Application of modified compromise weighted multiobjective programming in Fadama farming in Dass Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Nigeria

Abstract

The application of modified compromise weighted multi-objective programming to Fadama farming in Dass Local
Government Area of Bauchi State was the main focus of the study. Samples of 106 Fadama vegetable cultivars were
randomly selected from 12 Fadama user’s associations in the study area. The farm sizes were grouped and formed
into three categories namely: below 1 ha, 1 to 2.99 ha and 3 to 4.99 ha farms, with sample size of 37, 39 and 30
farmers, respectively. It was assumed that farming could be optimized using four specific objectives (maximization
of income, and employment; minimization of fertilizer and ground water use). Modified compromise weighted multiobjective programming technique was used to analyze the four objectives, which were optimized individually and
combined. The results disclosed that the 3 to 4.99 ha farm size had the best maximum income level of N302,199.26
(+28.11%) and employment of 1125 man days (+33.61%) and minimum level of fertilizer use of 182 kg (-8.08%) and
ground water use of 3962 mm (-17.25%) at their respective existing farm levels compared to the other categories of
farms. This implied that the farmers were characterized by preponderance of high level of adoption of agricultural
technology, resulting from intensive cropping, leading to a high level of chemical fertilizer and increased use of
ground water for irrigation which consequently led to reduction of ground water table in the study area. It was
therefore recommended that the farmers in the study area should concentrate in the cultivation of the major Fadama
crops like onion, tomato, pepper, okro, cabbage and lettuce instead of spreading out their resources to grow potato,
carrot and garden-egg.