ABSTRACT

The study was carried out to analyze the indigenous knowledge system for soil fertility management among maize farmers in selected Local Government areas of Kaduna State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: described the socio-economic characteristics and institutional factors of the farmers; identify the indicators for fertility decline and management practices employed by the farmers as well as the socio-economic characteristics influencing the adoption of indigenous knowledge system for soil fertility management. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 152 farmers for the study. Descriptive statistics were used to describe socioeconomic and institutional characteristics, indicators for fertility decline and management practices employed by the farmers. Logit regression analysis was employed to analyze the socio-economic characteristics influencing the adoption of indigenous knowledge system for soil fertility management. The results showed that the average age, farming experience and years spent on education of the farmers were 42, 13 and 12 years with an average household size of 12 persons. Mixed cropping, application of organic manure, supplementation of organic fertilizer with inorganic fertilizers and crop residues were the frequently used indigenous methods of maintaining soil fertility in the study area. The result also showed that age, education, farming experience and farm size were positive and significantly influencing the application of indigenous knowledge system for soil fertility management except education which was negatively influencing the application. The impact of indigenous knowledge system for soil fertility management on the farmers' yield was statistically significant at 1% level of probability. Inadequate labour, shortage and fragmentation of land and grazer's encroachment on farm lands were major constraints to indigenous methods of maintaining soil fertility by maize farmers. It was recommended that, indigenous knowledge system in soil fertility management should be encouraged particularly for subsistent maize farmers to improve soil fertility. Indigenous knowledge system in soil fertility management to be preserved and transmitted to the younger generation, it must be practiced and for it to be included in the education system it must be well documented and adapted to the current social system.