Determinants of farmers' perception of land degradation and adoption of soil conservation technologies among rice farmers in Osun-State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated farmers' perception of land degradation, and adoption of soil conservation practices using a two-stage decision making process. The data for the study were collected with the aid of structured questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive analysis and simultaneous probit model. The results show erosion as the major cause of land degradation and 69% of the farmers experienced a low level of crop loss to land degradation. Majority of the farmers (80%) prefer fertilizer application as a conservation method. Their level of education and membership of organization raise awareness of the farmers to land degradation problems. The actual adoption of conservation practices by the farmers is influenced by the extent to which they perceive land degradation to be a problem; level of education, ownership of farmland; farm size and percentage of crop loss.

Keywords: land degradation, perception and adoption, conservation practices, simultaneous probit model

Journal of Environmental Extension Vol 5 2005: 45-50