ABSTRACT
Fadama farming has contributed
significantly to Nigeria’s agriculture in particular and the country in
general, but the contributions have remained largely unmeasured. As a result,
this study examined the influence of the National Fadama Development Project on
Fadama farmers in Kano State. Primary and secondary data were sought. A set of
questionnaires was developed and information was collected from 108 respondents
who were randomly selected from the three agricultural zones in the study area.
Multiple regression analysis and simple statistical tools, such as, means,
frequency, range and percentages were used to realize the objectives of the
study. Analysis of the data revealed that fadama farming was a profitable
venture among the farmers studied. A majority of respondents owned and
purchased their farm land and the houses they lived in. A large percentage also
owned radio, television, bicycle and irrigation pump. Water from tube-wells and
wash bores were used for irrigation and drinking. The customary land system was
practiced in the study area. About 46% of the respondents inherited their farm
land while 26.9% purchased theirs. Majority of respondents practiced mixed
cropping to ensure maximum plot utilization. There was efficient use of
facilities provided by the loan package. Inputs such as pumps, fertilizers,
pesticides and insecticides were used by farmers. Respondents also admitted
adequate visit to farms by extension agents. There was a significant difference
between the average income of the two groups (beneficiaries and
non-beneficiaries) at a probability level of 95%. Some constraints, such as,
high cost of farm inputs, chronic shortage of petrol and petroleum products,
seasonal glut of some perishable agricultural commodities, poor storage
facilities, poor access roads to Fadama areas and difficulties in getting
registered as members of Fadama Users Association (FUA), were experienced by
respondents. Recommendations included subsidization of prices of fertilizers
and other farm inputs, frequent conduct of soil survey to determine level of
salinity, creation of more micro credit facilities to enhance productivity and
provision of infrastructural facilities.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
Information
Agricultural
production in Nigeria remains essentially traditional with cultivation largely
undertaken at individual level using local implements (Abdullahi, 1983). This
traditional method and the subsistence nature of agricultural production help
in perpetuating the vicious cycle of poverty and restricting the farmer’s
ability to embrace modern technology (Bala, 1992). The food security situation
in Nigeria has been deteriorating over the past 15 to 20 years. Per capital
food production has declined more than 15% in the past 20 years (UN, 1992).
As a way of
boosting agricultural production, government introduced modern irrigation
scheme in the country. Although the concept of irrigation farming has been
practiced in Nigeria for several decades, the introduction of modern irrigation
is a government initiative.
Modern irrigation in Nigeria
can be traced back to the pioneering efforts of Colonel Collins, a British
Colonial officer who, after a survey of the irrigation potentials of Northern
Nigeria in the 1900s, developed 243 hectares of land for irrigation. This was
followed in 1949 by the establishment of an irrigation division in the Ministry
of Agriculture of the Northern Region with the main objective of initiating
small-scale irrigation schemes (Dawakintofa, 1989).
Another major step in irrigation development in
Nigeria was the Food and Agricultural Organizations (FAO) report of 1965, which
stressed the need for the Federal Government’s active involvement in planned
water resources and irrigation development for the country. Consequent upon the
Food and Agricultural Organization’s report, the Chad and the Sokoto Rima-Basin
Development Authority was established by Decree numbers 32 and 33 of 14th
August, 1973.Kano State Government,(1995). In 1976, the River Basin Development
Authorities were expanded to eleven in number by Decree number 36 of 25th June
and Decree Number 37 of 3rd August, 1976 (Dawakintofa, 1989). These Authorities
were charged with the responsibilities of
constructing and maintaining dams, polders, wells, boreholes and drainage
systems for irrigation purposes. There was also the Bakolori Irrigation Scheme,
which was established in consonant with the laid down guidelines for irrigation
development (KNARDA Baseline Survey, 1993).
These
schemes attracted generous funding from government. Inspite of the enormous sum
of money (2.25 billion) and the facilities provided, the schemes had limited
success (Samorock, 1983). For instance, the total irrigated area proposed to be
accomplished by the River Basin Development Authorities for the Nation was
1,999,139 hectares (Nwa and Martins, 1982). But as at 1980, only 25,754
hectares had been developed. Only about 77,369 hectares were expected to be
developed by 1991 (Abdullahi et al, 1989). This is about 4% of the total
land meant for development. Salihu (1986) and Dawakintofa (1989) attributed the
limited success of the early irrigation schemes to the fact that the plans were
developed without much consideration of economic and social problems.
"Fadama"
is an Hausa word meaning low-lying swamp area consisting of fluvial deposit and
containing extensive exploitable aquifers" (Gandi and Radashekara, 1989).
Fadama also refers to a seasonally flooded area used for farming during the dry
season. It is defined as an alluvial, low land formed by erosion and depositional
action of the rivers and streams (Qureshi, 1989). The extent and subsurface
formation of the Fadama land depend on the terrain over which the rivers are
formed and flowed.
They can also be referred to as flood prone, low
lying, slow drainage areas that generally possess a finer texture and less acid
soils. Fadama lands are regarded as very rich agricultural areas. They
encompass land and water resources that could easily be developed for
irrigation agriculture (World Bank, 1992). In Nigeria, this type of rich
irrigable land can be found along the flood plains of the Niger, Sokoto-Rima,
Benue, Nassarawa, Yobe and Hedejamaari river....
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