Welfare analysis of smallholder farmers by irrigation systems and factors affecting their production outputs in Nigeria

Sustaining water availability for smallholder farmers in the near future presents a great challenge to agricultural production in Nigeria. This study assessed the smallholder farmers’ welfare using assets possession and factors affecting their production outputs in Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was applied in three agro-ecological zones with primary data collected and analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Results show that the crop water application system practiced across the study area included rainfed system, gravity flow system, motor pump system and bucket system. A large percentage of the motor pump farmers had improved livelihood going by the type of assets they possess. Some of the irrigators were observed to use water unsustainably (not maintaining the existing system for the future generations through misuse and management of the available water resources) especially those using gravity flow system and motor pump systems. This should be discontinued in the face of the climate change affecting the country. Likewise, the use of some agro inputs such as fertilizers need to be controlled since increasing the level of these inputs was found not to translate to increased output for the farmers. Finally, the land tenure system in Nigeria does not promote smallholder farmer’s welfare as no farmer had formal title to their lands. This makes it difficult to have sufficient access to credit facilities. The policy is inimical to agricultural development in Nigeria and should be relaxed.