Luke Olarinde, V.M. Manyong:
Differential Productivity and Economic Performances: Experiences from Two Rural Communities in South-Western Nigeria

LUKE OLARINDE¹, V.M. MANYONG^2
1Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Department of Agricultural Economic and Extension, Nigeria
²International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigeria

As rural policy evolves in response to the changing demands placed on rural and traditional communities by most African governments, agricultural technologies and innovations that can be sustained, it is becoming increasingly necessary that we understand the underlying cultural practices that generate community and local disparities in terms of subsistence.

This paper reports findings on productivity and, in effect economic performances from two settlements which are typical for rural south-western NIGERIA. One a migrant ``Cattle Fulani'' settlement (mainly cattle rearers) and two, a ``peasant farmers'' settlement. In addition to rearing cattle, the cattle Fulani grow few food crops to meet subsistence needs. The ``land owners'' on the other hand are essentially peasants whose means of livelihood rests entirely on scattered plots of cultivated lands.

A controlled and monitored survey was carried out to, among other things, assess the subsistence productivity levels of the two settlements which make use of organic manure, composed mainly of cattle, goat and sheep dung and droppings from fowls.The survey was then extended to dig deeper into the farm level economic implications of this soil fertility improvement practice and its impact on household livelihood. The authors explore the results of the interim analysis to determine model structures that define sustainable indegenous land management practices emanating from consistent and adaptive use of organic fertilisers.

Keywords: Cattle Fulani, landowners, organic fertilizers, organic manure, peasant farmers, South Western Nigeria

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Contact Address: Luke Olarinde, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Department of Agricultural Economic and Extension, 4000 Ogbomoso, Nigeria, e-mail: lolarindeyahoo.com