Abstract

Ordinaka C. Frank, Anayor B. O, Ogbonnaya G. H D. S. Abasi and Eket M. Ozeh

This study specifically modeled poultry litter equation among Telfairia occidentalis farmers in Ikot Ekpene area of Akwa Ibom State in Southern Nigeria. One hundred and twenty Telfairia (fluted pumpkin) farmers were randomly sampled and used for this study. Structured questionnaires were used to collect the data needed for the analysis. Logit model regression based on the maximum likelihood estimation was specified and used to analyze the data collected. The choice of the Logit model was based on the nature of the dependent variable which was a probability or decision based variable. The explanatory variables used in this study were derived following a careful review of the literature and observed characteristics of the respondents. The result of the empirical estimation revealed that age, education, farm size, previous year’s harvest, farming practice adopted, farming experience, soil management practice, farm income, off-farm income and household expenditure were important determinants of the Telfairia farmers’ decision to use poultry litter in the study area. Based on the findings, it was recommended that Telfairia farmers in the study area should be exposed to more years of formal education so as to enhance organic manure technology adoption. Efforts should be channeled towards sensitizing the Telfairia farmers on the need to embrace the family planning programme so as to reduce the household size and expenditure. This will enhance increase farm budget allocation and hence organic manure utilization. This study also advocated mixed crop farming system among Telfairia farmers as this will reduce production risk and increase the tendency of poultry litter usage. In addition, the study supported agricultural income diversification among Telfairia farmers; this will guarantee increase in aggregate income of farmers and hence poultry litter usage even in the face of increased household expenditure.