ABSTRACT

The study examined the level of adoption of fertilizer by food crop farmers in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State. The specific objectives were to: identify the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers, identify the types of fertilizer available to farmers, examine the level of adoption of fertilizer by food crop farmers, determine the factors affecting the adoption level of fertilizer by the respondents, and ascertain the problems militating against the adoption of fertilizer. One hundred and twenty farmers, randomly selected from circles that comprised the two blocks in the Local Government Area, were interviewed. Primary and secondary data were used in the study. The result revealed that respondents' average age was 54.4 years. Sixty-five percent of the farmers are males, while 35% are females. Sixty eight percent were married. Eighty seven percent of respondents had formal education. The average household size was five. Sixty-three percent of the respondents had contact with extension agents and 66.67% of the farmers were members of cooperative societies. The result further revealed that 61.67%, 10%, and 85.83% of the farmers used chemical fertilizer, compost manure and farm-yard manure respectively. On the level of adoption of fertilizer, the mean adoption score was 1.58, which is below average. Farm-yard manure had the highest adoption score (2.58), followed by chemical fertilizer (1.85) and compost manure (0.3). The reason advanced for adopting more of farm-yard manure is that it is readily available. The probit analysis on factors affecting the adoption level of fertilizer revealed that there is significant relationship between use of fertilizer and socio-economic characteristics of the respondents — age, farm size, membership of cooperative society and contact with extension staff. The major problems associated with fertilizer adoption include; cost (85%), scarcity (65.83%), untimely distribution (58.67%) and the danger associated with its use (18.33%). On the basis of these findings, it is recommended that the private sector should establish fertilizer production plants to augment the ones already established by the government. There should be also proliferation of fertilizer distribution points so that farmers can get access to them and at a reduced cost. Extension should as a matter of urgency organize more training programmes in forms of field days, workshops and seminar to educate farmers on how to prepare and use fertilizers. Farmers should be encouraged to belong to cooperative societies in order to get information on availability of fertilizer within their area. There should be improved road network for easy distribution of fertilizer.