Abstract:
Soil erosion severely threatens the soil resource and the sustainability of agriculture. After decades of research, this problem still persists, despite the fact that adequate technical solutions now exist for most situations. This begs the question as to why soil conservation is not more rapidly and generally implemented. Incidentally, empirical studies that documented the adoption of soil conservation practices among arable crop farmers in the area is still relatively scanty. These create emptiness in research and make it extremely difficult if not impossible for the government and stakeholders to know the method they can use in helping farmers mitigate the negative effect of soil erosion and poor soil nutrient in crops. It was against this backdrop that this study was systematically undertaken to assess the adoption of soil conservation practices among arable crop farmers in Imo state, Nigeria. The study specifically,described the socio-economic characteristics of arable crop farmers in Imo State, ascertained soil conservation practices disseminated to crop farmers, assessed the awareness and adoption of soil conservation practices among arable crop farmers, assessed farmers’ willingness to pay for soil conservation practices, assessed the economics of soil conservation practices among arable crop farmers, determined factors influencing the adoption of soil conservation practices and ascertained the constraints to adoption of soil conservation practices in the study area. The survey was conducted from March, 2020 through November 2021. Data were elicited from 405 arable crop farmers selected across Imo State, Nigeria. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools such as means, flow-chart, percentage, likert scale-type and Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA). Mean age was 41.00 years. Greater proportions (66.17%) were female. Approximately 97.28% were aware of soil conservation measures while about 68.64% were not visited by extension agents. Average farm size was 1.36ha. Result shows that mixed cropping (98.98%) and planting of cover crops (98.22%) were among the soil conservation practices disseminated to farmers in the area. About 76.05% had willingness to pay for soil conservation measures while income (96.79%) and affordable soil conservation technologies (92.59%) were among the reason for willingness to pay. Result further shows that farmers were already within the adoption Stage (AS) of mixed cropping (X?=2.63; SD = 0.81); and planting cover crops (X?=2.68; SD = 0.91) amongst others. Net Present Value (NPV) revealed that intercropping and mixed cropping had greater return on investment with a value of ?536,880 and ?479,995 respectively in an average farming season. Result further shows that cost (X?=3.55; SD = 0.76); Availability (X?=3.44; SD = 0.66) and Simplicity (X?=3.67; SD = 0.89) amongst others were some of the factors that positively encourages while complexity (X?=1.74; SD = 0.21) discourages adoption of soil conservation practices in the area. Soil conservation measures have been invaluable to farmers in the area. Regrettably, farmers complained of Inadequate adoption fund (96.54%) and Limited availability of farmland (93.83%).The study recommends that farmers should collectively pool productive resources together through cooperative society as these would enable them have access to financial resources, project a collective demand and benefit more from the practice of soil conservation measures. Also arable crop farmers should be encouraged to practice afforestation, as it will not only conserve the soil but also our climate. |
