Profitability of alley farming with and without fallow in southwest Nigeria

Abstract

The profitabilities of three land use systems in the humid zone of southwest Nigeria are compared using a capital budgeting procedure combining on-station and on-farm experimental data. The systems are: non-alley farming with fallow; alley farming with fallow; and continous alley farming. The results indicate that: continous alley cropping is more profitable than non-alley or alley cropping with fallow; short fallowing in alley cropping reduces the rate of mining soil fertility and thus helps preserve future productivity; alley farming with small ruminants enhances the profitability of alley systems and increases their advantage over the non-alley system; and alley systems remain profitable even when terminal clearing costs are internalized in the current project cycle.

Citation

Experimental Agriculture;30(3): 319-327

Authors

  • Jabbar, M.A.
  • Larbi, Asamoah
  • Reynolds, L.