Socio-economic factors inuencing sh Farmers' Level of awareness of Organic Farming Practices in South -South, Nigeria.

Abstract

The study investigated the socioeconomic factors inuencing the level of awareness of organic farming practices among sh farmers in South-South Nigeria. The specic objectives of the study are to describe the socioeconomic characteristics of sh farmers in the study area, ascertain the level of use of organic sh farming practices and relate socioeconomic factors to the level of use of organic farming practices. Data for the study were obtained with a structured questionnaire. The sample size for the study was One hundred and fteen (115) sh farmers selected purposefully from the list of sh farmers provided by zone managers in the three states under study. The farmers selection were based on accessibility.. Data collected were analysed using multiple regression The ndings of the study revealed that sh farmers were aware of organic sh farming practices in the study area. .Farm size ( t =2.462; P< 0.05, contact with extension agents ( t = 2.282; P <0.05) had signicant relationship with level of awareness of organic sh farming practices), and. As farm size increases, the level of awareness of organic farming practices increases whereas increased extension contact culminated in increasing the level of awareness of organic sh farming practices. The study therefore recommends that training on organic sh production practices should be emphasized in extension activities in the
study area.