Farming Practices and Farmer’s Attitude Towards Forest Conservation in Ogoja Education Zone of Cross River State

This study investigated farming practices and farmer’s attitude towards forest conservation in Ogoja Education Zone of Cross River State. To achieve the purpose of this study, six null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A review of related literature was carried out to examine what has already been documented on the variables of this study by various relevant scholars and researchers in related fields of study. The survey research design was adopted for the study. The stratified random sampling technique was adopted in selecting the twenty seven communities while proportionate simple random sampling technique was adopted in selecting the seven hundred and three (703) respondents used for the study. A forty-item modified four –point Likert scale questionnaire was the instrument used for gathering data for the study. The questionnaires are validated by three experts in test and measurement and environmental education. The population of the study was 322.597 farmers in Ogoja Education Zone. The reliability of the instrument was established through Cronbach alpha method. To test the hypotheses formulated for the study, simple linear regression and multiple regression statistical tools were used for data analysis. The hypotheses formulated were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The results from data analysis and hypotheses testing indicated a significant positive influence of the effect of shifting cultivation, clear cutting, bush burning, and crop rotation on attitude of farmers towards forest conservation in the study area. Based on these findings it was recommended among others that farmers should be regularly sensitized on the effect of shifting cultivation in order to promote their attitude towards forest conservation positively.