Benefits Associated with Integrated Farming System Practice Among Farmers in Kainji Lake Basin, Niger State, Nigeria

The study examined the benefits associated with integrated Farming System (IFS) among farmers in Kanji Lake Basin, Niger State. Specifically, channels of receiving information about IFS were identified; benefits of the IFS practice determined and constraints inhibiting spread of IFS were also identified. A three-stage sampling technique was used to select 150 respondents. Structured interview schedule was used for data collection while frequency counts, mean score, bivariate correlation and chi-square were used for data analysis. Results reveal that 39.3% of the respondents had formal education while 50.0% had fishing as the primary means of livelihood. Friends and relations ranked highest (x̅ =2.9) as the major source of information on IFS, while National Institute for Freshwater Fisheries Research (NIFFR) (x̅ =2.8) ranked second highest. The most important constraints of IFS were high cost of inputs with (2.8) unavailability of inputs and complexities of the techniques of IFS (x̅ =1.9). Main benefits associated with IFS included tremendous improvement in farmers’ means of livelihood’ with weighted mean score (x̅ =1.8), increase in income of farmers (x̅ =1.7), increase in yield of fish (x̅ =1.7) and increase in rice yield (x̅ =1.6). Based on findings of the study, it was concluded that IFS have the potentials to increase agricultural production, income and overall standard of living of the farmers. It was recommended that extension organisations should create more awareness and train farmers on the use of IFS techniques.