Determinants to Soil Water Conservation Techniques Adoption among Farmers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

This study examines soil water conservation techniques adoption as a means towards increased food production, income generation and poverty reduction among farming households in Akwa Ibom State. 90 farmers/respondents were randomly selected from the three Senatorial Districts of Uyo, Ikot Ekpene and Eket that make up the study area. Frequency counts, means and percentages were the tools of analysis using tables to summarize the results. The logit regression model is used to ascertain the determinants to soil-water conservation adoption among farmers in the study location. Findings reveal that most of the farmers have adopted one form of soil water conservation or the other since the inception of their farming business especially in erosion and drought prune locations. A very negligible percentage (8.89%) of the farmers that have not used any conservation method attributed it to their cultural belief, no erosion problem and operating on few and less than 1 hectare of farmland on subsistence level to feed the family. The results also reveal that apart from marital status and farming system all other explanatory variables specified in the models were significant determinants to soil water conservation techniques adoption. More extension contacts, increased micro credit and effective marketing systems are recommended. Keywords: Determinants, Adoption, Farmers, soil water conservation techniques

Farm Level Soil Water Conservation Techniques and Poverty among Farmers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

This study examines soil water conservation techniques adoption as a means towards increased food production, income generation and poverty reduction among farming households in Akwa Ibom State. 90 farmers/respondents were randomly selected from the three Senatorial Districts of Uyo, Ikot Ekpene and Eket that make up the study area. Frequency counts, means and percentages were the tools of analysis using tables to summarize the results. Other analytical tools included the Gross Margin, Profit, Regression models and the Foster, Greer and Thorbecke (FGT) weighted index model to ascertain the performance of the various soil water conservation techniques in terms of income generation, level of adoption and poverty reduction among farmers in the study area. Findings reveal that most of the farmers have adopted one form of soil water conservation or the other since the inception of their farming business especially in erosion and drought prune locations having N7, 549,670 and N7, 297,640 gross margin and profit respectively as returns. A very negligible percentage (8.89%) of the farmers that have not used any conservation method attributed it to their cultural belief, no erosion problem and operating on few and less than 1 hectare of farmland on subsistence level to feed the family. 57.78% of the farmers lived above poverty line while a negligible percentage (14.44%) are the extreme poor. The results also reveal that apart from marital status and farming system all other explanatory variables specified in the models were significant determinants to soil water conservation techniques adoption. More extension contacts, increased micro credit and effective marketing systems are recommended. Keywords: Adoption, Farmers, Poverty, Income, conservation techniques

Determinants of Technical Efficiency in Irrigated Ornamental Plants Production System of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

There are obvious cases of low agricultural production and sluggish economic growth begging for immediate intervention in Nigeria. One of such is irrigated agriculture which is a catalyst of transformation, changing agriculture from subsistence level to commercial lines and giving substantial returns to farmers. The determinants of technical efficiency in irrigated floriculture were investigated. A total of 90 respondents/floriculturists were randomly selected from the six agricultural zones that make up the study area. Descriptive statistics and the stochastic production frontier function were the tools of analyses. More than 70.2% of the respondents are males in their very youthful age of between 21 and 50years. A total of 72.2% are graduates having between 5 and 10 years of farming experience. It is also revealed that farm size, capital, irrigation, fertilizer and planting materials were all positively and significantly related to technical efficiency. The variations among the respondents were largely influenced by age, level of education, farming experience and extension contacts. All the production resources were used below their economic optimum levels and floriculturists were producing below the maximum frontier, having their efficiency index between 0.10 and 0.98 with 0.86 as the mean. It is observed that there are potentials for improvement with high level of technical efficiency. Thus, increased farm size, more capital investment and more extension contacts are strongly advocated. Keywords: Farmers efficiency, irrigated production system, floriculture, economic growth, Nigeri