Farmers' Knowledge of Land Degradation Issues in Ganga District, Daura Emirate, Katsina State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study described here examined farmers' knowledge about land degradation; their understanding and interpretation of factors related to soil fertility decline; their responses to land degradation; their views on the seriousness of the problem; how their perceptions influenced the management practices of their farmlands within the study area; variations in farmers' perception of land degradation / soil fertility decline across Ganga District (Ganga, Godai, Shadambu, Tambu, and Mazoji); and the influence of level of education, gender, and age on farmers' perceptions of land degradation / soil fertility decline issues in Ganga District of Daura Local Government Area, Katsina State. A total of 240 semi-structured questionnaires were administered to respondents within the study area, supplemented by oral interviews and field observations. Purposeful sampling technique was used to select famers actively involved in farming practices in the area. The farmers were surveyed between December 2008 to January 2009,...