Economics of Solar Energy Usage among Poultry Farmers in Nigeria.

Authors
Kehinde Osasona
okennieegreat@gmail.com
Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm ManagementUniversity of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
Mercy Salami
Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm ManagementUniversity of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
Adeola Fayemi
Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm ManagementUniversity of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
Abibat Opakunle
Department of Rural Development and Gender Issues (RUDEG)Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute, Kwara State, Nigeria
Peace Owolabi
Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm ManagementUniversity of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
Abstract
Nigeria poultry farmers face high energy costs and unreliable electricity supply which hinders their productivity. This increasing energy demand and rising energy prices have led to a growing interest in renewable energy sources. Hence, we assessed the cost and returns to poultry production using solar energy, resource use efficiency of production, factors that affect resource use efficiency and constraints faced by poultry farmers using solar energy. A total of 53 poultry farmers that have adopted this innovation were selected through a snowballing sampling technique from 6 different states in Nigeria. Primary data was used, and the objectives were analysed using profitability ratio, gross margin analysis, stochastic frontier analysis, OLS regression and a 4 -point Likert scale respectively. The results revealed that poultry farmers kept about 67% of the total revenue generated from the sales of their output and a Return on Investment of 78 kobo on every ₦1 invested was realized, a technical efficiency rating of 93% was recorded on average for the poultry farmers and this implies that the poultry farmers were highly resource use efficient dropping only 7% due to inefficiencies. This study also revealed that cost of feeds, cost of birds, cost of labour and the solar energy technology were very significant in determining the resource use efficiency. Finally, the high cost of input was identified as the most significant challenge faced by the poultry farmers assessed. It can be concluded that adopting solar energy on poultry farms presents a highly profitable solution. Furthermore, this shift offers potential benefits for policymakers by reducing the sector's dependency on conventional energy sources, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and supporting the formulation of policies that incentivize renewable energy adoption to enhance food security and economic resilience.
Suggested citation
Kehinde Osasona , Mercy Salami , Adeola Fayemi , Abibat Opakunle , Peace Owolabi (2025). Economics of Solar Energy Usage among Poultry Farmers in Nigeria. Global Journal of Enviromental Science & Sustainability, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.69798/65594395
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Issue
Vol. 2 No. 1 (2025): Global Journal of Enviromental Science & Sustainability
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Published
01-03-25
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Keywords
Renewable energy Sustainability Poultry farmers Nigeria.