Determinants Of Fertilizer Use Research Articles

Determinants of inorganic fertilizer use by smallholder farmers in South Wollo and Oromia special administrative zones, Ethiopia


 
 
 The study investigated the determinants of fertilizer use by smallholder farmers. Data were drawn from 207 smallholder farmers, experts, and respective office heads using structured and semi-structured interview schedules, Key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Data were analysed using percentage, mean and standard deviation and linear regression model. About 94% of the farmers had the willingness to apply inorganic fertilizer on their farmland. An increasing price of inorganic fertilizer (96%), poor demand estimation (82%), delay in distribution (78%), lack of attention for the irrigation production system (65%), and unfair distribution/nepotism (61%) are the top-ranked challenges affecting inorganic fertilizer use. The existence of more active labour forces in the family (dy/dx = 20.4, t = 2.49), farmsize (dy/dx = 14.53, t = 3.82), ownership (dy/dx = 75 .13, t = 10.64), total income (dy/dx = 0.00024, t = 2.24), use of credit service (dy/dx = 31.11, t = 1.94), and frequency of extension contact (dy/dx = 24.60, t = 2.07), were found significantly promoting the amount of fertilizer use by smallholder farmers. Actions such as real demand estimation, arranging agricultural implements, and fertilizer subsidy for resource-poor farmers should be implemented to ensure food self-sufficiency.
 
 

Farmers’ Fertilizer Application Gap In Ricebased Cropping System: A Case Studyof Nepal

Low adoption of improved agricultural practices is one of the major challenges to improve food security. A case study was carried out to assist the farmer’s fertilizer application gap in rice cultivation in Nepal. To collect data a household survey was conducted in 2017 by selecting 90 households randomly from rice growing pocket area of Banke district of Nepal. The rates of fertilizers use were assessed in relation to farm size, crop variety, irrigation etc. The applications of both organic and mineral fertilizers vary highly by farmer type. Small and medium farmers applied twice the amount of organic manure compared to large farmers. For inorganic fertilizer use, large farmers applied higher amounts of nitrogen (N) fertilizer compared to medium and small farmers. Across farmer types, a higher amount of N and P fertilizers was used for hybrid varieties than inbred varieties and in irrigated fields than in rainfed fields. The use of potassium (K) fertilizer was low and not affected by farmer type or variety. Overall, farmers used a lower amount of N and K and a higher amount of P than the recommendation. The imbalanced use of fertilizers was associated with poor access to agricultural extension services. Variations of fertilizer use among farmers and the role of extension in the adoption of improved practices are still underresearched, and hence this study exposes the need to investigate indepth knowledge, determinants of fertilizer use and role of extension education. Results from this study could be important to develop an innovative extension program using multiple channels to increase farmers’ access to and awareness regarding balanced use of fertilizers to increase soil fertility and crop productivity.
 SAARC J. Agri., 17(2): 267-277 (2019)

Determinants of fertilizer use in Maharashtra

The study was conducted for regionwise determinants of fertilizer use for major crops in Maharashtra. Regression model was used to study the determinants of fertilizer use in year 2013-14 for selected major crops viz., paddy, wheat, Rabi jowar , gram, red gram, oilseeds, groundnut and soybean, cotton and sugarcane in the area under study. At overall level in Maharashtra state determinants of fertilizer use of major crops showed that, irrigated area under crops showed positive relationship with fertilizer consumption in case of wheat, cotton and Adsali sugarcane. Gross family income received has significant positive association with the fertilizer consumption in groundnut and gram. Fertilizer expenditure incurred showed significant positive association with the consumption of fertilizers in red gram and cotton. The variable one year lagged price of crop output observed to be positive and significant in case of wheat and gram. Area under commercial crop showed significant influence on fertilizer consumption in red gram and Rabi jowar . Fertilizer expenditure in wheat and soybean crop, gross family income in cotton crop, one year lagged price in red gram and Rabi jowar crop and area under commercial crop in gram output had negatively significant effect output of these crops for varied reasons ranging from less preference for staple crop, excess inventory in the market and over use of resource resulting in declining in marginal product. The variable rainfall depicted a significant influence on fertilizer consumption in cotton and soybean crop. All these variables together explained 71 to 89 per cent of total variation in the consumption of fertilizes in all the selected crops.

Socioeconomic Factors Determining Fertilizer Use in China for Different Crops: Same Factors, Different Effects

This study examines if the determinants of fertilizer use are the same across crops. Previous socioeconomic studies usually focus on all crops in total or one major crop. Only data from farmers on wheat–maize rotation are used to ensure identical sample. Results indicate differences in factors affecting fertilizer use between two crops. Design of fertilizer policy should take crop differences into consideration. Studies on the socioeconomic determinants of fertilizer use intensity usually analyze the total fertilizer use for all crops as a whole or focus only on fertilizer use for the main crop in the region. This article examines if the determinants of fertilizer use are consistent across different crops. Four years of panel data were collected from annual household surveys in Hebei province, China. The data include only households who practice wheat–maize rotation to generate an identical sample for comparing the determinants of fertilizer use in wheat and maize production (N = 1467). A fixed‐effects regression is used to estimate the effects of socioeconomic factors on the intensity of fertilizer use for wheat and maize, respectively, while controlling for unobserved effects. The results indicate that there is inconsistency in the determinants of fertilizer use intensity between the two crops. Labor availability, crop share in food consumption, and farming diversity affect fertilizer use intensity for wheat and maize differently. These findings suggest that crop type matters when examining the socioeconomic determinants of fertilizer use and that current and future fertilizer policies should take crop differences into consideration, for example when identifying potential target groups in fertilizer subsidy programs and development projects where fertilizer is distributed.

Determinants of Fertilizer Use in Arable Crop Production among Small Holder Farmers in Osun State, Nigeria

Over the last three decades food insecurity is increasing in the nations of the world, different strategies were embarked upon to prevent the explosion of this problem one of which is the innovation of improved input materials for agriculture. The use of fertilizer is a result of improved technologies put in place; and since it was introduced farmers have different perception about it, hence difference in level of use of fertilizer among farmers which is due to different factors. The study evaluated the factors influencing the use of fertilizer in arable crop production among smallholder farmers in Osun State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was adopted to obtained information from 120 respondents using purposive and random selection. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis. Results showed that total farm output in naira, level of education, farm size, number of farmland owned and total cost of crop inputs were important factors influencing farmers’ use of fertilizer in arable crop production while gender, age, family size, price of fertilizer and income from other farm enterprise owned by farmers were not significant and can constitute the constraints to the use of fertilizer. Based on these, it was recommended that government and other policy makers therefore need to increase farmers’ knowledge and skills through formal and informal educational institutions such as extension services, public awareness programs to enhance the use of fertilizer among arable crop farmers, resulting in increase in agricultural productivity and food security of the country.

Impact of Soil Health Card on Determinants of Fertilizer Consumption and Fertilizer Use Efficiency in Gujarat, India

The present study was undertaken with a view to assess the impact of soil health card to identify the factors affect on fertilizer consumption and fertilizer use efficiency in sugarcane and kharif paddy crops in South Gujarat region of Gujarat State. The multistage random sampling technique comprised of 224 farmers was taken for the study. The production function analysis employed for determinants of fertilizer use indicated that annual total income of farmers, short term credit, one year lagged price and educational level were found the major influencing factors for determining fertilizers consumption in sugarcane and kharif paddy in general, for with and without Soil Health Card farmers. The production function analysis employed for fertilizer use efficiency indicated that there existed a variation in the production elasticities of resource inputs between the crops and groups of farmers under study. In general, area under the crop, human labours, phosphorus and other working capital were the important resource variables positively and significantly influencing the crop output in general for with and without Soil Health Card farmers. The nitrogen and manure showed the negative and significant effect on crops output when farmers used these resources excessively.

Determinants of fertilizer use among small-holder farmers in wetland region of Cross River State.

The study modelled and estimated the fertilizer demand function for wetland farmers in Cross River State. Stratified random sampling method was used to collect cross sectional data from 130 wetland farmers with the help of a well structured questionnaire and personal interview schedules. Ordinary Least Squares Method was used to estimate the specified equation. The results reveal that household size, household consumption expenditure, number of poultry birds kept by farmers, number of goats owned and perceived price of fertilizer have negative effect on fertilizer demand. Education of the farmer, farm size, extension agent contact, farm income, ability to predict rainfall, modern communication facilities, output of maize and mixed cropping in combination with maize have positive influence on fertilizer demand. Also policies that reduce production constraints and household size were recommended. In addition, policies that strengthen the present extension programme and improve rural infrastructures would help to reduce production cost while increasing fertilizer demand and farmers wellbeing.KEY WORD: Fertilizer, Wetland, Farmer, Demand, Policy

Determinants of fertilizer use on maize in Eastern Ethiopia: A weighted endogenous sampling analysis of the extent and intensity of adoption

Factors influencing the extent and intensity of fertilizer adoption on maize production in Ethiopia were analyzed. A Weighted Endogenous Sampling Maximum Likelihood estimator was used in the specification of a Probit and Tobit fertilizer adoption models. The results have important implications for the formulation of policies and programs targeted to promotion of fertilizer use in small-scale maize production. Those include improved road infrastructure, consideration of weather related crop failure insurance programs, development of drought tolerant cultivars and targeting particular farmer groups.

Stages and determinants of fertilizer use in semiarid African agriculture: the Niger experience

AbstractFertilization is a stepwise decision in Niger. Survey data from a representative sample of 100 households were utilized with individual and joint estimation to evaluate the determinants of fertilizer use at its three different stages: manure alone and two different types of inorganic fertilizer application. The fertilizer price relative to the millet price was always a highly significant determinant of fertilizer adoption. Farmers' experience in seeing the results of fertilization in the field was a principal factor influencing the use of manure and of the micro‐fertilization. Other studies in semiarid regions have emphasized risk, liquidity, or fertilizer responsiveness under harsh conditions but the shift to the micro doses of inorganic fertilizer was statistically associated here with the demonstration trials and the price ratios (fertilizer/millet). A variable reflecting the millet price recovery approximately 6 months after harvest was the most important factor in the decision to raise further inorganic fertilizer use with side dressing. Policy implications were focused on the importance of demonstration trials and improvements in the economic conditions (millet–fertilizer price ratios).