Regional variations and determinants of pesticide use among farmers in Southwestern Nigeria: implications for sustainable agriculture

Pesticides are integral to the agricultural practices of Southwestern Nigeria, yet their varied usage patterns and the factors influencing their adoption remain poorly understood. Understanding pesticide usage is crucial for sustainable agricultural development. This study used a cross-sectional des...

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Main Authors: Abdullahi Adeola, Cornelis A. M. van Gestel, Victoria Funmilayo Doherty, Idowu Ayisat Aneyo, Folashade Ajagbe, Faizo Kasule
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Agronomy
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2025.1503899/full
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author Abdullahi Adeola
Abdullahi Adeola
Cornelis A. M. van Gestel
Victoria Funmilayo Doherty
Idowu Ayisat Aneyo
Folashade Ajagbe
Faizo Kasule
Faizo Kasule
author_facet Abdullahi Adeola
Abdullahi Adeola
Cornelis A. M. van Gestel
Victoria Funmilayo Doherty
Idowu Ayisat Aneyo
Folashade Ajagbe
Faizo Kasule
Faizo Kasule
author_sort Abdullahi Adeola
collection DOAJ
description Pesticides are integral to the agricultural practices of Southwestern Nigeria, yet their varied usage patterns and the factors influencing their adoption remain poorly understood. Understanding pesticide usage is crucial for sustainable agricultural development. This study used a cross-sectional design and mixed-methods approach to examine pesticide usage, regional preferences, and pest control patterns in crop farming in Ogun, Ondo, and Oyo States, Nigeria. Data was collected from 472 farmers during the 2022 and 2023 farming seasons. Descriptive statistics, Pearson chi-square tests, and a generalized linear model were used to identify factors influencing farmers’ choices. Data were gathered through surveys and field observations from farmers in the three states. Pesticide usage varied across states, with Dichlorvos/DDVP (56.5%) and Lambda-cyhalothrin (49.8%) being the most common insecticides. Glyphosate (81.9%) and Paraquat (69.1%) dominated herbicide application, while Mancozeb emerged as the most widely used fungicide (38.6%). Imidacloprid and Thiram were the most used pesticide mixtures (44.5%), with significant variations observed across regions (χ² = 14.27, p < 0.001). Ondo State farmers preferred physical control methods (97.3%), Ogun State favored biological (67.3%) and botanical approaches (66.7%), while chemical control was predominant in Ondo (98.0%) and Oyo (99.4%). Demographic factors, including gender (F = 4.13, p = 0.04), education level (F = 3.59, p = 0.002), and farming locality (F = 1.56, p = 0.003), significantly impacted the adoption of specific pesticides and their mixtures. The study highlights the diverse crop protection strategies employed across Southwestern Nigeria and underscores the need for region-specific interventions. Tailored educational programs and resource allocation that consider local environmental conditions and demographic factors are essential for promoting sustainable agricultural practices and reducing chemical dependency. Addressing these regional and demographic disparities will enhance pest management effectiveness and support environmentally sustainable farming.
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spelling doaj-art-0ceae0c44c8346be908d1c1f279886942025-08-20T03:19:56ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Agronomy2673-32182025-06-01710.3389/fagro.2025.15038991503899Regional variations and determinants of pesticide use among farmers in Southwestern Nigeria: implications for sustainable agricultureAbdullahi Adeola0Abdullahi Adeola1Cornelis A. M. van Gestel2Victoria Funmilayo Doherty3Idowu Ayisat Aneyo4Folashade Ajagbe5Faizo Kasule6Faizo Kasule7Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United StatesDepartment of Biological Science, Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos, NigeriaAmsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, NetherlandsDepartment of Biological Science, Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos, NigeriaDepartment of Zoology, Faculty of Science University of Lagos, Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, NigeriaDepartment of Biological Science, Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos, NigeriaInterdepartmental Genetics and Genomics (IGG), Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United StatesDepartment of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United StatesPesticides are integral to the agricultural practices of Southwestern Nigeria, yet their varied usage patterns and the factors influencing their adoption remain poorly understood. Understanding pesticide usage is crucial for sustainable agricultural development. This study used a cross-sectional design and mixed-methods approach to examine pesticide usage, regional preferences, and pest control patterns in crop farming in Ogun, Ondo, and Oyo States, Nigeria. Data was collected from 472 farmers during the 2022 and 2023 farming seasons. Descriptive statistics, Pearson chi-square tests, and a generalized linear model were used to identify factors influencing farmers’ choices. Data were gathered through surveys and field observations from farmers in the three states. Pesticide usage varied across states, with Dichlorvos/DDVP (56.5%) and Lambda-cyhalothrin (49.8%) being the most common insecticides. Glyphosate (81.9%) and Paraquat (69.1%) dominated herbicide application, while Mancozeb emerged as the most widely used fungicide (38.6%). Imidacloprid and Thiram were the most used pesticide mixtures (44.5%), with significant variations observed across regions (χ² = 14.27, p < 0.001). Ondo State farmers preferred physical control methods (97.3%), Ogun State favored biological (67.3%) and botanical approaches (66.7%), while chemical control was predominant in Ondo (98.0%) and Oyo (99.4%). Demographic factors, including gender (F = 4.13, p = 0.04), education level (F = 3.59, p = 0.002), and farming locality (F = 1.56, p = 0.003), significantly impacted the adoption of specific pesticides and their mixtures. The study highlights the diverse crop protection strategies employed across Southwestern Nigeria and underscores the need for region-specific interventions. Tailored educational programs and resource allocation that consider local environmental conditions and demographic factors are essential for promoting sustainable agricultural practices and reducing chemical dependency. Addressing these regional and demographic disparities will enhance pest management effectiveness and support environmentally sustainable farming.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2025.1503899/fullcrop protection practicesdemographic factorspesticide adoption and usageregional variationssustainable agriculture practices
spellingShingle Abdullahi Adeola
Abdullahi Adeola
Cornelis A. M. van Gestel
Victoria Funmilayo Doherty
Idowu Ayisat Aneyo
Folashade Ajagbe
Faizo Kasule
Faizo Kasule
Regional variations and determinants of pesticide use among farmers in Southwestern Nigeria: implications for sustainable agriculture
Frontiers in Agronomy
crop protection practices
demographic factors
pesticide adoption and usage
regional variations
sustainable agriculture practices
title Regional variations and determinants of pesticide use among farmers in Southwestern Nigeria: implications for sustainable agriculture
title_full Regional variations and determinants of pesticide use among farmers in Southwestern Nigeria: implications for sustainable agriculture
title_fullStr Regional variations and determinants of pesticide use among farmers in Southwestern Nigeria: implications for sustainable agriculture
title_full_unstemmed Regional variations and determinants of pesticide use among farmers in Southwestern Nigeria: implications for sustainable agriculture
title_short Regional variations and determinants of pesticide use among farmers in Southwestern Nigeria: implications for sustainable agriculture
title_sort regional variations and determinants of pesticide use among farmers in southwestern nigeria implications for sustainable agriculture
topic crop protection practices
demographic factors
pesticide adoption and usage
regional variations
sustainable agriculture practices
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2025.1503899/full
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