An Evaluation of the Adoption Rate of Organic Fertilizers for Sustainable Agricultural Production in Nigeria: A National Case Study

Abstract

Agriculture remains the backbone of Nigeria’s economy but continues to grapple with declining soil fertility, food-safety risks, and trade barriers linked to synthetic input misuse. In response, interest in organic fertilizers and pesticides has grown, yet evidence on their adoption at the national scale is limited. This study evaluates the adoption of three locally produced organic inputs; Joevet Powder, Crofit, and Zeropest, using a convergent mixed-methods design. Data sources included a nationally representative household survey (n≈640), purposive product-user samples (n≈480), controlled field trials, laboratory residue analyses, and qualitative interviews and focus group discussions. Results show that organic input adoption is rising nationwide, with Joevet Powder leading in prevalence (63%), followed by Crofit (56%) and Zeropest (51%). Adoption is positively associated with farmer education, extension access, cooperative membership, and perceived effectiveness, though barriers include upfront costs, uneven distribution, certification hurdles, and labor intensity. Field trials confirm that all three inputs significantly outperform control plots, with Joevet achieving the highest maize yield gains (+75%), while Crofit (+63%) and Zeropest (+54%) also delivered substantial improvements. Soil health indicators improved across all treatments, and residue tests confirmed food products treated with organics were far below Codex/EU safety thresholds. The findings underscore that organic inputs like JoevetPowder, Crofit and Zeropest represent a viable pathway to sustainable agriculture in Nigeria. Policy support for extension, certification, and distribution is essential to overcome adoption barriers and align farming systems with public health, security, and trade objectives.