Assessment Of Socio-Economic Attributes Of Smallholder Farmers On Organic Farming In Isoko North Local Government Area Of Delta State

The study assessed the attributes of socio-economic characteristics of small-holder farmers on organic farming (OF) in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria. A purposive sampling technique was used to select eighty non-certified organic farmers. Frequency count, mean, and percentages were used for description; chi-square and regression analysis were used in data analysis. Most of the farmers were female, with 61% of them married. More than 56% of the respondents owned farms smaller than 0.32 ha and were subsistence farmers. Also not less than 50% of the farmers earned income above N300.000 per annum ($1.72 per day), which is above the international poverty line of $2.15 per day as recommended. The regression results on the socioeconomic variables that attributes to organic farming in the study area revealed that education and awareness (Pro/t/= 0.0028), availability of organic inputs (Pro/t/= 0.0258), cultural preferences (Pro/t/= 0.0001), government policies and regulations (Pro/t/= 0.0001), and environmental conditions (Pro/t/= 0.0001). The R2 value indicates that the independent variables have been able to give account of 92% of the dependent variable. At a calculated Chi-square (X2), land ownership and farm size (38.750), education and trial of organic farming (12.075), marital status and farm size (62.225), social status and frequency of adoption of new technique (18.858) and, awareness and trial of organic farming (9.021) were relatively significant. This paper strengthens the view that socio-economic characteristics of farmers must be considered simultaneously when examining organic farming and its adoption. Interventions therefore include refresher courses/ in-door trainings on organic farming for extension agents, especially officers of less experience and low academic standards. Government, stakeholders and donor agencies should render support by funding demonstration farms for extension services to create awareness.