2026 Vol-6 Issue-2 | EFFECTS OF PRODUCTIVITY-ENHANCING FARM PRACTICES ON CROP FARMERS' INCOME IN KADUNAAND KATSINA STATES, NORTHWESTERN NIGERIA

This study examines the productivity-enhancing farm practices and their impact on crop farmers' income in Kaduna and Katsina States. Multistage sampling techniques was used to select 170 respondents for the study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data obtained. The results on socioeconomic characteristics revealed the respondents' mean age is 38 years, and the household size mean value was found to be 13 persons. About 41.8% of the respondents are not fluent in English language. Additionally, approximately 56% of the respondents have weekly to monthly contact with extension services. Results on productivity-enhancing practices revealed that fertilizer optimization practices (92.9%), use of current extension services (82.4%), planting spacing and plant population (81.2%), chemical use (78.2%), and certified seed use (improved varieties) (75.3%) were among the practices adopted by crop farmers. Multiple regression results on the effect of adopted productivity-enhancing practices on farmers' income revealed R2 of 50.8%. Variables such as total land area (β = 3275.470, p<0.05), total cost of improved seed (β = 10.457, p<0.01), fertilizer cost (β = 1.661, p<0.01), chemical cost (β = 6.863, p<0.10), and composite variable representing productivity-enhancing practices usage (β = 89.741, p<0.01), all showed positive effect on farmers' income and were significant at different level of probability. Recommendations were made for farmers to adopt these farm practices and for improvement in extension linkages to sensitize small-scale farmers on the need for the adoption of improved farm practices.