Abstract
The study examined profitability analysis of soil conservation practices and its determinants by arable crop farmers in Delta North Agricultural Zone, Delta State. A multistage selection procedure was applied for this study. The instrument of data collection was well structured questionnaire. The sample size used for analysis was 332 respondents. The analytical tools used are: descriptive statistics, cost and return analysis and multiple regression analysis. The respondents mean age was 41years. On the educational level, greater part of the respondents are educated. The mean household size is 7 persons. The average farm size is 1.69ha. The mean farming experience was 13 years. The mean income was N 97,342. The finding revealed that the major soil conservation practices adopted by the respondents are irrigation, planting of different crop, planting of trees, use of fertilizer and crop rotation. The total revenue (TR) was found to be N8802732 , gross margin was N 5155822. The operating ratio was 0.41 while return on every naira was N2.41k implying soil conservation practices are profitable. The major challenges of farmers are inaccessibility to information, limited income, high cost of improved varieties, inadequate storage facilities, high cost of labour and unavailability of credit facilities. The regression showed that education, farm size, farming experience, income, labour supply, access to credit, farmers perception and awareness contributed positively to profitability of soil conservation practices. It is recommended that the government should create awareness on soil conservation practices.
References
- Aberha, E. T. (2008). Erosion and soil and water conservation group and environmental Policy group. Continue use of soil and water conservation practices. A Case Study in Tulla District, Ethiopia. Dissertaion for Award of MSc Degree at Wagenigen University, The Nertherlands, 57pp. Asfaw, S. (2010). Estimating welfare effect of modern agricultural technologies: A micro-perspective from Tanzania and Ethiopia. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics , Paper Presented at the Meeting, 27 May 2010 in Nairobi, Kenya. pp. 16 – 18. Bayard, B., Jolly, C. M. and Dennis, A. S. (2006). The adoption and management of soil conservation practices in Haiti: The Case of Rock Walls. Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology 7(2): 35-36. Blanco, H. C. and Lal, R. (2010). Principles of soil conservation and management. [Htt://www.bokus.com/bok/9789048179626/principles-of-soilconservation-andmanagement/] site visited on 10/09/2012. Chomba, G. N. (2004). Factors affecting smallholder farmers adoption of soil and water conservation practices in Zambia. Dissertation for Award of MSc Degree at Michigan State University, 118pp Claassen, R., V. E. Breneman, S. Bucholtz, A. Cattaneo, R. C. Johansson, and Morehart M.J (2004). Environmental Compliance in US Agricultural Policy: Past Performance and Future Potential. Agricultural Economic Report AER-832, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Washington, DC. Eswaran, H., R. Lal, and P. F. Reich. (2001). Land Degradation: An Overview. In E. M. Bridges, I. D. Hannam, L. R. Oldeman, F. W. T. Pening de Vries, S. J. Scherr, and S. Sompatpanit, eds., Responses to Land Degradation. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Land Degradation and Desertification, Khon Kaen, Thailand, New Delhi, India: Oxford University Press. Honlonkou, A. N. (2004). Modelling Adoption of Natural Resources Management Technologies: The Case of Fallow Systems. Environment and Development Economics 9:289–314. Jara-Rojas R, Bravo-Ureta B.E and Díaz J. (2012). Adoption of water conservation practices: A socioeconomic analysis of small-scale farmers in Central Chile. Agric Sys 110: 54-62. Jie C, Jing-Zhang C, Man-Zhi T and Zi-Tong G. (2012). Soil degradation: a global problem endangering sustainable development. J Geogr Sci 12: 243-252. Lal R. (2015). Restoring soil quality to mitigate soil degradation. Sustainability 7: 5875-5895. Lal, R. (2009).Challenges and Opportunities in Soil Organic Matter Research. European Journal of Soil Science 60:158–169. .Lal, R., (2014). Soil conservation and ecosystem services. Int. Soil Water Conserv. Res. 2(2), 36–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-6339(15)30021-6 Mutuli, D.A., 2002. Impact of soil conservation tillage technologies on small holder agriculture in semi arid land of Kenya –unpublished proposal submitted to ATPS NPC., 2006. Report on Nigeria national population commission on the 2006 census Nwachukwu, I.N., Umezuruike, M.U and Effiong, E.O., 2009. Determinants and impacts of poultry production technologies on productivity of farmers in Abia State, Nigeria. Global Approaches to Extension Practice Journal 5(1):87-93. Nwaobiala, C.U., 2013. Appraisal of farmers participation in IFAD/FGN/NDDC/Community-Based natural resource management programme in Abia and Cross River States, Nigeria. A Ph.D Thesis Abia State University, Uturu Abia State, Nigeria. Nwaru, J.C., 2004. Gender and relative production efficiency in food crop farming in Abia State of Nigeria. The Nigerian Agricultural Journal 34(1):1-10. Oharie, A A., 2002. The economics of soil fertility management practices among smallscale farmers in Orumba South Local Development Area of Anambra State. Unpublished M.Sc thesis, Department of Agricultural Economics University of Nigeria Nsukka. Olawoye, H.U., 2000. Soil conservation and food production: implications for Nigerian soils. Journal of Agriculture and Social Sciences 2:11-19. Rickson R.J, Deeks L.K, Graves A, Harris J.A.H, Kibblewhite M.G and Sakrabani R. (2015). Input constraints to food production: The impact of soil degradation. Food Security 7: 351-364. Sastre, B., Barbero-Sierra, C., Bienes, R., Marques, M.J., García-Díaz, A., (2016). Soil loss in an olive grove in Central Spain under cover crops and tillage treatments, and farmer perceptions. J. Soils Sediments 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-016-1589-9. Sattler,C., Nagel, U.J., (2010). Factors affecting farmers' acceptance of conservation measures-A case study from north-eastern Germany. Land Use Policy 27 (1), 70–77. Semgalawe Z.M and Folmer H. (2000). Household adoption behavior of improved soil conservation: the case of the North Pare and West Usambara Mountains of Tanzania. Land Use Policy 17: 321-336. Somda J, Nianogo A.J, Nassa S and Sanou S. (2002). Soil fertility management and socio-economic factors in crop-livestock systems in Burkina Faso: A case study of composting technology. Ecolo Econ 43: 175-183. Tenge A.J, De-Graaff J and Hella J.P. (2004). Social and economic factors affecting the adoption of soil and water conservation in West Usambara highlands, Tanzania. Land Degrad Dev 15: 99-114. Tenge A.J, De-Graaff J and Hella J.P. (2005). Financial efficiency of major soil and water conservation measures in West Usambara highlands, Tanzania. Appl Geog 25: 348-366. Troeh, F.R., Hobbs, J.A., Donahue, R.L., (2003). Soil and Water Conservation for Productivity and Environmental Protection, fourth ed. Prentice Hall, 978-0130968074pp. 226. (online).https://www.scribd.com/doc/70306880/Soil-Water-Conservation, Accessed date: 6 September 2017. Van Herzele, A., Gobin, A., Van Gossum, P., Acosta, L., Waas, T., Dendoncker, N., Henryde Frahan, B., 2013. Effort for money? Farmers' rationale for participation in agri-environment measures with different implementation complexity. J. Environ. Manag. 131, 110–120. Wall G, Baldwin C and Shelton J. (2003). Soil Erosion - Causes and Effects. Fact Sheet, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture – Food and Rural Affairs, Canada. Wilson, G.A., Hart, K., 2001. Farmer participation in agri-environmental schemes: to-wards conservation-oriented thinking? Sociol. Rural. 41 (2), 254–274.
Abstract
The study examined profitability analysis of soil conservation practices and its determinants by arable crop farmers in Delta North Agricultural Zone, Delta State. A multistage selection procedure was applied for this study. The instrument of data collection was well structured questionnaire. The sample size used for analysis was 332 respondents. The analytical tools used are: descriptive statistics, cost and return analysis and multiple regression analysis. The respondents mean age was 41years. On the educational level, greater part of the respondents are educated. The mean household size is 7 persons. The average farm size is 1.69ha. The mean farming experience was 13 years. The mean income was N 97,342. The finding revealed that the major soil conservation practices adopted by the respondents are irrigation, planting of different crop, planting of trees, use of fertilizer and crop rotation. The total revenue (TR) was found to be N8802732 , gross margin was N 5155822. The operating ratio was 0.41 while return on every naira was N2.41k implying soil conservation practices are profitable. The major challenges of farmers are inaccessibility to information, limited income, high cost of improved varieties, inadequate storage facilities, high cost of labour and unavailability of credit facilities. The regression showed that education, farm size, farming experience, income, labour supply, access to credit, farmers perception and awareness contributed positively to profitability of soil conservation practices. It is recommended that the government should create awareness on soil conservation practices.
References
- Aberha, E. T. (2008). Erosion and soil and water conservation group and environmental Policy group. Continue use of soil and water conservation practices. A Case Study in Tulla District, Ethiopia. Dissertaion for Award of MSc Degree at Wagenigen University, The Nertherlands, 57pp. Asfaw, S. (2010). Estimating welfare effect of modern agricultural technologies: A micro-perspective from Tanzania and Ethiopia. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics , Paper Presented at the Meeting, 27 May 2010 in Nairobi, Kenya. pp. 16 – 18. Bayard, B., Jolly, C. M. and Dennis, A. S. (2006). The adoption and management of soil conservation practices in Haiti: The Case of Rock Walls. Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology 7(2): 35-36. Blanco, H. C. and Lal, R. (2010). Principles of soil conservation and management. [Htt://www.bokus.com/bok/9789048179626/principles-of-soilconservation-andmanagement/] site visited on 10/09/2012. Chomba, G. N. (2004). Factors affecting smallholder farmers adoption of soil and water conservation practices in Zambia. Dissertation for Award of MSc Degree at Michigan State University, 118pp Claassen, R., V. E. Breneman, S. Bucholtz, A. Cattaneo, R. C. Johansson, and Morehart M.J (2004). Environmental Compliance in US Agricultural Policy: Past Performance and Future Potential. Agricultural Economic Report AER-832, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Washington, DC. Eswaran, H., R. Lal, and P. F. Reich. (2001). Land Degradation: An Overview. In E. M. Bridges, I. D. Hannam, L. R. Oldeman, F. W. T. Pening de Vries, S. J. Scherr, and S. Sompatpanit, eds., Responses to Land Degradation. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Land Degradation and Desertification, Khon Kaen, Thailand, New Delhi, India: Oxford University Press. Honlonkou, A. N. (2004). Modelling Adoption of Natural Resources Management Technologies: The Case of Fallow Systems. Environment and Development Economics 9:289–314. Jara-Rojas R, Bravo-Ureta B.E and Díaz J. (2012). Adoption of water conservation practices: A socioeconomic analysis of small-scale farmers in Central Chile. Agric Sys 110: 54-62. Jie C, Jing-Zhang C, Man-Zhi T and Zi-Tong G. (2012). Soil degradation: a global problem endangering sustainable development. J Geogr Sci 12: 243-252. Lal R. (2015). Restoring soil quality to mitigate soil degradation. Sustainability 7: 5875-5895. Lal, R. (2009).Challenges and Opportunities in Soil Organic Matter Research. European Journal of Soil Science 60:158–169. .Lal, R., (2014). Soil conservation and ecosystem services. Int. Soil Water Conserv. Res. 2(2), 36–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-6339(15)30021-6 Mutuli, D.A., 2002. Impact of soil conservation tillage technologies on small holder agriculture in semi arid land of Kenya –unpublished proposal submitted to ATPS NPC., 2006. Report on Nigeria national population commission on the 2006 census Nwachukwu, I.N., Umezuruike, M.U and Effiong, E.O., 2009. Determinants and impacts of poultry production technologies on productivity of farmers in Abia State, Nigeria. Global Approaches to Extension Practice Journal 5(1):87-93. Nwaobiala, C.U., 2013. Appraisal of farmers participation in IFAD/FGN/NDDC/Community-Based natural resource management programme in Abia and Cross River States, Nigeria. A Ph.D Thesis Abia State University, Uturu Abia State, Nigeria. Nwaru, J.C., 2004. Gender and relative production efficiency in food crop farming in Abia State of Nigeria. The Nigerian Agricultural Journal 34(1):1-10. Oharie, A A., 2002. The economics of soil fertility management practices among smallscale farmers in Orumba South Local Development Area of Anambra State. Unpublished M.Sc thesis, Department of Agricultural Economics University of Nigeria Nsukka. Olawoye, H.U., 2000. Soil conservation and food production: implications for Nigerian soils. Journal of Agriculture and Social Sciences 2:11-19. Rickson R.J, Deeks L.K, Graves A, Harris J.A.H, Kibblewhite M.G and Sakrabani R. (2015). Input constraints to food production: The impact of soil degradation. Food Security 7: 351-364. Sastre, B., Barbero-Sierra, C., Bienes, R., Marques, M.J., García-Díaz, A., (2016). Soil loss in an olive grove in Central Spain under cover crops and tillage treatments, and farmer perceptions. J. Soils Sediments 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-016-1589-9. Sattler,C., Nagel, U.J., (2010). Factors affecting farmers' acceptance of conservation measures-A case study from north-eastern Germany. Land Use Policy 27 (1), 70–77. Semgalawe Z.M and Folmer H. (2000). Household adoption behavior of improved soil conservation: the case of the North Pare and West Usambara Mountains of Tanzania. Land Use Policy 17: 321-336. Somda J, Nianogo A.J, Nassa S and Sanou S. (2002). Soil fertility management and socio-economic factors in crop-livestock systems in Burkina Faso: A case study of composting technology. Ecolo Econ 43: 175-183. Tenge A.J, De-Graaff J and Hella J.P. (2004). Social and economic factors affecting the adoption of soil and water conservation in West Usambara highlands, Tanzania. Land Degrad Dev 15: 99-114. Tenge A.J, De-Graaff J and Hella J.P. (2005). Financial efficiency of major soil and water conservation measures in West Usambara highlands, Tanzania. Appl Geog 25: 348-366. Troeh, F.R., Hobbs, J.A., Donahue, R.L., (2003). Soil and Water Conservation for Productivity and Environmental Protection, fourth ed. Prentice Hall, 978-0130968074pp. 226. (online).https://www.scribd.com/doc/70306880/Soil-Water-Conservation, Accessed date: 6 September 2017. Van Herzele, A., Gobin, A., Van Gossum, P., Acosta, L., Waas, T., Dendoncker, N., Henryde Frahan, B., 2013. Effort for money? Farmers' rationale for participation in agri-environment measures with different implementation complexity. J. Environ. Manag. 131, 110–120. Wall G, Baldwin C and Shelton J. (2003). Soil Erosion - Causes and Effects. Fact Sheet, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture – Food and Rural Affairs, Canada. Wilson, G.A., Hart, K., 2001. Farmer participation in agri-environmental schemes: to-wards conservation-oriented thinking? Sociol. Rural. 41 (2), 254–274.
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences |
| Journal Section | Makaleler |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | December 30, 2020 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2020 Volume: 9 Issue: 2 |
