An Assessment of Farmers’ Training Needs on Drought Management Strategies for Improved Crops and Livestock Production in Northern Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed the farmers’ training needs on drought management strategies for improved crops and livestock production in Northern Nigeria Six Nigerian northern states were sampled based on the intensity of drought. 792 farmers were randomly selected for the study. Primary and secondary data were collected using questionnaire with trained enumerators. Validation of questionnaire for data collection and reliability test were carried out. The results revealed 38.5 years as the farmers’ mean age with household size of 9 persons. 84.5% of the farmers had formal education and average of 5.27ha of cultivated farm land. 80% of the farmers experienced reduction in crops’ yields and livestock production with higher income loss in livestock production. This is based on Adopter Perception Theory which argues that the adoption process starts with the perception that there is need to innovate. Researches had established that drought affect almost all agricultural activities. Finding revealed that the mean annual yield for the crop sector before drought occurrence varied between 1.12 tons/ha and 0.41 tons/ha, with a maximum of 50 tons/ha. Tuber crops production ranked first, while legumes took the last position for the period under consideration in this study. Therefore, under the crop sector, cereal crops’ farmers suffered the highest loss (0.43tons/ha) due to drought occurrence, while Tuber crop followed closely with 0.35tons/ha loss. In case of livestock, the mean annual loss is 13 and maximum of 330 birds but in terms of income loss, livestock was more than crop. Most farmers require training in the maintenance of water supply systems, drought risk management and access to drought-related information. This study provides basis for tackling the effects of drought in Northern Nigeria. It identifies training needs of farmers with a view to mitigate the menace of drought to enhance yield in the areas of crops and livestock production.