Effectiveness of organic soil fertility management practices among maize farmers: An implication for food security in Oriire Local Government area of Oyo state.

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of organic soil fertility management practices among maize farmers in 0riire local government area of Oyo state. Data were obtained from one hundred and twenty respondents in the study area. The sampled respondents were purposively selected and a well structured interview schedule was used to collect information. To achieve the main objective, the study identified and discussed the socio – economic characteristics of the maize armers, identified the indices of soil fertility decline and also determined the benefits derived from the use of the management practices. Rank order correlation was used to determine the most effective practice used and the benefits derived from the introduced practices. Result of the findings revealed that majority of the respondents were in their active ages and married, also crop rotation and mixed cropping were found to be the most effective soil fertility practices used in the study area. Chi – square analysis shows that a significant relationship was found between age, sex, educational level,
primary occupation, years of farming experience, farm size and the choice of soil fertility management practices. The major findings from this research work revealed that there is little or no influence of extension services on soil fertility management practices in the study area and respondents were expecting so many gaps to be filled by extension agents in this aspect of farming. As a result of this, more extension agents should be recruited to the study area. Also the extension
agent should educate the farmers in area of their needs.