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Abstract
This study addresses the economic analysis and pattern of agrochemicals use among smallholder crop farmers in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. A multistage random sampling technique was used to select 144 small-scale crop farmers interviewed for the study. Descriptive statistics and farm budgeting techniques were used for data analysis. The result shows that a typical small-scale crop farmer in the study area is, on average, a 31-year-old male with 11 to 20 years of farming experience. These groups of farmers also cultivate 0.78 hectares and have a household size of 8. Herbicides are the predominant agrochemical used during the survey; it was mostly applied both before and after crop emergence. Usually, pesticides were applied without following safety instructions. Users of agrochemicals obtained a total gross margin of USD 1,469.95 per hectare with a profitability ratio of 1.22 which indicates that farming is a profitable business in the study area. The study recommends to increase awareness on farmer safety measures when handling agrochemicals; and to establish educational programs that will educate farmers on how to safely use agrochemicals.