Environmental and health impacts of poultry manure disposal methods: a case study of Lagelu and Egbeda local government areas in Oyo State,Nigeria

Indiscriminate disposal of poultry manure has been identified as a major source of environmental degradation in production areas through air and water pollution associated with nitrogen and phosphorus emissions and losses from manure. Methods of disposing of poultry manure which might have negative consequences on the environment and the farmers were investigated in two Local Government Areas of Oyo State, Nigeria. Data collected using structured questionnaires as well as direct field observations from a random sample of 100 farming households showed that the commonly used methods of manure disposal are burning (87 households) and application on crops (9 households). Almost all of the farmers (99) had no proper manure management facilities. Ammonia is the major air pollutant perceived by 71 farmers in the study area. Farmers suffered from discomforts ranging from various combinations of sneezing (65%), eye irritation (38%), coughing (34%), headache (20%), stomach ache (13%) and diarrhoea (6%). The awareness of farmers and authorities needs to be raised regarding the management of poultry manure and the need for protective equipment during its disposal: 99 farmers had no formal training in safe handling and disposal of poultry manure. There should be stricter enforcement of existing environmental regulations and enactment of new legislation to minimize the threats that the farmers’ current practices pose to their health and to the environment.