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© Kamla-Raj 2004 Anthropologist, 6(4): 283-288 (2004)
Rural Communties and Indigenous Knowledge Systems in a Changing World: Soil Fertility Conservation Practices Amongst Farmers
O. D. Kolawole
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria E-mail: toyin_kolawole@yahoo.com
KeyWords Community. Indigenous Knowledge Systems/Practices. Culture Lag. Soil Fertility Conservation. Farmers
ABSTRACT The paper identified the community factors associated with indigenous knowledge practices in soil fertility conservation amongst farmers in Ekiti State, Nigeria. It specifically identified various indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) utilized in conserving soil fertility; identified the reasons for utilizing the IKS practices in soil fertility conservation; identified the problems associated with IKS utilization in soil fertility conservation; and analysed community-related factors associated with the use of IKS in conserving soil fertility.The study was conducted using a multi-stage sampling procedure to sample opinions of 250 farmers in 20 communities that were randomly selected from the five administrative divisions of the State, namely: Ekiti North; Ekiti West; Ekiti East; Ekiti South; and Ekiti Central of Ekiti State. Pre-tested structured and unstructured interview schedules were used to elicit information from the interviewees. Frequency distribution, percentages, mean and standard deviation were used to describe the data. Inferential statistics such as correlation and regression analyses were also used to test the hypotheses.The result showed that at P £ 0.01 and 0.05 levels of significance, there was a significant relationship between IKS practices and community-related factors such as: cultural pattern (r=0.128); presence of agric-oriented people (r=0.183); lack of faction and dispute (r= 0.213); decision-making pattern (r= -0.131); and people’s attitude (t=-4.585). Six commonest practices such as mulching, organic manure application, shifting cultivation, crop rotation, trash burning and bush fallow were found to be in use amongst farmers in Ekiti State. Most (80%) farmers were of the opinion that IKS practices were cheaper, economically advantageous (80%) and ecologically favourable (30%).
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