ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMBALANCE IN GIREI LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADAMAWA STATE

This study examined farmers’ perceptions and the use of agrochemicals, focusing on their implications on soil, environmental imbalance, and sustainable agricultural practices. The main objectives were to determine how farmers’ perceptions, soil degradation and fertility, benefits and challenges, and the complexity and compatibility of agrochemical use influence agricultural practices and environmental outcomes. A quantitative research design was adopted, and data were collected from a sample of 331 farmers using a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The results of the regression model revealed a strong and positive relationship (R = 0.929) between the independent variables and the dependent variable, with a high coefficient of determination (R² = 0.862), indicating that 86.2% of the variation in agrochemical practices was explained by the selected predictors. The ANOVA results (F = 529.078, p < 0.001) confirmed that the model was statistically significant, demonstrating that the predictors collectively have a meaningful effect on farmers’ agricultural practices related to agrochemical use. The coefficients analysis further showed that soil degradation and soil fertility (B = 0.405, p < 0.001) and perceptions and awareness of environmental consequences (B = 0.366, p < 0.001) were the most significant predictors of environmental imbalance, while benefits and challenges (B = 0.173, p = 0.008) had a moderate effect, and complexity and compatibility (B = 0.008, p = 0.905) had no significant impact. The study concludes that farmers’ awareness, perception of environmental effects, and understanding of soil fertility issues are critical determinants of sustainable agrochemical practices. It recommends enhanced environmental education, stricter policy enforcement on agrochemical use, and the promotion of integrated pest and soil management strategies to minimize environmental degradation. By strengthening farmers’ knowledge and encouraging sustainable agricultural practices, the negative impacts of agrochemical use on the environment can be effectively reduced while maintaining agricultural productivity.