JSD Vol 6 No 1 March 2009

Journal of Sustainable Development Vol. 6. No. 1, March, 2009 pp 2-11

REGRESSION-BASED DECOMPOSITION ANALYSIS OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME INEQUALITY IN NORTHEAST NIGERIA

ODOZI, J. C., AWOYEMI, T. T. AND OMONONA, B. T.

Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Income inequality is both a manifestation and cause of poverty. Yet, much less is known about the factors influencing it in Northeast Nigeria where poverty is relatively high. This motivates the quantification of the micro sources of income inequality in Northeast Nigeria. Existing studies used conventional decomposition by income sources or by sub-population groups. These approaches are aggregative and provide limited information. Studies that have used the regression based approach exist but did not account for the contribution of the error and constant terms to total inequality. This is important for policy as to whether the included variables are worthwhile in explaining total inequality. This study uses secondary data from the Nigeria Living Standard Survey data set collected in 2004. Income inequality was higher in the urban sector than in the rural sector. Geographical variables, tertiary education and non agricultural occupation pronounced inequality in Northeastern. Gender, non agricultural occupation and tertiary education pronounced inequality in rural while agricultural occupation pronounced inequality in urban. The included variables collectively explained more than 60 per cent of total inequality in the zone and should be targeted.

 

Journal of Sustainable Development Vol. 6. No. 1, March, 2009 pp 12-16

ASSESSMENT OF FARMERS’ DECISION TO ADD VALUE TO CASSAVA ROOTS IN THE GREATER ACCRA REGION, GHANA

ANAGLO¹, J. N. , A. WESTBY², J. F. MORTON^2, P. B. ATENGDEM¹, K. ADEBAYO²

¹. Department of Agricultural Extension, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana

². Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, United Kingdom

 

ABSTRACT

Cassava production and processing are major livelihood activities of most households in Ghana. This study examined the relationships between cassava farmers and processors on one hand, and an intermediary High Quality Cassava Flour processor (Amasa) on another hand. The study also ascertained the profit levels of farmers who sell the cassava roots to the intermediary processor as compared to when they process the roots into grits, agbelima and gari. It was found that farmers make higher profit when they process the cassava roots into grits, agbelima and gari. However, selling cassava roots to Amasa enables the farmers to get ready and bulk cash, extension services, improved planting materials and credit facilities during land preparation. It was concluded that farmers who decode to add value to their own cassava root need additional support extension services, improved planting materials, better processing practise and business skills to contribute meaningfully in the higher value cassava markets.

 

Journal of Sustainable Development Vol. 6. No. 1, March, 2009 pp 17-20

IRRIGATION MECHANIZATION FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD PRODUCTION

 

TOLUBANWO, S. E.  AND C. H. KADURUMBA

National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, Nigeria.Email:engr.tolu@nrcri.org

ABSTRACT

Creation of production efficiency by mechanizing areas affected by labour shortage in the farm and processing, attracts youth to agricultural enterprises thus generating agro-based employment opportunities. The continuous food production through the year (the dry season farming) with the introduction of effective agricultural mechanization technologies, especially in irrigation, compatible with the socio-economic and field condition prevailing in various regions of the country will foster value addition and agro-industrial linkages for productivity improvements, employment generation and poverty alleviation. The expansion of land area for production has been demonstrated by using mechanized irrigation practice in the work reported in this paper.

 

Journal of Sustainable Development Vol. 6. No. 1, March, 2009 pp 21-27

DEPLOYMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN VEHICLE CONTROL AND MONITORING IN NIGERIA

DONFACK KANA, A. F.¹, A. A. OBINIYI², O. O AJIBOSE¹

¹ Department of Computer Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria Email: donfackkana@yahoo.fr, yemisiaji@yahoo.com

² Department of Mathematics, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria Email: aaobiniyi@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

This paper identifies the causes associated with the high rate of un-recovered missing vehicle in Nigeria and proposes a solution to address the issues by deploying information technology to assist the police in road check point. Two main issues were identified to be related in this case. First, inadequacy of police officers to properly identify the authenticity of vehicle particulars and ownership and secondly the low speed and inadequacy of the media used in information spread when there is an act of robbery. To address these issues, with the low cost of telephony equipment and the availability of mobile telephony service throughout the country, a system is developed based on the logical structure of the multi–tier architecture supporting the service of mobile telephony provider to enhance the control. A central online database is developed for vehicle and road controller. This gives the police the capability to properly identify the authenticity of vehicle particulars by querying the central database through a simple text message sent through a mobile telephony service provider. On the vehicle owner side, a simple text message is used to alert all the appropriate road controller of a given area, or the whole federation if there is a need when an act of robbery has occurred. The system was tested with sample data and the results show the efficiency of the system. The time of information retrieval and spread are limited to the speed of mobile telephony service used for delivering messages.

 

Journal of Sustainable Development Vol. 6. No. 1, March, 2009 pp 28-33

UTILIZATION OF SWEET POTATO-BASED CONFECTION TECHNOLOGY AMONG WOMEN FARMERS IN IMO STATE, NIGERIA

AMAMGBO, L. E. F.; OKWUSI, M. C.; EKEDO, T. O.; AKINPELU, A. O.

National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, P.M.B. 7006, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria

 

ABSTRACT

This study identified the demographic characteristics of the women farmers, their level of awareness of the sweet potato-based confectionary technology, its level of utilization and constraints associated with its utilization among women farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. Primary data were obtained from a sample of 120 women farmers selected through a multi-stage random sampling technique. The study revealed that lack of credit, poor contact with extension agents and non-membership of cooperative societies were factors limiting the awareness of the technology among the women farmers. It then concluded that provision of credit facilities, efficient extension agents participation and membership of cooperative societies would go a long way in encouraging women farmers in the study area to adopt the technology

 

Journal of Sustainable Development Vol. 6. No. 1, March, 2009 pp 34-41

ECONOMETRIC MODELLING OF EFFECTS OF ECONOMIC POLICIES ON FOOD OUTPUT IN NIGERIA WITHIN 1999 AND 2006

ONOJA, ANTHONY O.  AND AGUMAGU, A. C.

Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria E-Mail: tonyojonimi@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This study attempted modelling the impact of economic policy variables of Obasanjo’s administration on food output in Nigeria. The data used for the study were obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) publication. The data were analyzed using multiple regression models of three functional forms initially after which the one that had the highest R² and better F-ratio, the semi-log form, was selected as the primary model. Following detection of autocorrelation in that model (with Durbin-Watson statistic of 3.274438), it (semi-log) was modified using Generalized Difference Equation (GDE) model and further transformed using Prais-Winsten Transformation before applying OLS to the transformation following Gujarati (2006). The final results of the OLS estimates were again tested for autocorrelation using Durbin-Watson statistic before the final discussion. The study’s findings indicts the Federal Government (1999-2006), commercial banks and the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund of doing very little to advance the course of food production in the country with statistically insignificant coefficient values of the policy variables. The study also demonstrated that the model used for this analysis gave a very good fitting (R² of 0.99 and F-ratio of 462.42 at a critical level of 5% and p-value of 0.03. It was devoid of autocorrelation (d = 2.45). The recommendations made included the need for CBN to monitor commercial bank loans to agriculture, reform of Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme, subsidizing of commercial bank’s interest rate of agricultural loans and increase in budgetary allocation to agriculture.

 

Journal of Sustainable Development Vol. 6. No. 1, March, 2009 pp 42-46

INTER-TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL PRICING EFFICIENCY FOR FISH IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

AYORINDE,  B. J. O. AND D.A. OPEIFA

Department of Agricultural Production and Management Science, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

The study examined inter-temporal and spatial pricing efficiency in fish marketing in Ogun State alongside the background of the manipulative practices of middlemen. Secondary time series data on average monthly fish retail price in four urban and four rural markets in four market zones of Ogun state while structured questionnaires on storage and transportation costs were used for the study.  Data obtained were analyzed using t-test, regression and correlation analysis. There is a significant relationship (p<0.01) between the storage costs and average unit price, while the quarterly storage cost is significant at P<0.05.  There is a significant correlation (P<0.01) between the average unit price of fish in different markets and transportation costs.  There is also a positive relationship between the year in which the fish marketing occupied and average unit price of fish. The degree of variations in the average unit price of fish is majorly determined by the average transportation costs and average storage costs. The study concluded that the empirical analysis supported inter-temporal and spatial pricing efficiency in fish marketing in Ogun State for the period of the study.

 

Journal of Sustainable Development Vol. 6. No. 1, March, 2009 pp 47-53

ECONOMICS OF PROCESSING MAIZE INTO AKAMU AND AGIDI IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

NNANNA .M. AGWU

College of Agribusiness and Financial Management, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. P.M.B. 7262, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria E-mail: namak71@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

 

Primary data obtained from sixty (60) purposively selected maize processors from four (4) Local Government Areas of Enugu State were used to determine the economic gains from converting maize grains to two common traditional foods. Descriptive statistics, Gross Margin analysis and multiple regression were used in analyzing the data. The result showed that traditional value addition to maize was profitable in the State. The result also showed that except marital status and educational attainment of the respondents, all other variables (Age, sex, household size, number of years in business and income level were significant factors influencing the quantity of maize processed.

 

Journal of Sustainable Development Vol. 6. No. 1, March, 2009 pp 54-57

DETERMINATION OF SOIL CHARACTERISTICS OF EROSION SITES AND EARTH FILL IN ROAD MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION IN SOUTHEAST NIGERIA

TOLUBANWO, S. E.¹; IJIOMA, C. I² AND KADURUMBA, C. H.¹

^1. National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria.

^2. Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

 

Southeast Nigeria has the worst scenario in gully and erosion menace as well as very bad road network. A technical characterization of soil type in Amaifeke, Ihioma and Okwudor all in Orlu of Imo State, Nigeria was carried out. The objective was to determine suitable soil with highest properties that can be used in earthfill. From the analysis carried out, Amaifeke soils exhibited highest cohesion, liquid and plastic limits of 10KN/m²; 56 and 23% respectively, than 5KN/m²; 41 and 20% for Ihioma soils and 3.5KN/m²; 29 and 18.2% for Okwudor soils. It is equally important to note that irrespective of percentage slope and compactive energy imposed on the site, soil loss was consistently least in Amaifeke site. The results therefore showed that in Orlu Zone, Imo State, Amaiefeke is the best site to collect soil for earthfill when compared to soils from Okwudor and Ihioma in raod construction and erosion/gully control.

 

 

Journal of Sustainable Development Vol. 6. No. 1, March, 2009 pp 58-62

EFFECTIVENESS OF VALUE ADDITION TRAINING AMONG WOMEN CASSAVA FARMERS IN IMO STATE, NIGERIA

CHINAKA, E. C., M. H., TOKULA AND M. C. OKWUSI

National Root Crops Research Institute Umudike P.M.B. 7006 Umuahia  Abia State, Nigeria.

Email: mhtokula1@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The study assessed the effectiveness of trainings organized by National Root Crops Research Institute Umudike (NRCRI) for women on the production of value added products from cassava in Imo State. Primary data were collected from 30 of 50 trained women. and an additional 30 untrained women from the same communities. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. Results showed that that majority (90%) of the respondents were married and members of women cooperatives, while 60% of the women belonged to cassava growers association. Half of the trained women produced 3-5 products, while 33% produced 1-2 of the products. The multiple regression results showed that training and farm sizes influenced the production of value added products from cassava. Majority (90%) of the respondents indicated lack of equipment and finance as problems militating against the number of products they could produce. It was recommended that training should be continued to popularize the products, and equipments for processing of these products should be produced and made available to women at affordable prizes

 

Journal of Sustainable Development Vol. 6. No. 1, March, 2009 pp 63-69

PREFERENCE SWITCHING AMONG RICE CONSUMERS IN ABIA STATE, NIGERIA

AGWU, N.M.; I. N. NWACHUKWU AND B.C. EZEKWEM

College of Agribusiness and Financial Management, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, P.M.B. 7267, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria. Email: namak71@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

This study examined preference switching behaviour from foreign to local rice among consumers in Abia State, Nigeria. Primary data were obtained from 120 rice consumers from three purposively selected Local Government Areas in Abia State, Nigeria. Descriptive statistics, binary logit, multiple regression and paired t-statistic were tools used for data analysis. The result showed that age, price, income and household size were major determinants of rice consumption. The result also showed that education, price and income were major reasons for the switch from foreign rice to local rice. The study recommended that farmers should be encouraged and provided with incentives to produce more of local rice.

 

Journal of Sustainable Development Vol. 6. No. 1, March, 2009 pp 70-72

OPINION PAPER

THE DANGEROUS ALLIANCE OF THE COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT AND THE REPORTS ON SUSTAINABILITY

LUIZ ROBERTO CALADO Vice- President of  IBEF (Brazilian Institute of Financial Executives),  is PhD student in Sustainable Finance in the Unibonn (Germany), Master of Science in Business Administration and Economist and invited professor of the University Presbiteriana Mackenzie.