DETERMINATION OF AWARENESS AND UTILIZATION LEVELS OF ORGANIC FARMING PRACTICES BY ARABLE CROP FARMERS IN ABAK AGRICULTURAL ZONE OF AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the awareness and utilization levels of organic farming practices by arable crop farmers in Abak Zone of Akwa Ibom State Agricultural Development Programme (AKADEP), Nigeria. A total of 160 arable crop farmers were selected using a multistage sampling technique. Primary data were gathered through the use of a structured questionnaire and oral interview. Descriptive and Inferential statistics were used to analyze the data collected. The findings revealed that 66.88percent of the respondents were male, 57.5percent were below 50 years, 86.25percent were married and 80.62percent had formal education. The mean household size was 6 members while 42.50percent had about 20 years of faming experiences and used a combination of family and hired labour in their farming business. Also, 70.63percent had between 1.5 and 2 hectares of farmland, 81.25percent practiced mixed cropping, 49.38percent acquired their farmland through inheritance and most farmers engaged in farming as their major occupation. All the respondents were aware of mixed cropping and the use of organic manure. Also, 99.38, 95.62, 93.12, 90.0, 86.88, 77.50percent were aware of, and utilized improved varieties, organic fertilizers, animal dung, crop rotation, minimum tillage and cover cropping respectively. However, a good proportion, (45.62, 36.92 and 30.62percent) have low knowledge of alley cropping, integrated pest management and bio-control respectively. The result of hypotheses tested showed that awareness had a significant influence on the utilization of organic farming practices. The study recommends that that Agricultural Development Agencies should intensify efforts in creating awareness on the benefits and importance of organic farming practices for widespread utilization among arable crop farmers.