Determinants of Adoption of Conservation Agriculture Practices Among Smallholder Farmers in Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria

Conservation agriculture, encompassing minimum soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and crop rotation, has been widely promoted as a sustainable production system with potential to improve soil health and long-term yields in smallholder farming contexts. In Nasarawa State, where soil degradation is a growing concern, adoption of conservation agriculture remains limited despite extension promotion efforts. This study investigated the determinants of conservation agriculture adoption among smallholder farmers in Nasarawa State using primary data from 230 farming households. An ordered probit model was applied to analyse adoption intensity, capturing the number of conservation agriculture components adopted per household. Results revealed that access to extension services, participation in farmer field schools, farm experience, household income, and off-farm employment were positively associated with higher adoption intensity. Perceived labour demand of conservation agriculture practices was the most significant negative adoption determinant, followed by limited awareness of soil cover maintenance benefits. The study fills an important empirical gap on the behavioural and institutional drivers of conservation agriculture adoption in the North Central zone. Recommendations include redesigning extension messages to address labour perception barriers, promoting conservation agriculture through farmer-led demonstration networks, and integrating the approach into state-level soil fertility management frameworks. Keywords: conservation agriculture, adoption, determinants, Nasarawa State, smallholder farmers.