Scientific Papers Series Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and Rural Development Vol. 18, Issue 1, 2018 PRINT ISSN 2284-7995, E-ISSN 2285-3952 299 IMPLICATIONS OF AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES ON LAND PRODUCTIVITY OF FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN IMO STATE, NIGERIA Emeka OSUJI 1 , Uchechi ANYANWU 2 , Melissa OKWARA 2 , Akunna TIM-ASHAMA 3 1 Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Department of Agricultural Economics, P.M.B, 5267, Abia State, Nigeria. Phone; +2348037351597, Email: osujiemeka2@yahoo.com 2 Federal University of Technology Owerri, Department of Agricultural Economics, P.M.B, 1526, Imo State, Nigeria. Phone;+234803900536, +2348035245770, Emails: uchechigerarda@gmail.com, melissa.okwara@gmail.com 3 Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education Owerri, Department of Agricultural Science, P.M.B, 1020, Imo State, Nigeria. Phone; +2347034773356, Email: timashama5@gmail.com Corresponding author: osujiemeka2@yahoo.com Abstract The use of variant agricultural practices has marred the productivity of the farmers to an immeasurable extent. Hence the study evaluated the implications of agricultural practices on land productivity of the farming households in Imo State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 120 crop farmers from the three agricultural zones of the State. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ordinary least squares multiple regression technique. Results showed that farmers have a mean household size of 7 persons, 19 years farming experience with a net income of N84, 000 per cropping season. Result further showed farmers completed their post primary education and cultivated less than 2.0 hectares per unit area of land. The use of agricultural practices such as crop rotation, continuous cropping, bush burning, mixed cropping and mulching are significant at various levels and therefore have strong implications on land productivity of the farmers. Farmers are faced with series of constraints’ such as capital, technical known-how, land tenure difficulties, etc. which limits land productivity and adoption capacity of the farmers. Hence farmers are encouraged to drop agricultural practices that are concomitant to land productivity and embrace improved ones that are technically appropriate, socially acceptable, environmentally friendly and economically suitable. Key words: implications, agricultural practices, land, productivity, farming households INTRODUCTION Agricultural production accounts for about 30 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in Nigeria as well as offers employment opportunities to a large number of people in the country. Agriculture provides the basic needs of individuals in form of food, clothing, shelters, medicine, recreation, etc. Hence, agriculture is viewed as a thriving enterprise in the World [2]. It is a productive sector where the free gifts of nature namely land; water, etc. are effectively utilized. Agricultural development in Nigeria is multifaceted having spread rapidly with respect to time and space. The introduction of green revolution and operation feed the nation by past governments brought about the use of improved agricultural practices and inputs to enhance the production potential per unit of agricultural land, time and output [1]. In recent times, there has been a global trend towards the intensification of agricultural land-use practices and changes in farming techniques have been collimated by recent agricultural technologies. This has resulted in the production of large quantity of inorganic manure in order to meet increasing demands for food and other agricultural products [3]. Furthermore, through modern advances in technology, there has been a tremendous expansion of agriculture regardless of the suitability of the land, and thus the development of improved crop varieties has made it possible to cultivate under marginal environmental conditions. New agricultural techniques are very efficient and produce high crop yields but can also