Adoption pattern of fertilizer technology among farmers in the ecological zones of Southwest Nigeria : a tobit analysis

摘要

Using data from a survey of smallholder farm operators in two major ecological zones of Osun State in Southwest Nigeria, this paper empirically evaluates the determinants of farmers' fertilizer adoption decisions as well as the level and intensity of use of the technology using a Tobit regression model. With a multi-stage sampling technique, data were collected from 160 respondents through survey and also complemented with focus group discussion (FGDs) sessions in the agro-climatic zones of the state. Availability of fertilizer, farm size and net farm income affect farmers' adoption and use of fertilizer technology in the study area. Decomposition of fertilizer adoption elasticity revealed that the availability of fertilizer exerts greater impacton the probability of its adoption and use in the Rain forest and Derived savanna zones. Farm size also recorded similar impact in the Rain forest zone. However, farmers' probability of adoption and non-adoption accounted for more of fertilizer technology response than did the elasticity of the use intensity. Thus, a policy that increases the quantity of fertilizer made available to farmers will encourage the adoption and use of the technology in improving the land resource potential.