FUTOSpace (Federal Univ. of Technology, Owerri)
Not a member yet
636 research outputs found
Sort by
Managing university libraries for online education
No full textA 2014 lecture noteFederal university of Technology, ,Owerr
Influence of public and private sector extension services in the adoption of improved cassava varieties by famers in Rivers state, Nigeria
Get PDFA research article on "influence of public and private sector extension services in the adoption of improved cassava varieties". It contains tables, diagrams and graph. The article was written before the author joined the services of the Federal University of Technology, OwerriThe public sector extension service in Nigeria was anchored by the Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs). In Rivers State, the ADP was established in 1987 as a semiautonomous, self accounting unit with the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources and funding was based on the following ration, RSG – 14%, FG-20% and world bank-66%.Similarly, the private sector extension services in Rivers State was provided by the multinational oil and gas companies notably, SPDC, TEPNG and NAOC with SPDC taken the lead, hence its choice in the study. SPDC started agricultural projects in 1965 in Ogoni but the activities were blown to limelight in early 90s with 9 extension officers resident in the company’s host communities called zones. The main objectives of the public and private sector extension services was to ensure food security through communication of technologies to farmers for enhanced adoption of improved varieties and farming systems mostly in the areas of crop, fisheries and animal productions. This study x-rayed the adoption of improved cassava varieties that was considered in great demand over local varieties (due to its numerous advantages) as a
source of major staple food (garri, amala, fufu) in Nigeria. Participatory and interactive bottom-up approach was employed to obtain data from the farmers and extension officers. Simple descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation were used. Technologies considered influential on improved cassava varieties adoption were planting time, planting length/population, planting distance (spacing), planting regime, weed control, appropriate fertilizer availability / application methods, harvesting time and other agronomic procedures. Results showed moderate adoption of overall recommended technologies of improved cassava production from farmers served by the public and private sector extension services but relatively higher adoption rate by the private sector than the public sector. A phenomenon caused by additional incentives by the operators of the private sector extension system. However, there was a significant difference in the adoption of recommended planting date between farmers reached by public and private extension officers. Conversely, there were no significant differences between farmers served by the extension systems with respect to the adoption of spacing, fertilizer type and fertilizer quantity. Thus, it revealed that when the component technologies were pooled, their overall adoption was not significantly different between farmers served by the public and private sector extension services. It was also found that private sector extension system operates like a social responsibility without legislative framework; hence their continued operation in Nigeria was doubtful. This situation could impose a serious threat to food security and
negatively affect government transformation plan for agriculture. It was recommended among others that the skills of extension officers of both public and private sectors be improved through periodic trainings. Regular logistics was important for effective extension system and that holistic approach using Research-Extension-Farmers-Inputs-Linkage-System (REFILS) should be employed and MTRM organized so that the farmers through the extension officers would constantly be informed of new varieties from the Research Institutes. Legislative framework would be a must for multinational oil and gas companies in Nigeria to continued support for agricultural developmen
Assessment of x-ray radiation on x-ray workers and associated potential health problems in Owerri
Get PDFThe master's thesis contains tables and figuresA study on assessment of X-ray radiation among X-ray workers and associated potential health problems in Owerri was carried out with the thermolumolunescent dosimeter between 12th April to 30th December 2011. A total of 50 workers were used for the study. Comprising 24 male X-ray workers and 26 female X-ray workers. The mean X-ray dose below permissible doses is 9.4.7 the T-test is -4.29; the P-value is 0.000. The mean exposure factor is 20msv upto six test which involve 3 male x-ray workers and 3 female x-ray workers. The result of the study show high rate of hair loss, cancer, cataract, erthyma and sterility, each provide evidence of excess exposure of X-rays. Therefore it is recommended that workers should wear protective device e.g lead aprons, gonads cover during exposure to X-ray and also limit their exposure tim
Phytostimulation of agricultural soil differentially contaminated with crude oil, using vigna unguiculata
No full textThe article contains tables and figuresPhytostimulation of crude oiI contaminated agricultural soil was carried out using vigna unguiculata. Different volumes of Bonny light crude oil vis-a-vis l00ml, 200ml, 400m1 and 800ml were used to pollute the soil after planting. Gas Chromatographic analysis revealed the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) of the samples in the green house to be 56mg/kg, 129mg/kg, 146mg/kg and 552mg/kg for the four concentrations respectively. The TPH of the samples front field experiment also recorded 58mg/kg, 122mg/kg, 267mg/kg and 613 mg/kg for the different concentrations respectively. Results obtained from the gas chromatographic (GC) analysis during this treatment process also depicted tire different alkane groups that were removed from the interaction to be within the range of C7 to C12; and C33 to C40 alkanes for samples in the field. Samples in the greenhouse also gave similar results except for the pot polluted with 800ml of crude oil where the only alkane groups degraded were C7 to C9. Although, the values of the growth rate of the plants indicated that plants in the greenhouse performed much better than the plants in the field both before and after pollution, there was a general decrease in the rate of growth per plant after some days of pollution. Nevertheless, a steady growth was observed from 192h till a slight increase ensued at 384h. Statistical analysis using T-test of SPSS Software oil for Windows Evaluation Version however showed that there was no significant difference in the rate of crude absorption by plants in the green house and in the field. Generally, the results showed that V. unguiculata be a promising process in stimulating polluted soil for effective remediation
Effects of antioxidants on the oxidative stability of vegetable oil at elevated temperature
Get PDFThe article has tables and figuresUnstable nature of vegetable oil posed serious health risk to humans. The oxidative stability of vegetable oils (Palm Olein, Soyabean Oil and Linseed Oil) with direct incorporation of antioxidants (tertiary butyl hydroxoquinone (TBHQ), butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT) and mixed (TBHQ and BHT) at room temperature and 700C for 168 hours was aimed to be investigated. Peroxide value was determined and the oxidative stability was evaluated. TBHQ had significant effect on the oxidative stability of palm olein at 700C while (TBHQ and BHT) had synergetic effect on stability of Soya bean oil at room temperature and Linseed oil at 700C
Integrating indigenous knowledge system in extension education: The potential for sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria
No full textThis article contains tableThis paper looks at the integration of indigenous knowledge system in Extension education with the aim of promoting sustainable agricultural development. It explores the meaning of indigenous knowledge and extension education. Attempts made in the past to achieve agricultural development, provide rationale to valuing indigenous knowledge and integrating indigenous knowledge in extension education. Efforts have been made in the past in pursuit of agricultural development but few of those involved in these effort including those in extension services take the trouble to understand the farmers and their indigenous knowledge rather the farmers are often described in generalization as ultra –conservative, steeped in tradition, hemmed in by custom, lacking in motivation and inactive, captive to age-old methods, incapable of making wise decisions. There have however, been a growing consensus now that some of the solutions to the problems that currently plague agricultural development must proceed from the role of understanding the dynamics within the local context and local capacities. Such dynamics include the roles of indigenous knowledge and practice in sustainable agricultural development. This can be achieved by integrating indigenous knowledge into the extension education system to address some of the knowledge deficiencies for development that is currently formulated from the western perspective. There is therefore a need for paradigm shift towards harnessing indigenous knowledge for the development of extension service since sustainable agriculture in all nations will require greater scientific respect for and more effective collaboration with those who possess the wisdom of generations of non scientific farming. It is in the face of this that indigenous knowledge becomes handy especially in its ability to promote sustainable agricultural development
