An Overview of Challenges on Smallholder Agroforestry Farms in Jigawa State, Northern Nigeria

Abstract

Under the threat from a cocktail of climate change, environmental and soil, degradation and present economic meltdown in the country and world over, the practice of agroforestry come under a myriad of challenges. This study looks at Jigawa state, which has an agrarian based economy. With an estimate of 0.8ha being the average size of farmlands in the state, this study attempts to outline the pressing challenges facing these smallholder farms. A multistage sampling was employed for the study. Using division of the state into 3 zones which include; Jigawa southwest, Jigawa northwest, Jigawa northeast and.  Out of each zone, 3LGA were selected out of which 50 respondents were purposively targeted from each community providing the study with sampling frame of 450 respondents. The analysis proceeded by using mean, percentages and use of table and figures. The results show that tenure insecurity, herder problems as challenges to the farmers. Laxity on part of the institutions adds to the list. The study recommends the revitalization of relevant bodies charged with maintenance and dissemination of information and incentives on use of modern agroforestry to ensure its sustainability.

Keywords: Agroforestry, Smallholder, Tenure insecurity, Herder Problem