathi, G. (2009). Role of mobile phone technology in improving small farm productivity. Agric. Econ. Res. Rev., 22, 451–459. https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.57502
Mugwe, J., Mugendi, D., Mucheru-Muna, M., Merckx, R., Chianu, J., Vanlauwe, B. (2009). Determinants of the decision to adopt integrated soil fertility management practices by smallholder farmers in the central highlands of Kenya. Experim. Agric., 45(1), 61–75. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0014479708007072
Ng’ombe, J., Kalinda, T., Tembo, G., Kantashula, E. (2014). Econometric analysis of the factors that affect adoption of conservation farming practices by smallholder farmers in Zambia. J. Sust. Dev., 1(4), 124–138. https://doi.org/10.5539/jsd.v7n4p124
Ogunsumi, L.O. (2010). Sustainability of agricultural technologies in Southwestern, Nigeria: The case of cassava farmers. J. Agric. Ex-ten. Rural Dev., 2(7), 123–132.
Ojediran, J.T., Adeola, R.G., Ogunleye, K.Y., Rahman, S.B. (2020a). Assessment of farmers’ participation and attitude towards growth enhancement support scheme in Ogbomoso Agricultural zone of Oyo state, Nigeria. Sci. Pap. Ser. Manag. Econ. Eng. Agric. Rural Dev., 20(3), 377–384.
Ojediran, T.K., Durojaiye, V., Adeola, R.G., Ojediran, J.T. (2020b). Awareness of cassava peel utilization as a feedstuff among live-stock farmers in Ogbomoso Zone of Nigeria. Sci. Pap. Ser. Manag. Econ. Eng. Agric. Rural Dev., 20(3), 395–404.
Olaitan, S.O., Omomia, O.A. (2006). Round-up agricultural science. A comprehensive guide. Lagos, Longman, Nigeria, Plc.
Orifah, M.O., Ijeoma, M.C., Ehien, A.E., Sulaiman, A.U., Amadi, O.C. (2018). Assessment of the utilisation of soil fertility manage-ment practices among selected arable crop farmers in Dutse Local Government Area, Jigawa State, Nigeria. Afr. J. Agric. Technol. Env., 7(2), 195–207.
Xiaoying, Y., Shubo, F. (2015). Practices perception and implication of fertilizer use in East-central China. Royal Swed. Acad. Sci., 44, 647–652.
Zuluf, C. (2020). Age of US farmers: Is the wrong issue being addressed. Int. J. Agric. Pol. Res., 3(12), 412–418.
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Nigeria
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9850-1142
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Nigeria
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Nigeria
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
This journal permits and encourages authors to post items submitted to the journal on personal websites or institutional repositories both prior to and after publication, while providing bibliographic details that credit, if applicable, its publication in this journal.
