FACTORS INFLUENCING ADOPTION OF AGROFORESTRY FARMING SYSTEM AS A MEANS FOR SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION METHOD IN JERE LGA, BORNO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Farmers were exposed to agroforestry but did not adopt the system due to some perceived factors. However, unless they adopt agroforestry farming system, the potential benefits of the technology for livelihood improvement and sustainable environmental management will not be realized. Thus, this study was carried out to assess the factors influencing adoption of agroforestry farming systems as a means for sustainable environmental conservation method in Jere L.G.A of Borno State. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select the respondents for this study. A total of one hundred and twenty (120) respondents interviewed for the study. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics which include fre­quency distributions, means, and percentages. The ordered logistic regression was used to estimate the factors influencing the adoption of agroforestry as a means of sustainable conservation practices by farmers in the study area. The result revealed that majority of the farmers were aware of agroforestry mostly through their farmers’ association. The major factors that positively influenced adoption of agroforestry include gender, household size, extension services and farming experience. Despite the numerous benefits of agroforestry to environmental conservation, farmers were constrained by land fragmentation possibly due to inheritance, inadequate nurseries where seeds/seedlings can be accessed, inadequate incentives and poor government policies, poor access to extension services, inadequate capital, long gestation period of trees, damage caused by animals/humans, limited use of machineries and unavailability of labour. It was recommended that land fragmentation should be discouraged, extension services, seedlings and incentives should also be provided to farmers in the study area to encourage and motivate them to go into agroforestry farming to sustain environmental conservation in the area.