AKSU Journal of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development

Integrated Soil Management Practices among Arable Crop Farmers in Abia State, Nigeria: Ordered Probit Model Approach

Author:  Amusa, T. A and Ogbonna, M. J

Abstract
The study examined integrated soil management practices among arable crop farmers in Abia State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was adopted in selecting 120 arable crop farmers across the state. Primary data were collected from the farmers through the use of structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using charts, ordered probit model and principal components factor analysis. The results showed that 80%, 75%, 71%, 69% and 48% of the crop farmers practiced minimum tillage, inorganic fertilizers, farm yard manure, mulching and crop rotation respectively for soil management. Other components of integrated soil management techniques in use among the farmers include: zero deforestation (45.0%), green manure (44.0%), cover cropping (43.0%), compost making (35.0%), bush fallowing (27.0%) and waterways (27.0%) among others. the result of the ordered probit model analysis show that the chi2 statistics is highly significant (p<0.0000) while the explanatory power of the factors as reflected by Pseudo R 2 was quite high (0.6934). The significant variables that influenced farmers’ practice of the options of the integrated soil management are: age, experience, education, credit access, extension visits, land topography and farm size at the 1% and 5% level of significant. The result of the principal component factor analysis grouped the challenges of farmers in integrated soil management into three factors which are soil condition/personal factor (illiteracy among the farmers (0.751), poor nature of the soil in the area (0.667) etc), institutional / environmental factor (lack of access to supporting facilities (0.474), bad topography of the land (- 0.577) etc) and financial factor (inadequate finance for soil management activities (-0.490), lack of soil conversation materials such as fertilizer / manure, seedling for agroforestry (0.591) etc). The study recommends that government and its relevant agencies at all levels should provide necessary resources to smallholder arable crop farmers and increase their knowledge through training in effective soil management for improved yield and productivity to boost food production and food security.