An Analysis of Waste Management Methods Used by Commercial Poultry Farmers in Kogi and Kwara States, Nigeria
Oduwaiye, M.O*, Ogunlade, I, Omotesho, K.F, & Komolafe, S.E
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development
University of Ilorin, Ilorin Nigeria
Email: muyiwaoduwaiye@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
This study assessed the waste management methods used by commercial poultry farmers in Kogi and Kwara States, Nigeria. The aim of the study is to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, examine the pattern of waste generated by poultry farms in the study area, identify the methods of waste disposal practiced by poultry farmers, describe the waste treatment methods employed by poultry farmers and identify the constraints faced by poultry farmers in waste management. A well-structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from randomly selected 138 and 125 registered commercial poultry farmers from both states. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data for the study. Results of the analysis show that mean age of the respondents was 46.7 years, farm size was 991birds and poultry farming experience was 11.24 years. Also, majority of the respondents were male (82.0 %), married (88.8%), had tertiary education (94.0%). The mean age of farm was 9.24 years. The most prevalent waste management methods used by poultry farmers were open dumping around the farm (mean=2.23); giving wastes free to the public as farmyard manure (mean=2.16); dumping wastes in nearby bushes (mean=2.09); burying dead birds in pit near the farm (mean=2.08), and throwing dead birds into nearby bush (mean=2.01) and burning dead birds in pit or heap near the farm (mean=2.01). Burning technique was the most (mean=1.91) popular method of treating wastes against odour and flies by the respondents. The major constraints faced by farmers in waste management practices were: lack of awareness on how to use the wastes productively (mean-4.06); No agricultural land nearby where the wastes can be used (mean=3.69); Excessive odour from waste (mean=3.66); High cost of chemical treatment (mean=3.56); High transportation cost (mean=3.24) and High cost of private waste management agencies (mean=3.01). Result of Multiple Regression Analysis shows that educational status (β=-0.156), main occupation (β=-0.199), farming experience (β=0.258), farm size (β=0.152), management type (β= -0.239), labour type (β= -0.187)
