Effect of Fertilizer use to the Environment and the Determinant to Choice of the Nutrient Management Planning Techniques by Farmers in South East, Nigeria

Effect of fertilizer use to the environment by smallholder arable crop farmers in Southeast, Nigeria was studied. One hundred and twenty farmers were purposively selected from three out of five states in Southeast. A well structured questionnaire and oral interview were used to collect information needed for the study. The objectives of the study were addressed using percentages, multinomial Logit regression and factor analysis. The results show that most of the sampled farmers were aged, fairly educated, well experienced, large number of household size and membership of organization. The fertilizer types used by the farmers were compound fertilizer, muriate of potash, single super phosphate, urea and commercial fertilizer. The sources of fertilizer to the farmer were open market, cooperative, town union, Agricultural. Development. Program (ADP), Ministry of Agriculture and Local Government Area. Also, the effect of fertilizer application to the environment were affect water supply, kidney problem, methemoglobinemia, blister in the body, carcinogenic effect, eutrophication and global warming. The fertilizer nutrient management planning adopted to reduce the potentials of environmental risk were soil testing, fertilizer application method, proper storage and handling of fertilizer, The result of the multinomial logistic regression estimates showed that farming experience, age of the farmers, educational level, extension services and membership of organization affected the choice of adaptation practices of. fertilizer nutrient management planning in order to reduce the effects of fertilizer application to the environmental. The limiting factors to fertilizer availability in the study area were diversion of fertilizer, transportation problem, political interference, delay in procurement. There is need to enhance farmers’ access to extension services, cooperative membership and credit.