In Nigeria, West Africa, soil degradation has been one of the most critical environmental problems for a
long time. Hence, there has been and still is an urgent need to develop effective soil resource management
systems that can reverse the trend. Sustaining soil productivity will enhance food security and alleviate
poverty. An extensive literature search that started in 2006 has shown that soil conservation has a long
tradition, and earlier and present initiatives have resulted in various on-farm and off-farm technologies. As
these have rarely been evaluated to establish adoption rates, an assessment study was performed in 2007 to
analyse the effectiveness and adoption of past and present soil conservation initiatives. Villages with
different types of conservation technologies were visited and farmers in south-west Nigeria were
interviewed to obtain information on their experiences. Mulching, cover cropping and contour tillage are
likely to be effective on-farm soil conservation measures practised in Nigeria. They are generally adopted
by farmers as they are compatible with the existing farming system, and cheap and easy to install and
maintain. Education, knowledge on soil conservation, labour availability and membership in organisations
have a positive influence on the adoption rate of technologies.