Conservation of Traditional Agricultural Knowledge in Delta State,Nigeria

Abstract

Many sustainable agricultural practices that emanate from local and traditional farming knowledge and are environment friendly in the face of climate change are steadily being abandoned. These practices include the use of manure, local weather forecast and planting of various local cassava varieties to manage risk. This study examines the characteristics of those who maintain these traditional practices to ascertain if the maintenance of these local agricultural practices can be explained by adoption diffusion literature. The reasons given for maintenance of the traditional farm practices included cost, environmental friendliness and easy access to needed weather information, quality of starch in cassava and risk management. The findings do not support the idea that young, educated and wealthier farmers are more likely to reject traditional farm practices. Instead, use of tractors, off-farm employment and farm size tend to have relationship with the use of traditional farm practices.