FARMERS’ PERCEPTION OF AGRICULTRURE’S IMPACTS ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT IN OMU-ARAN, KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

The study assessed the perceived effects of agricultural practices and sustainable natural environment among farmers in Omu-Aran Kwara State, Nigeria. A simple random sampling was used to select 90 respondents from the study area. Data were collected through the use of questionnaires. Descriptive statistics such as means and percentages, Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Chi square statistics were used for analysis. The result of the analysis revealed that most (52.2%) of the respondents were male and 57.8% were married. Also, 82.2% of the respondents had at least secondary school education middle level education while 17.8% of respondents have higher education. Majority of the respondents agreed that pasture tilling (77.8%), grazing (82.2%) and mulching (78.9%) affect the natural environment negatively. Also, 15.6% had indigenous knowledge of agricultural practices while 45.6% agreed that destructions of ecological structures are evidence of reactions to habitat destruction. Chi-square analysis revealed that sex (X2=8.143, P=0.043) and years lived in the community (X2=17.429, P=0.042) had significant relationship with their perceived effects of agricultural practices affecting sustainable natural environment. Government and other relevant authorities should engage in public environmental education targeted at farmers on the impact of agricultural practices on the environment and its implication. This is necessary to ensure a continuous gaining of knowledge on the subject matter and can perhaps contribute to more positive actions in the future thus will surely promote proper farm practices, organic farming, and new climate change adaptation.