Drivers and Pattern of Fertilizer Usage Among Cereal-Based Farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria
Olatunji Olanrewaju Solomon* and Akanbi Sheu-Usaman Oladipo
Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management, University of Ilorin, Nigeria
*Corresponding Author: Olatunji Olanrewaju Solomon, Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management, University of Ilorin, Nigeria.
Received:
April 25, 2022; Published:
Abstract
This paper presents the result of a study initiated to examine the pattern and determinants of fertilizer usage by smallholder cereal-based farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria. A randomize sampling technique was employed to select representative of cereal-crop farmers for the study. A well-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 200 cereal-crop farmers and data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and ordinary least square (OLS) regression. The result showed that the mean age of the cereal-crop farmers in the study area was 49.7 years.The result further showed that 91.5% of the cereal-crop farmers interviewed were men and mean household size was 6 persons per household. Majority (77.6%) claimed to be using inorganic fertilizer. The result shows that household size, access to credit, cost of fertilizer, distance to point of purchase and marital status were statistically significant at 10%, 1%, 1%, 1% and 10% respectively. This study concluded that the farmer’ inability to meet up with the recommended fertilizer-use affected the yield response of the cereal-based farms. It is therefore recommended that a more sustainable fertilizer support programme be designed by the government for the farmers; the existing fertilizer programme should be strengthened towards crop-specific fertilizer use (inorganic or organic-based).
Keywords: Drivers; Pattern; Cereal-Based Farmers; Determinants; Fertilizer Usage
References
- Adesina AA and Baidu-Forson J. “Farmers’ Perceptions and Adoption of New Agricultural Technology Evidence from Analysis in Burkina Faso and Guinea, West Africa”. Agricultural Economics 13 (1995): 1-9.
- Bumb B. “Global Fertilizer Perspective, 1980–2000: “The Challenges in Structural Transformation.” Technical Bulletin T-42”. Muscle Shoals, AL: International Fertilizer Development Center (1995).
- Byerlee D. “Technology Transfer Systems for Improved Crop Management: Lessons for the Future”. In Agricultural Technology: Policy Issues for the International Community, ed. J.R. Anderson. Wallingford, UK: CAB International (1994).
- Chianu JN and Tsujii H. “Determinant of Farmer’s Decision to Adopt or not to Adopt Inorganic Fertilizer in Savanna of Northern Nigeria”. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 70 (2004): 293-301.
- Druilhe Z and Barreiro-Hurlé J. “Fertilizer subsidies in sub-Saharan Africa”. ESA Working paper No. 12-04. Rome, FAO (2012).
- Duflo E., et al. “Nudging Farmers to Use Fertilizer: Theory and Experimental Evidence from Kenya” (2010).
- Fufu B and Hassan RM. “Determinants of Fertilizer Use in Maize in Eastern Ethiopia. A weighted Endogenous Sampling Analysis of the Extent and Intensity of Adoption”. Agrekon1 (2006): 38-49.
- Hopper W. “Indian Agriculture and Fertilizer: “An Outsider’s Observations.” Keynote address to the FAI Seminar on Emerging Scenario in Fertilizer and Agriculture: Global Dimensions. New Delhi (1993).
- Kwara Agricultural Development Project (KWADP). “Kwara State Agricultural Development Project, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development, Ilorin, Kwara State (2015).
- Liverpool-Tasie S., et al. “A review of fertilizer policy issue in Nigeria”. Nigeria Strategy Support Program, Policy Note No 28 (2010).
- Maiangwa MG., et al. “Adoption of Chemical Fertilizer for Land Management in the North-West Zone of Nigeria”. Tropical Agricultural Research and Extension (2007): 33-46.
- Mosier AR and JK Syers. “Global assessment of nitrogen fertilizer: the SCOPE/IGBP nitrogen fertilizer rapid assessment project”. Science in China Series C-life Sciences 48 (2005): 795-766.
- Nagy GJ and O Edun. “Assessment of Nigerian government fertilizer policy and suggested alternative market friendly policies”.
- Nnadi FN and Akwiwu CD. “Determinants of Youths’ Participation in Rural Agriculture in Imo State, Nigeria”. Journal of Applied Sciences 2 (2008): 328-333.
- Obasi PC. “Farm Size Productivity Relationship Among Arable Crops Farmers’ In Imo State, Nigeria”. International Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development 9 (2007): 91-99.
- Ogunjimi SI. “Operational Habits and Health Hazard in the use of Chemicals among cocoa farmers in Osunand Edo States”. Unpublished M.Sc. Thesis, OAU Ile-Ife (2001).
- Ogunmola RO. “Perception of farmers toward the use of agrochemical and Organomineral fertilizer among rural dwellers in Afijio Local Government of Oyo State”. Unpublished B.Sc. project in the Department of Agric. Extension and Rural Development, University of Ilorin (2007).
- Olayide OE., et al. “Determinants of fertilizer use in Northern Nigeria”. Pakistan Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare (2009).
- Olwande J and Mathenge M. “Market Participation among the Poor Rural Households in Kenya”. Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development (2010).
- Shiyam JO and Binang WB. “Effect of poultry manure and plant population on productivity of fluted pumpkin (Telfaiariaoccidentalis hook f.) in Calabar, Nigeria”. Journal of Organic Systems2 (2013): 29-35.
- Tomich TP Kilby and B Johnson. “Transforming Agrarian Economies: Opportunities Seized, Opportunities Missed”. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press (1995).
- Zeleke MT and Aberra Y. “Determinants of the adoption of land management strategies against climate change in Northwest Ethiopia”. Ethiopian Renaissance Journal of Social Sciences and the Humanities 1 (2014): 93-118.
Citation
Copyright