Optimizing Compost Supply Methods for Enhanced Crop Yields in the Zinder Region of Niger

Abstract

This article aims to study the effect of the compost application method on grain yields of cereals (sorghum and millet) and legumes (cowpea and peanuts) in the Zinder region of Niger. The study sites are characterized by four municipalities; Albarkaram, Dakoussa, Zinder 4 and Hamdara. The data collected concerned socio-economic characteristics, compost application methods, yields with and without compost. The results characterize the views of 87 people in total. They are made up of 97.7% men and only 2.3% women. These respondents constitute 93.1% married, 4.6% single and 2.2% widows/widowers. The group variable has five levels. The addition of compost to the field on the fly with 4 effective, the micro dose in the field with 18 effectives, the addition on the broadcast to the garden with 6 effective, the use of any two of these methods with 31 effectives and the using any three of these methods with 28 as effective. The descriptive statistics show a physical difference between the yield of millet with the use of broadcast compost (319.5) in the field and in the gardens (295.5) and that of the use of compost by micro dose (1467.83). The result is also different between the yield of sorghum from the gardens with the broadcast method (88.5) and that of the same speculation from the fields (609.16) with the micro dose compost addition method. The results of the analysis show a significant difference between the yields of millet from the micro dose at the field level and those from spreading in the garden. Likewise, a significant difference is observed between the yield of millet in the garden from spreading and that which comes from spreading the combined micro dose in the same environment.