An assessment of fertilizer supply, distribution and the efficiency of its utilization among small scale farmers in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

Abstract

Fertilizer, apart from promoting the breakup of unproductive soil, turning it into a productive growing medium and suppressing pathogenic soil organisms, also aid in replenishing and maintaining long-term soil fertility by providing optimal conditions for soil biological activity. However prospects for sustainable food security in Nigeria will remain uncertain if strategies are not developed to increase food production through proper cultural practices by farmers. This study is designed to examine fertilizer supply, distribution as well as the efficiency of its utilization among the small scale farmers in Borgu Local Government area of Niger State. Multi stage sampling techniques were used for this study where ten village areas were selectively clustered out of the ten existing districts or wards as the primary sampling units where agricultural practices are intense. Farmers from each village were purposively selected within each cluster of the ten districts as the secondary sampling units, to whom one hundred and twelve copies of questionnaire were administered to randomly. The result from the findings show that, the modal age group fall within the age range of 41-50 years, which is an agriculturally active part of population and represents 33.0% with 43.0% representing full time farmers. The result of the production function analysis reveals that the estimated coefficient ofX2 (Quantity of fertilizer utilized) was statistically significant at the 0.05 level. Allocative efficiency of fertilizer utilization, using marginal analysis reveals that fertilizer is underutilized with an index number of 17.475 which is greater than 1, this is depictive of the fact that farmers in the study area are operating in Stage 1 of the classical production function which is an irrational stage of production. Farmers are advised to increase the use of the said input. Government however should ensure timely availability of fertilizer at a subsidized rate and with a good delivery system.