Are Farmers Using Agricultural Conservation Practices for Sustainable Food Production? Insights from Land Degraded Regions in Rural Areas of Anambra State, Nigeria

Aims: This study assessed farmers’ use of soil and water conservation practices and implications for agricultural extension agents in Anambra State, Nigeria. Methodology: Purposive sampling technique was used in selecting eighty respondents from four town communities in Anambra state where intensive crop farming is carried out in the state. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression were used to analyze the data. Results: Findings indicated that the major soil conservation practices used by the farmers were; returning crop residues to the soil to decay as manure (95.0%), use of herbicides for weed control (90.0%) and establishment of cut-off drains due to flooding (88.8%), among others. With respect to water conservation practices used by the respondents, the majority of the respondents practice regeneration of useful trees, crops and shrubs (85.0%) and the establishment and protection of watersheds (68.8%). The multiple regression results showed that number of years spent acquiring formal education (t = 0.01), household size (t = 0.04), ownership of livestock (t = 0.00) and membership in social organization (t = 0.05) significantly influenced farmers’ use of soil conservation practices, while sex (t = 0.03) significantly influenced their use of water conservation practices. The more serious constraints to the use of soil and water conservation practices as perceived by the respondents include: inadequate government support    (M = 2.79), increase in price(s) of input (M = 2.74) and the high cost of recommended technologies (M = 2.74), among others. Conclusion: The respondents were generally medium and low users of soil and water conservation practices, respectively thereby implying that farmers may either not have adequate knowledge or the right behaviour/attitude to the use of these conservation practices. Hence, extension agents have a big role to play in improving the knowledge/skills of farmers and modify their behaviour/attitude towards the use of conservation practices. Also, extension agents should improve the dissemination of unambiguous, easily understood and accurate information about land improvement options and strategies among farmers so as to enable them conserve soil and water resources for improved and sustained food production.