AGRITOURISM POTENTIALS OF INTEGRATED FARMS IN IBADAN, NIGERIA

Abstract

Agritourism, a trip to farms or ex-farm houses for the purpose of leisure, education or entertainment contributes to economic growth of nations. An integrated farm brings together different farm components, in such a way that waste from one farm component is a resource for another farm component. Literature have focused on different perceptions of agritourism with limited attention to its potentials for integrated farms. This study was, therefore, designed to examine the agritourism potentials of integrated farms with a view to ascertaining the predictors of information systems usage. The study adopted the Dann Graham’s Push and Pull Theory and the descriptive research design. Farms in Iddo, Egbeda, Akinyele and Lagelu Local Government Areas (LGAs) were purposively selected due to the concentration of integrated farms in the LGAs. Two hundred and five integrated farms in these LGAs were enumerated but 188 farms were used. A structured questionnaire, with Cronbach’s alpha index of 0.876 was administered in the farm to either farm owners or managers. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 software developers on how information systems could be used to enhance the agritourism potentials of the farms. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and linear regression at p≤0.05, while qualitative data were content-analysed. Tourism potentials of the farms were crop cultivation, animal husbandry and farm environments. The potentials of crop cultivation activities capable of attracting tourists to the farms were transplanting activities (2.09±0.77), pruning of trees and vines (1.97±0.83), sowing of seeds and transplanting of seedlings (1.97±0.85), farm products packaging and branding (1.80±0.72), operation of farm machinery and implements (1.79±0.72), pest and disease control (1.79±0.77) and storage and preservation of crop products (1.72±0.75). The potentials of animal husbandry were livestock feed composition and milling (1.72±0.63), livestock houses and pen (1.70±0.58), vaccination and medication services (1.69±0.54), sight of animals (1.67±0.63), feeding of livestock (1.62±0.58), veterinary care of animals (1.54±0.59) and breeding of animals (1.47±0.62). The potentials of the farm environments were petting zoos (3.69±0.50), waterbodies (3.51±0.71), farm shops (3.56±0.56), natural landscapes (3.50±0.58), unique farm machineries (3.49±0.65), green agrarian environment (3.45±0.66) and cultural/historical objects of attraction (3.31±0.65). The agritourism potentials of integrated farms in Ibadan, in order of importance were farm environment (35.13±6.04), crop production activities (19.03±7.64) and animal husbandry (16.44±6.07). Crop cultivation, animal husbandry and farm environment jointly predicted information usage (F(2;185) = 29.68). Crop cultivation (β= 0.09), animal husbandry (β= 050) and farm environment (β= 0.20) contributed to information system usage (F(2;185) = 29.68). There was an advocacy for the usage of information systems to help showcase the agritourism potentials, tracking the number of visitors, making tour reservations/bookings, and records keeping. Farm environments, crop cultivation activities and animal husbandry determined agritourism potentials of integrated farms in Ibadan, Nigeria. A credible information database would enhance agritourism potentials.