Vegetable Farmers’ Perception of Adoption of Organic Farming in Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was designed to investigate vegetable farmers’ perception of organic farming in Oyo state, Nigeria. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select 134 vegetable farmers in the state. Quantitative data were collected using structured interview schedule, and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Result shows that vegetable farmers in the area are mostly male (63.4%), married (84.4%), with mean age of 41.2 ± 9 years. All (100.0%) of the respondents were aware of organic farming practices. However, majority had unfavourable perception of organic agricultural practices. This is in spite of the high level of benefits derived from organic farming practices among majority (66.4%). Major constraints to the practice of organic farming included health hazards associated with handling organic manure (( = 2.27), lack of institutional supports ( = 2.27) and inadequacy of land availability ( =2.27). There were significant relationships between respondents’ sex (?2=7.490, p = 0.006); educational level (?2=36.498, p = 0.000), age (r = 0.260, P=0.002); farm size (r = 176, P=0.042), constraints to organic farming (r 0.208, P=0.016) and their perception of organic farming. There istherefore the need to give incentives as well as provide adequate institutional supports to farmers so as to encourage organic vegetable production among farmers in Oyo State.