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Fertility status and management implications of wetland soils for sustainable crop production in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
Get PDFFertility status of soils of three wetland types in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, was
investigated. The wetland types are Inland Valley (IV), Flood Plain (FP) and Mangrove
(MG). The soils have silt-clay ratios above 0.15 and 0.25 indicating that they are of young
parent materials with low degree of weathering and possible weatherable minerals for plant
nutrition. The pH of the soils was near neutral ([6.4) when wet but extremely acid ([3.5)
when dried indicating that the soils are potential acid sulphate soils. Organic matter content
was high with mean values of 12.59, 6.03 and 3.20% for IV, FP and MG soils, respectively.
Total N (nitrogen) was low except in IV soils where the value was above the 0.30% critical
level. The C:N ratios were narrow with mean of 20.90, 12.17 and 12.12 for IV, FP and MG
soils, respectively. The contents of basic cations [Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Potasium (K) and Sodium (Na)] were low while acidic cations [Aluminium (Al) and Hydrogen
(H)] were high. The Ca:Mg ratios were below the optimum range of 3:1 to 4:1 required for
most crops. The Mg:K ratios were above 1.2, below which yields of crops like corn and
soybean may be reduced. Effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC) was below the
20 cmol/kg. Percent base saturation was low (\38) indicating that the soils are potentially
less fertile. Exchangeable Al and percent Al saturation were high, above 60% in IV and FP
soils. Electrical conductivity was above the critical value of 2 dsm–1 while exchangeable
sodium percentage was less than 15. Available Phosphorus (P) and low,\10 ppm and free
Fe2O3/clay ratios were \0.15. Positive correlation existed between silt and ECEC,
implying that silt contributed to nutrient status of the soils. Generally, fertility status of the
soil is low and would require maintenance of adequate organic matter, application of lime
and organic and inorganic fertilizers, drainage and irrigation if the land is to be used for
intensive/sustainable crop production
From past to present: the Issue of communication in a polarized world
Get PDFResulting from persistent complaints by the developing countries in the 1970’s, of imbalance in information-flow between the developing and developed countries of the world, the UNESCO, in 1976, constituted a commission headed by Sean Mac Bride of Ireland, to look into information and communication between the two divides of the world. The committee went to work and submitted its report to UNESCO in 1978. The report of the committee confirmed the existing gap in information flow between the developed and the developing countries. Also established in the report was the fact that ownership and control of information and communication technologies were solely in the hands of the developed countries. There was therefore, the need for New World Information and Communication Order. Thirty years after, this paper has examined the information and communication relationship between the two divides of the world and the gap rather seems to be widening on. The developing countries are challenged to be insightful in searching for ways of bridging the gap. Solutions from international agencies to this widening gap may continue to remain a mirage
Geology and Stratigraphy of Middle Cretaceous Sequences Northeast of Afikpo Basin, Lower Benue Trough, Nigeria.
Get PDFThe geology of northeast of Afikpo basin consists of two major lithostratigraphic units of sandstone ridges and low-lying shales, each of which forms significant component of the Middle Albian Asu River Group and Turonian Ezeaku Formation. The major folds in the area have northeast southwest trend, south easterly dip and comprise both anticlines and synclines. The area is also marked by two significant angular unconformities; one interformational between the Asu River Group and Ezeaku Formation, and the other intraformational within the Ezeaku Formation. Mineral assemblages, poor to moderate sorting and angular to subrounded shapes of the
minerals suggest a possible model in which sedimentary materials of northeast Afikpo basin were derived from proximal basement granites
probably the Oban Massif and deposited in shallow to deep marine environments under fluctuating energy levels, with two major breaks in
deposition in the Cenomanian and Turonian times
African Art and the New Humanism
Get PDFThe following essay examines African art in line with the philosophy of New Humanism, and how it fulfils human dignity and value. The relationship of man and his creator is examined through art, vis-à-vis religion and man’s constant search for the reason for being. The theory of creationism which attributes the existence of everything in the universe to the direct creative act of the Supreme Being, and presents man as the apex and pinnacle of God’s creation is discussed. New Humanism is discussed as it aims at reconciling people to the original humanism, the sort of humanism pursued by the Renaissance Humanists. The paper takes a careful look at African art as an art of culture, philosophy and personality, as realistic views of life expressed in the symbolic structure of the work of art, IMAGE being the link. African art is characteristically humanistic, as what constitutes arts is determined by its effect on man, either positively or negatively. The paper concludes that, in structure, African art can be seen to consist of the following features; belief and ancestors. It is important to note that outside of God, full human dignity and values cannot be realized
The Bouguer Gravity Anomaly Map of the Calabar Flank, Southeastern, Nigeria
Get PDFRaw gravity data acquired using a Lacoste and Romberg (model G446) gravimeter and its accessories have been converted to a digital data
set and were contoured to produce the first Bouguer gravity anomaly map of Calabar Flank. The data were corrected for drift and elevation (Bouguer and free air). The average crustal density of 2.67g/cm3 was used to compute the Bouguer correction. The effect of the curvature of the earth was taken into consideration. To account for tidal effect, an observational time window for forty-eight hours was determined prior to the actual field survey. Humidity/temperature correction was made to remove effects caused by humidity/temperature variations on raw data. The data was latitude-corrected based on the 1967 Geodetic Reference System (GRS67). This invariably gave the theoretical gravity. A comprehensive computer program for processing raw gravity data was used to compute the Bouguer and free air anomalies and were converted from their geodetic coordinates to x-y coordinates. The data were then transformed to an equally spaced grid (1km). The Bouguer and free air anomaly maps were produced from this grid using a Surfer Plot program. The results from these analyses showed a close relationship between the Bouguer and free air anomaly data; which is compatible with mid-continental results. Calabar Flank is largely not in isostatic equilibrium judging from the dominance of shortwavelength free-air anomaly patterns. The circular, elliptical contours in the Bouguer and free air anomaly maps are lineaments with distinctive trends. These trends indicate structural features that pre-date exposed geology and that have probably controlled the tectonic expressions of the geological province
Gender Relations and Domestic Power Politics
Get PDFIssues on gender have gained global significance since the mid nineteenth century largely because of the increasing efforts by women to correct the several social ills of inequality and marginalization that women experience based prominently on patriarchy. The concern of this paper is not necessarily on how the male and the female relate, but really on what they do to gain power at the micro level to be able to operate on complementary bases or to be superior to the other, as the case may be. This study develops from the premise that there are certain activities and tendencies that engender power for a person, and this is enhanced by some factors including educational attainment, professional affiliations, natural endowments, etc. The implications of the power generated within the relationship form the thrust of this investigation, which aims at evolving a paradigm for contemporary African women in relationship with their male counterparts within the family contexts
Growth and yield performances of some upland rice(<i>Oryza sativa L</i>) cultivars as influenced by varied rates of PNK(15:15:15) fertilizer on an ultisol
Get PDFEstimation of Thermal Conductivity in the North-western Niger Delta Sedimentary Basin, Nigeria, Using Geophysical Well Logs
Get PDFThermal conductivity estimates are computed from nineteen petroleum wells in the north-western Niger Delta,Nigeria, using a geometric mean model. Sonic and gamma-ray logs were digitised and used in the estimation of insitu conductivity. The Niger Delta is composed of three major diachronous lithostratigraphic units of shaly Akata,shaly-sandstone Agbada and sandy Benin formations, which form the bulk of the deltaic sediments. All the wellsused in the study could only penetrate the topmost Benin and the underlying Agbada formations, except Akatathat is the last deeply lying formation. Mineralogy, porosity and lithology exert the most important control on thematrix thermal conductivity in the Niger Delta sedimentary basin. There is a decrease of thermal conductivitywith increasing shale fraction. The bulk conductivity also show an increase with increasing sandstone fraction.Increase in porosity results in a decrease in bulk conductivity. Thermal conductivity values and variations for agiven lithologic unit are reduced at increased porosity, such that thermal conductivity of the topmost continentalBenin sandstone Formation vary between 2.39W/m°C and 2.74W/m°C with an average of 2.52W/m°C. Thermalconductivity for the underlying, marine shaly-sandstone Agbada formation varies between 2.16W/m°C and2.69W/m°C with an average of 2.33W/m°C
Towards a genuinely participatory approach to poverty alleviation in Uyo LGA, Akwa Ibom state
Get PDFResearch evidence shows that commercial banks are not keenly interested in financing agriculture The commercial banks on the other hand argue that the farmers and governments have not provided a default risk-reducing environment to enhance lending. In the light of the foregoing , the participatory rural appraisal technique [PRA] is being proposed as a remedy for rapid transformation of the agricultural sector/poverty reduction. There is the need therefore for a thorough insight into the different dimension of default risk as a means of suggesting some ways by which it could be reduced. It is for this reason that PRA was employed in this survey to identify potential beneficiaries before evolving the loan scheme. It is crucial as we can now maintain close contact with the borrowers through regular visit to keep the obligation constantly before him
Estimation of loan default among beneficiaries of a state government owned agricultural loan scheme, Nigeria
Get PDFThis paper analyses the extent of default among beneficiaries of government sponsored loan scheme. The loan performance indices estimated reveal that over 75% of the loans disbursed by AKSALB in the period under review were still held by 59 percent of the loan beneficiaries. This situation is an indication of high level of loan defaulting among the benefiting farmers. Certain personal and facility factors are estimated to determine the probability of default among the beneficiaries. Notably among these include sex, household size, farm size, loan from other sources, primary occupation of the beneficiary, time lapse between loan application and disbursement, total farm expenditure and duration of the granted loans. With such high level of default, the Board outreach and sustainability capacity is questionable thus putting a caveat on the relevance of the Board as agricultural micro financing institution.
Keyword: Loan Default, Agricultural loan scheme, determinants, farmers, Nigeri