SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS AND UTILIZATION OF CROP RESIDUES BY CROP-LIVESTOCK FARMERS IN (NORTHERN GUINEA SAVANNA), KADUNA STATE

Abstract

The study was conducted to examined the socio-economic characteristics of crop-livestock farmers in Kaduna State. A detailed structured questionnaires were administered, data collected were demogrphic, small ruminants production, availability and utilization of crop residue in the study area. The result reveals that majority (86.5%) of the respondents were male with most of them are within the age of 31years - 40years (56.5%). Small ruminants management system were mainly extensive system (71%) with (76.5% ) of their source of stock is purchase. Utilization of crop residue (73.5%) lack of knowhow on how to improve the quality of crop residue while (100%) of the respondents were not aware crop residue silage making. The farm ownership characteristic were (71%) inheritance and farm size 1-2 Ha (71.5%). Production constraints in the study area was identified as feed cost and its shortage (24.5%) whereas the respondents percieved need to alleviating the constraint was subsidy on feed (56%). Its therefore, conclude that were mainly smallholder farmers and goverment support in creating awereness in needed on the use and upgrading crop residue thereby alleviating the constraints in crop – livestock Production.