JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT VOL. 4. NO. ½ SEPTEMBER, 2007, PP.
2-7
NEW RICE PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN NIGERIA
DANBABA, N., ABO M.E., UKWUNGWU M.N AND OCHIGBO, A.A
National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI), Badeggi, P.M.B. 08
Bida, Niger State Nigeria.
E-mail: zirbabs@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Rice production in Nigeria has increased
over the last few decades due to the introduction of modern rice production
technologies at an increase cost to the environment. It is predicted that
during the coming decades, global climate are likely to affect agriculture
including rice production. Conversely, rice production has its effects on the
environment. A more environmentally sound rice production technology is
recommended. This paper reviews problems of increase chemical inputs in modern
rice production system on the environment in Nigeria and the urgent need for a
new approach.
JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT VOL. 4. NO. ½ SEPTEMBER, 2007, PP.8-16
ECONOMICS OF VEGETABLE PRODUCTION IN AZAD JAMMU AND
KASHMIR, PAKISTAN
NADEEM AKMAL, NISAR ALI SHAH, HASSNAIN SHA, M SHARI AND SAJIDA
TAJ
National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad,
Pakistan
ABSTRACT
Vegetable crops have always been held in high esteem due to
their special attributes: high cash value, more productivity, high quality
food, better employment opportunities and their suitability for small land
holdings. Vegetables growing help in increasing the income of the farmers
substantially. Agro-climatic conditions of AJK are favorable for vegetable
production. This study was undertaken in district Muzaffarabad to describe
vegetables production practices, identify constraints in vegetable production,
and to estimate cost and revenue of the selected vegetables. Forty farmers
involved in commercial vegetable production were randomly selected for data
collection. Majority of the sampled farmers (85 percent) was small farmers,
having area less than 12.5 acres, 10% medium having an area of 12.5 – 25 acres
while the remaining 5% were large farmers with above 25 acres of area. A
literacy level among the sample farmers was 62.5 percent. Out of the total
literate respondents, 32 percent were educated up to primary level, 20% up to
matric and 7% above matric. The average gross incomes estimated from tomato,
brinjal, and ladyfinger were Rs. 47736, Rs. 35728, and Rs. 36600, respectively.
Likewise, per acre gross incomes earned from pumpkin, karram, spinach, radish,
and turnips were Rs. 40320, Rs. 35352, Rs. 30096, Rs. 30944 and Rs. 32768,
respectively. Net incomes (including land rent) earned from production of
tomato, brinjal, ladyfinger, pumpkin, karram, spinach, radish and turnips production
were Rs. 32944, Rs. 25195, Rs. 24694, Rs. 30701, Rs..24144, Rs. 19457, Rs.
21846 and Rs. 23660, respectively. A big gap was observed between the
recommended production practices and the farmers’ production practices. Major
production constraints reported by the sample farmers were lack of good quality
seed, inadequate technical skills, less or no use of inputs (FYM, chemical
fertilizers and pesticide), poor crop husbandry, lack of credit, adulterated
inputs, poor marketing system etc.
JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT VOL. 4. NO. ½ SEPTEMBER, 2007, PP.17-24
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF RAFFIA PALM (Raphia
hookeri) IN THE LIVELIHOOD OF RURAL DWELLERS IN OBIO/AKPOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT
AREA OF RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA
UNAEZE, H.C., ONU, M.E. AND AGUMAGU, A.C.
Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Faculty of
Agriculture, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to investigate the economic analysis
of raffia palm products on the
livelihood of rural dwellers in Obio/Akpor LGA. A purposive sampling
technique was used in the selection of 75 respondents. The data obtained were
analyzed using percentages and net income analysis. It was found that, majority
of the respondents who were engaged in raffia palm business are of middle age
bracket (31 – 40) (29.3%) and also of men folk (80%). The women, who engaged in
this business (20%), sell and assist in carrying the tapped palm wine out of
the bush. Also those gainfully employed in the raffia palm business, sell
mainly the palm wine (35%). It was found that in spite of the positive effect
of raffia palm business, its sourcing impose dangers to those directly involved
in the business (drudgery, scarcity of raffia palm, snake bites, inadequate
preservative measures, problems of climbing and falling etc.). The introduction
of improved palm seedlings with shorter height and good preservative measures
should be encouraged extensively. There is therefore need for government and
private organization to invest in this raffia palm business, so that rural
livelihood in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria will be
improved.
JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT VOL. 4. NO. ½ SEPTEMBER, 2007, PP.25-31
DETERMINANTS OF INFORMAL SAVINGS MOBILISATION AMONG FARMERS IN
OGUN STATE, NIGERIA
ADEGBITE, D. A., MOMOH, S. AND ALALADE, A.
University of Agriculture, P.M.B.2240, Abeokuta Ogun State,
Nigeria
ABSTRACT
The rural populace has long explored different indigenous
informal means of financing their farming and other activities before the
establishment of the rural banks and other formal financial institutions by the
Government. The terms and conditions of harnessing loans by these institutions
and their unwillingness to lend to the “risky” agricultural sector make farmers
to look for the informal financial services options like savings in order to
improve their level of production, standard of living and secure their
livelihood. The study has therefore attempted to assess the level of savings
vis-à-vis the farm revenue and the significant of the factors affecting savings
among farmers in Ogun State. The field study of the 80 farmers sampled in the
study, using multi-stage stratified purposive sampling technique revealed a
correlation between farm size and revenue and saving made by farmers in a year,
the estimated total revenue of N 22,
399,627 in one year out of this the farmers were able to save N 5,396,539.3 .Average farm revenue was N 279,995.33 per farmer. The R2 value
is 0.673, the adjusted R2 value of 62.4% , the relatively
high F value (13.221), in addition to the t-values and the statistically
significant variables Household size (X2) educational qualification
(Eq) X3, Farming experience (Fe) X4 and number of Children (Nc) X6 exert some influence on savings among farmers
in the study area. The need to reshape the rural financial services sector
through regulatory reforms and policies that could address improvement in
market information and liquidity of the rural capital market was therefore
suggested.
JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT VOL. 4. NO. ½ SEPTEMBER, 2007, PP.32-8
EFFECT OF CONFLICT ON ACCESS TO AGRICULTURAL LAND IN ATISBO
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OYO STATE, NIGERIA
ENIOLA, P. O. AND SIYANBOLA M. F.
Agricultural Technology Department, The Polytechnic, Ibadan,
Saki Campus, Oyo State, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
The study was undertaken in order to asses the effect of
conflict on access to land for agricultural production in Atisbo Local
Government, Oyo State. Two major land
conflict zones were selected; viz- Irawo Ile and Irawo Owode. Fifty respondents were randomly chosen from
each of the town. A total of 100 respondents were interviewed using validated
interview schedule to elicit information. Data collected were analyzed using
descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution and percentages, T – test
was used to analyze the effect of land conflict on the livelihood of the
farmers and the difference in the size of the farm before and after
conflict. The study shows that
preponderance (84%) of the respondents are young male farmers with little or no
formal education. It was noted that 86% of the respondents cultivate greater
than 1 hectare before conflict and 97% of them having less than 1 hectare after
conflicts yield and sales from the farms also reduced after conflict. There is
also a significant different between all the variables considered before and
after conflict. Such as farm size, frequency of visit to farms, number of
animals owned, size of the family, number of wives, number of children as well
as the farmers’ income were drastically reduced compared to the initial
experienced of the farmers before conflict.
JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT VOL. 4. NO. ½ SEPTEMBER, 2007, PP.39-44
INSTITUTIONAL LESSONS FROM THE PARTNERSHIP TO IMPROVE FOOD
SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND LIVELIHOODS OF STREET FOOD VENDORS AND CONSUMERS IN GHANA
JOHNSON1, P-N. T., K. ADEBAYO2, M. OTTAH
ATIKPO1, K. ESSEL3, W.O. ELLIS4, J. AWUDZA4
AND K.I TOMLINS5
1 Food Research Institute (CSIR), Accra, Ghana
2University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria
3 Food and Drugs Board, Accra, Ghana
4 Kwame
Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
5Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham,
United Kingdom
ABSTRACT
The growth in urban populations in Ghana offers both
opportunities and risks for resource-poor groups in urban and peri-urban
environments. One important opportunity
has been the increase in sale and patronage of street-vended foods (SVFs).
However, the livelihoods of these street-food vendors, their raw material input
suppliers as well as the health of consumers could be jeopardized if problems
of food safety are not addressed. This
paper emanates from a project executed in 1999/2000 to establish whether food
hazards occur in some popular Ghanaian foods sold along the streets of Accra
and establish the contributions street-vended foods were making to the economy
of Ghana. The coalition team formed was made up of partners from different
interest groups. Conflicts resulting
from vested interests involving key coalition partners in the project became
evident and were addressed. A key lesson from the project is that while key
partners may have all the technical capabilities to ensure the success of the
project, their poor inter-personal relationships may present a major setback to
the progress, timely execution and realization of the project’s goals. The
ability of coalition members and the project leaders to effectively manage such
conflicts was a key step in realizing the success of the project. Finally, it
was also learnt that an unwieldy size of partnership impedes the smooth
execution of the project.
JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT VOL. 4. NO. ½ SEPTEMBER, 2007, PP.45-50
AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENT, AND POVERTY IN NIGERIA
OJEMADE, A. C.
Nigerian
Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) P.M.B. 1030, Benin City, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
The majority of land in rural Nigeria is used for Agriculture
and most people depend on environment for their livelihoods. Agriculture accounts for about 40% of GDP and
generates about 90% of all agriculture-related exports in terms of
revenue. The industrial,
oil-exploration, and mining sectors also contribute substantially to revenue,
but collectively all these sectors impact on the environment and this tends to
perpetuate poverty in Nigeria. The paper seeks to examine the links between
environment, agriculture and poverty within the Nigerian context. The analysis begins with core environmental
issues including air pollution, water pollution, solid and hazardous waste,
deforestation, soil degradation, loss of Bio-diversity. Also discussed are some applications of
environmental economics in environmental management as well as some poverty
issues. The paper observed that Nigerian Agriculture is a major employer of the
active labour force and a great contributor to GDP, which has long been
neglected. In addition, it has also been
observed that some agricultural practices used, such as the slash-and-burn
system, use of heavy machinery, desertification, and deforestation of trees
without reseeding to replace felled ones, forest fires etc have contributed to environmental
degradation, poor yields and poverty.
The way forward as proposed in the sources reviewed, is highlighted in a
section which leads in to the conclusion.
JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT VOL. 4. NO. ½ SEPTEMBER, 2007, PP.51-53
PRELIMINARY ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF HAUSA POTATO (Solesnostemon
rotundifoluis Poir) PRODUCTION UNDER DIFFERENT PLANT POPULATIONS
AKINPELU, A. O., L. E. F. AMAMGBO, M. C. OKWUSI, B. C. OKOYE
AND A.O. OLOJEDE
National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Private Mail
Bag 7006, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
The
study was carried out at the National Root Crops Research Institute to
determine the effects of plant spacing on yield and economic returns of Hausa
Potato production. Four different plant spacing were used in the study; 100 cm
x 12.5 cm, 100 cm x 16.6 cm, 100 cm x 25.0 cm, and 100 cm x 50.0 cm. The
highest average yield (3.89t/ha) was obtained from 100 cm x 12.5 cm
(80,000plants/hectare) which was closely followed by 100 cm x 16.6
cm (3.54t/ha). Average fresh tuber yield (3.23t/ha) was recorded from 100 cm x
25.0 cm plant population. The lowest average yield (2.56t/ha) was
recorded from 100 cm x 50.0 cm (20,000plants/hectare). It is therefore
suggested that, economically, plant population of 100 cm x 12.5 cm is suitable
for Hausa Potato production in Umudike.