Organic maize farming practices in Nigeria: Drivers and barriers

Abstract

Organic farming is gaining global recognition in terms of the role it plays in providing safe and healthy food, income, and maintaining a sustainable environment. Despite these aspects , it faces constraints that, if identified, will play a vital role in its development and formulating policy for its sustainability. Creating an effective policy to improve organic farming necessitates identifying the influencing factors in organic farming method selection as well as barriers encountered. This study, therefore, examined the common types of organic maize farming, their determinants, and their challenges in Nigeria. Primary data collected from 480 respondents were analysed with descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression. The result revealed that organic manure, compost manure, biocontrol, and cover cropping were used by the farmers to enrich the soil. Farming experience, membership in a farm-based organization, farm distance, education, income, extension contacts, farm size, and cultural compatibility were the influencing factors of different organic farming systems used in maize production. Inadequate organic food accrediting agencies, inability to meet export demand, high cost and scarcity of organic seeds, lack of financial support, poor marketing system, inadequate supporting infrastructure, poor technical know-how, and pest infestation were the most common problems encountered in organic farming. To enhance participation in organic maize farming practices, there is a need to support organic farmers with financial support, accessible organic accreditation centres, training, educational support, and inputs.