ASSESSMENT OF SOIL FERTILITY AND FARMERS MANAGEMENT PRACTICES UNDER RAIN FED AGRICULTURE IN GWAGWALADA AREA COUNCIL, FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, NIGERIA
ASSESSMENT OF SOIL FERTILITY AND FARMERS MANAGEMENT PRACTICES UNDER RAIN FED AGRICULTURE IN GWAGWALADA AREA COUNCIL, FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, NIGERIA
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Date
2011-04
Authors
MADAKI, YUSUF HARUNA
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Abstract
Gwagwalada is one of the area council of the FCT with one of its defined functions by
its master plan of supplying to the capital city, food and some agricultural raw
materials. This, studies is made to ascertain the soil fertility status and the farmer's
management practices in the area council. The aim is to assess the soil fertility status
and the farmer's management practices under rain-fed agriculture. Seven farming
communities of Giri-Wuna, Giyabiri, Ledi, Dadabiri, Paikon Kore, Tungan Mallam
Hassan and Gurfata were selected. From each farming community four bulked
samples was taken on farm plots and were analysed for key soil fertility properties
using standard laboratory procedures. SPSS 2008 version was used to analyse the data
generated from the laboratory analysis to test for significant difference amongst the
locations using ANOVA and between pairs of locations using t-test. The farmer's
management practices were assessed using structured questionnaire and personal
interview with the farmers in various farming communities. The soil fertility status
was rated based on the rating scale adapted from soil survey staff (USDA) of 1975.
The result of ANOVA shows no significant difference for most of the soil properties
except for silt, bulk density, Exch. Mg, Exch. Acidity, pH and SAR. Most of the pairs
of locations also show no significant difference. The results of soil ratings show that
most of the soil properties tested are within satisfactory range for annual cropping of
cereals and tubers for which the study area is known for. The soil management survey
reveals that most of the active farmers are above 36 years of age who have not
acquired any form of formal training and own more than three farm plots of not less
than 8 hectares. The major crops grown in the area are yams, guinea corn and maize.
The major degradation reported and assessed in the area is weak aggregation of soils.
The basic systems of farming in the area are mixed cropping in Giri-Wuna, Giyabiri,
xiv Ledi, Dadabiri and Paikon Kore and mixed farming in Tungan Mallam Hassan. Bush
fallowing and crop rotation are important soil conservation methods in the area but
farmers also use manure and chemical fertilizers to improve their soil fertility
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
NIGERIA
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MASTERS
IN GEOGRAPHY
DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
NIGERIA
Keywords
SOIL FERTILITY ,, FARMERS,, RAIN FED,, AGRICULTURE,, GWAGWALADA AREA COUNCIL,, FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, NIGERIA