ABSTRACT

Agriculture represents the main form of income for many families in rural Nigeria and increasing incomes of the majority of the population is a crucial goal. The use of fertilizer is seen as an important way to improve agricultural output and productivity, and therefore incomes of rural household. The study was designed to examine the fertilizer use and productivity of vegetable crops in Ohafia Local Government of Abia state, Nigeria. Specifically the socioeconomic characteristics of the famer were described, the profitability of the vegetable farmers using fertilizer and those not using fertilizer, productivity of fertilizer users and non users, determinants of productivity of fertilizer users and non users and the problems faced by the farmer in accessing fertilizer. A multistage random sampling technique was adopted in selecting 60 vegetable farmers comprising of 30 fertilizer uses and 30 non fertilizer users. The result shows that mean ages were 38.83 and 30.3 years for both users and non-user respectively, it was be observed that majority (60%) are male for fertilizer user while majority (83.3%) of the samples respondents in the study area were females, for non user.Majority of he respondents were married for both users.(60% and non user (53%). Majority (96.7%) and 76.7%) of the respondents have former education for both  user and non fertilizer user. Furthermore result shows that on average the farming household has spent about 14 and 11 years in farming by both users and non users respectively. Majority (53.3%) of the fertilizer user had contact with the extension agents while majority (667%) of the non fertilizer user had contact with the extension agents. Majority (66.7%) of the fertilizer users are non member while (70%) non fertilizer user are member. The net farm income (profit) was N 11,601.44 and Ni 341.87 the fertilizer users and non users respectively. The mean productivity level of 2.65kg/# and 1.89kg1# was achieved by the fertilizer user and non user espceivcy. It can be shown from the productivity level of the fertilizer user where productive in vegetable farming activities than non user. Multiple regression result indicating the determinant of productivity among fertilizer users farmers shows the coefficient of Age, household size, experience and Farm size were significant while non fertilizer users farmers shows that the coefficient Age, household size, experience and Farm size were significant