ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF SOIL CONSERVATION PRACTICES AMONG CROP FARMERS

1.1 Introduction

Soil conservation refers to the use of measures to protect the soil, the aim of maintaining or improving its natural fertility (FAO, 2001). It is also an investment to enhance the future productive capacity of the soil, it implies reducing risks of soil erosion to a tolerable limit. Soil is regarded as a natural body of loose and unconsolidated materials found on the earth’s surface; it is derived from weathered parent rock materials and decaying organic matters and it is composed of solid particles with liquid and or gases occupying the spaces between the particles (Ohaeri, 2000). Soil conservation entails not only control over erosion but all those other measures like correction of soil defects, application of manures and fertilizers, proper rotations, irrigation, drainage, which aim at maintaining the productivity of the soil at a high level (Government of India, 2006).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

1.2 Background of Study

Livelihoods of most of the rural households in Nigeria are dependent on land. The land resource has been employed in varied proportions to meet both subsistence needs and/or cash needs. Equally, farmers have long recognized that land cannot be used without limit. They have therefore experienced a decline in land productivity necessitating some actions on their part. Soil conservation refers to a temporary or permanent increase in the productive capacity of the land or its potential for environmental management. In economic terms, productive capacity is the attainable annual output of product yield, natural vegetation and water flow, at a fixed level of non-land inputs. Conservation Agriculture is the concept for resource-saving agricultural crop production that strives to achieve acceptable profits together with high and sustained production levels while concurrently conserving the environment (FAO, 2007).

According to Chomba (2004), the traditional redemptive action has been through land-fallow practices, clearing new land areas or crop rotation. However, with increasing land constraints in most areas, fallow periods have drastically declined. The traditional farming system that farmers have previously employed to sustain their productivity cannot any longer effectively work due to population pressure. The need for soil conservation arises due to signs of deteriorating agricultural environments which include erosion, flood disaster, desert encroachment and drought, deforestation, loss of land to other uses; if not checked, the soil becomes degraded. Soil degradation can be defined as a reduction in the land’s actual or potential uses. If this occurs, productivity is affected, leading to rise in the level of inputs and hence, costs needed to restore soil productivity (Ohaeri, 2000).

Hellin (2003) and Sanchez (2003) noted that sustained agricultural production in most sub-Saharan African countries is under threat due to declining soil fertility and loss of biomass. The smallholder farmers in these countries are quite aware of the declining trends in soil fertility, the reasons for this and its impact on yields and household food security. Many farmers also do know to some extent how to practice judicious management of their soils, using nutrients available in their vicinity and adopting agricultural practices geared towards soil fertility improvement such as improved fallow, agro forestry and biomass transfer (Johansson, 2001; Wickama and Mowo, 2001).

In Nigeria, one of the most serious problems of land-management is soil erosion. Soil erosion constitutes one of the greatest environmental and productivity problems, causing an estimated 30 million tonnes of soil loss annually. Although erosion is a natural process human land use policies also have an effect on erosion, especially industrial agriculture, deforestation, and urban sprawl (Montogomery, 2008, Kotke, 2007). Most of the severe and frightening soil erosion problems and catastrophes in Nigeria are found in many parts of South Eastern region where population densities and resource pressure in these parts rank among the highest in rural Africa. There have been several reports on this ravaging situation in the Southeast, the conditions, under which our kith and kin have to make their daily living in Nigeria, are hellish and inhuman (Orabuchi, 2006).

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Soil Conservation Practices among Crop Farmers.

1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that one of the most serious problems of land-management is soil erosion. Soil erosion constitutes one of the greatest environmental and productivity problems, causing an estimated 30 million tonnes of soil loss annually. Land degradation, especially soil erosion, soil nutrient depletion and soil moisture stress, is a major problem confronting many African countries (13th International Soil Conservation Organization Conference (ISCO), 2004). Environmental degradation in National, State and Community levels in Nigeria is now a critical issue posing serious threats to the populace (Ezemonye, 2007).

1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to analyze the Soil Conservation Practices among Crop Farmers. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To identify the methods/technologies used in combating soil degradation in the area under study;
2. To describe the intensity of adoption of selected soil conservation practices by the farmers;
3. To estimate the costs and benefits of selected methods of conserving the soil in the area under study;
4. To identify farmers’ constraints in the adoption of soil conservation practices;
5. To describe the socio-economic characteristics of farmers in the area under study;
6. To evaluate the relationship between socio-economic characteristics of farmers and the intensity of adoption of selected soil conservation practices;
7. To make policy recommendations based on the findings.

1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• What are the socio-economic attributes of farmers in the study area?
• What forms of soil degradation exist, and how do the farmers combat them?
• What is the intensity of adoption of soil conservation practices?
• What are costs incurred and benefits enjoyed by farmers using soil conservation techniques?
• What constraints militate against smallholder’s adoption of soil conservation practices?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: Socio-economic characteristics of the farmers have no significant influence on the intensity of adoption of selected soil conservation practices in the study area.
• H1: Socio-economic characteristics of the farmers have significant influence on the intensity of adoption of selected soil conservation practices in the study area.

Hypothesis Two

• H0: There is no significant difference between the benefits and costs of selected soil conservation practices in the study area.
• H1: There is significant difference between the benefits and costs of selected soil conservation practices in the study area.

1.7 Significance of Study

This study would also serve as an exploratory step to identifying the techniques and socio-economic factors affecting soil conservation by small-scale farmers which would then serve as criteria model for agricultural production policy in future. It would create awareness of the benefits or losses to be encountered in soil conservation methods in the study area. Vital information would also be made available to agencies involved in setting or making soil conservation practices available in the study area.

This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.

1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Economic Analysis of Soil Conservation Practices among Crop Farmers in Enugu State.

1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

1.10 Definition of Terms

Soil Conservation: It refers to the use of measures to protect the soil, the aim of maintaining or improving its natural fertility (FAO, 2001).