Asian Journal of Agriculture and Allied Sciences
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ANALYSIS OF LAND USE CHANGE AND ITS EFFECT ON ARABLE CROP PRODUCTION IN SOUTH WEST, NIGERIA
Get PDFThis study analysed land use change and its effect on arable crop production in South West, Nigeria. Primary data used for this study were collected from 180 arable crop farmers in the study area. The analytical techniques that were used include descriptive statistics; multiple regression analysis and the Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). It was revealed that the average age of the arable crop farmers was about 5510.29. Majority of the respondents are males and are married, with an average household size of about 7 persons. The average farm size was 1.85ha, while the average years of farming experience was about 12 years. The study concluded that although agricultural purpose remained the predominant purpose of land use in the study area, the total land area previously allocated for agricultural purposes suffered the greatest reduction from all identified land use purposes in the study area. Scale of production, fulltime farming and farm income are the identified factors that reduce the conversion of arable land into non-agricultural uses, while population density, land ownership type, land sales right, land lease right and non-farm income were the factors that significantly increase the conversion of arable land into non-agricultural uses in the study area. It was also concluded that increase in arable land is positively correlated with increase in total arable crop production in the study area. This study, however, recommended that practices that promotes the efficient and optimum use of land for agricultural purposes such commercial arable crop production should be encouraged among the people of the study area; and that relevant government agencies saddled with the regulation of land use in Nigeria, through the proper implementation of the country’s land use act, should protect the fertile arable lands that are devoted to agricultural production and ensure that they are not converted to other non-agricultural purposes
THE DETERMINANTS OF FOOD SECURITY STATUS AMONG PERI-URBAN FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA
Get PDFPeri-urban agriculture increases the availability of fresh, healthy and affordable food for a large number of other urban, peri-urban and rural consumers, as much of the food produced by peri-urban farmers is bartered or sold locally. The study therefore examines the determinants of food security status among peri-urban farming households in Ondo State, Nigeria. Descriptive statistics, food security index, logistic regression model and the coping strategy use index (CSUI) were the tools utilized for data analysis. Empirical result show that 54.4% of the households were food insecure while 45.6% were food secure. The food insecurity gap/surplus index result showed that food secure households exceeded the calorie requirement by 48% while the food insecure households fell short of the calorie requirement by 62%. The logistic regression estimates revealed that household income had a significantly positive effect on household’s food security status while household size had a negative effect on food security. The CSUI indicated that withdrawal of children from school was the most widely used of all the coping strategies in the study area while the least was purchasing of food items on credit. It is recommended that awareness creation on family planning and provision of credit facilities will help in dwindling food insecurity in the study area
MAINSTREAMING “GLOBAL SYSTEM OF MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATION” (GSM) FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN IBADAN
Get PDFGlobal System of Mobile Telecommunication (GSM) services play significant role in many facet of human lives. Specifically, it has been demonstrated that GSM services can be used to improve practice of agriculture in society. In line with the above position, this study was designated to examine access and utilization of GSM services in selected rural communities in Ibadan. The study was hinged on Merton’s theory of Manifest Function to explain conceptual issues in the study. Sample of 800 respondents was selected from designated population of farmers. Purposive, quota and accidental sampling techniques were adopted for selection of study locations, sample distribution and respondents respectively. Descriptive quantitative statistics and qualitative method were used. Access to GSM services among farmers was described as low i.e. three percent (3.0%), moderate (57.4%) and high (29.6%). Again, the utilization of GSM services among farmers was low (4.6%), moderate (28.8%) and high (66.6%). Only 5.6% of the respondents had no formal education or cannot read and write which made it difficult to effectively utilize GSM services. There were 70.1% of the respondents who could adequately utilize GSM services for various activities especially browsing internet to follow updates in daily lives. Respondents however expressed deep feelings that tariffs, quality of services, fraud and arbitrary charges continued to constrain benefits that could be derived from GSM economy. Yet GSM services can serve different purposes especially where it can be used to source agric information, crop and animal production practices and other sundry information which can be shared instantly by farmers who are connected on mobile service. Quality of GSM service has remained major problem in rural areas. There should be intervention at the level of government and service providers to improve utilization especially in the area of farming information system
YIELD OF CELOSIA (Celosia argentea L.) AS INFLUENCED BY NITROGEN FERTILISATION AND SOWING METHODS IN KANO SUDAN SAVANNA OF NIGERIA
Get PDFoai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/1The research was conducted at Bayero University Research Farm, Kano, Kano State. The site is located in the Sudan savanna agro-ecological zone of Nigeria. The experiment was to study the response of celosia (Celosia argentea L.) to sowing methods and nitrogen fertilization. The treatments consisted of four levels of nitrogen (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N ha-1) and three sowing methods (Broadcasting, Drilling and Dibbling). The treatment was laid out using Split Plot Design and replicated three times. The results showed that application of nitrogen fertilizer at the rate of 150 kg N ha-1 significantly increased one thousand seeds, panicle weight and grain yield. Dibbling sowing method proved to be superior to other sowing methods. The significant interaction between nitrogen and sowing methods were observed on 1000 seeds weight, panicle and seed yield. Thus farmers in Sudan savanna zone of Nigeria could be advised to use the dibbling method at 150 kg N ha-1 for high grain yield of Celosia
ASSESSMENT OF POVERTY STATUS OF CASSAVA FLAKES PROCESSORS IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA
Get PDFThis study assessed the poverty status of Cassava flakes processors in North Central Nigeria Data were collected with the use of structured questionnaire designed to elicit relevant information on the socio-economic characteristics, poverty status, determinants of poverty and challenges encountered by cassava flakes processors in the study area. A total of 120 respondents sampled randomly were used for this study. Descriptive statistics, Foster, Greer and Thorbecke (FGT) index, Gini Coefficient and Probit regression models were used in data analysis. The study revealed that cassava flakes processing was a female dominated venture. The mean age of respondents was 32 years with 18 years mean years of experience in processing cassava roots into flakes. Cassava flakes processing as the main source of income of respondents (68.3%). The study revealed that 52.7% of the sampled respondents were poor based on the poverty line. Marital status, household size, among others was the determinants of poverty among respondents. Lack of finance, poor pricing of finished product and lack of modern processing facilities were among the challenges encountered by respondents. The study recommends the provision of poverty alleviation packages, price stabilization strategies by government and private investors in form of subsidies and other credit facilities for cassava flakes processors
EVALUATION OF PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FRUITS OF DIFFERENT CULTIVARS OF AONLA (Emblica officinalis Gaertn) GROWN IN UTTARAKHAND, WESTERN HIMALAYA
Get PDFFresh fruit of different cultivars of Aonla viz. Kanchan, Chakaiya, Banarasi, Amrit, Neelam and NA-10 were evaluated for physico-chemical characteristics. Cultivar Banarasi exhibit maximum fruit weight (36.23 g) followed by NA-10 (31.54 g), whereas lowest fruit weight was recorded for the cultivar Kanchan (10.17 g). Pulp weight was also found maximum for the cultivar Banarasi (33.58 g) followed by NA-10 and Amrit with the values of 29.57 g and 26.73 g respectively. Average values for stone weight, stone length and width were also found maximum for Banarasi cultivar with the values 2.65 g, 1.66 cm and 1.49 cm respectively. Amrit has the highest number of seeds/stone (6 seeds/stone), whereas it was lowest for Neelam (4.1 seeds/stone). NA-10 has the highest pulp to stone ratio followed by Amrit. Kanchan has the lowest pulp to stone ratio. The stone colour was white brown for Kanchan, Amrit, Neelam and NA-10 while it was brown for Chakaiya and Banarasi. Pulp content (%) was found highest for the cultivar NA-10 (93.69%) followed by Amrit (93.03%) while it was lowest for cultivar Kanchan (88.07%). However, Kanchan exhibit maximum specific gravity (1.10 g/c3) followed by NA-10 (1.08 g/c3). Our results indicated that Emblica officinalis cultivars in studied area showed a significant diversity in relation to fruit weight, length and width, fruit colour, stone length and width, stone weight and number of seeds per stone