Assessing soil quality issues for crop production function based on farmers’ perception: An experience from Itapaji Watershed in Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

To successfully manage soil quality for sustainable crop production, there is need toidentify issues affecting it. These are problems facing the capacity of soil to perform itsfunctions and thus reducing its productivity. In addition, the similarities and differencesbetween farmers’ perception of soil quality issues and that of soil scientist are verypertinent. This study, which was carried out at Itapaji watershed in Ikole local governmentarea of Ekiti state, aims at identifying soil quality issues using participatory approach andconventional method. Diagnostic survey was carried out using participatory approachinvolving farmers’ judgement using questionaires. . The resultswere analysed to identifythe soil quality issues from farmers’ perspectives. For conventional method, major soiltypes were identified and soil quality issues were identified using soil managementassessment framework. The relationship between the soil issues from farmers’ interviewand soil analysis were established by correlation analysis at α0.05. Soil quality issuesidentified by farmers are soil compaction, low soil fertility, termite infestation, crop wilt,hardpan formation, erosion, poor drainage and land use intensification. Low soil fertility isthe most prominent with about 36.2 % impact on crop production in the watershed.Conventionally from soil analysis, CEC and organic matter are low which indicate low soilfertility; there is high acidity, shallow soil depth with presence of plinthite and hard pan.The farmers’ perception of soil quality and that of soil scientists correlate well (r = 0.70).There is therefore need for promotion of farmers’ participation by providing a forum forarticulation of their opinions in mitigating low soil quality.