Determinants of adoption and intensity of use of organic fertilizer in northern Nigeria

Abstract

Animal manure is one of the principal sources of nutrients for soil fertility maintenance and crop production in sub-Saharan Africa. Farm-level decision concerning the use of manure is governed by socioeconomic and institutional factors, as much as by agronomic and ecological concerns. Using data from a sample of 320 farm households obtained from 16 geographic information system (GIS)-referenced villages with the mapping of resource use domains of human population density and market access, the study assessed the determinants of manure use in northern Nigeria. A Tobit model analysis of manure use revealed that livestock ownership, proportion of own-land, distance to tarred road, and the exchange of crop residues for manure positively influenced the probability of adoption and intensity use of manure. On the other hand, land area cropped and crop diversification had a negative influence on the probability of adoption and intensity of manure use. Results show that manure use varies from one resource use domain to another. The results suggest that policies which promote the depth of organic fertilizer use by smallholders in West African savannas will bolster crop-livestock integration and sustainable food production.

Key words: Manure use; Soil fertility management; Geographic information system; Resource use domains; Tobit