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Mar 30, 2024Keywords:
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Main Article Content
Assessment of Cropping Systems and Soil Amendment Strategies Used By Farmers in Etche L.G.A of Rivers State
Abstract
Research was undertaken to assess the cropping system and soil amendment strategies used by farmers in Etche L.G.A of Rivers State. Data was collected for the study using a structured questionnaire. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select crop farmers in the study area. The findings revealed that the majority of the respondents were female with no formal education. The average age of farmers was 35-45 years. The majority of the respondents cultivate less than one hectare of land. A greater number of farmers (72%) use inorganic fertilizer (NPK), and 15% use organic fertilizer such as poultry manure. Eighteen percent of the farmers do not apply any soil amendment. However, none of the farmers interviewed neither used agricultural lime or agrolyzer micronutrient fertilizer. Twenty percent of the farmers declined to use, and knowledge of biofertilizers and lime. On the choice of cropping system practice by farmers, the majority (87%) of the farmers in Etche L.G.A practice mixed intercropping with a higher percentage of farmers intercropping vegetables, and maize with root and tuber crops. In line with the findings, it was observed that farming operation in Etche L.G.A is subsistence and characterized by poor use of soil amendment which is a result of unavailability of such amendment and information gap. Therefore the research suggests the need to carry out a comprehensive capacity building of farmers on the best nutrient management options suitable for mixed intercropping system for the zone.
