Economic Analysis Of Soil Conservation Practices Among Crop Farmers In Enugu State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

The broad objective of the study was to analyze the economics of soil conservation practices in

Enugu State. This study employed multistage random sampling technique for selecting the

respondents. First stage involved simple random selection of one local government area from

each of the three (3) agricultural zones. Then three (3) farming communities were selected from

each of the three selected local government areas. This gave a total of nine (9) communities for

the study. Secondly, ten (10) farm households were randomly selected from each of the three

farming communities, making a total of ninety (90) farm households. Well structured and pretested

questionnaire, personal observation and focus group discussion were used for data

collection. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical, multinomial logit model, partial

budget and a composite benefit- cost simulation model. The study showed that most of the

farmers adopted more than one soil conservation practice. The conservation practices adopted

most by the farmers included; animal and green manure application (100% and 85.55%

respectively), cover crop planting (70%), construction of erosion control structures (57.77%),

multiple cropping (45.55%) and reduced tillage (40%), incorporation of crop residues ( 26.66%),

mulching ( 23.33%), crop rotation ( 21.11%), fallowing ( 14.44%), across slope-cultivation

(12.22%), planting of perennial grass barriers (11.11%) and vegetation planting (8.88%s).

Majority of the farmers were males (75.56%), the mean age of the farmers was forty six years,

and about eighty seven percent (87%) of the farmers had a house hold size of six to ten persons.

Majority of the farmers (725%) used family labour, and 53.35% of the farm land was

individually owned by the farmers. An increase in farm size showed significant (P