This study examined the impact of cooperative societies on the marketing of arable crops in the rural–urban areas of Ogun State, Nigeria. The research, conducted in 2025, employed a simple random sampling technique to select 228 members from 535 registered cooperative members. Data were collected using a validated and structured questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. The respondents were predominantly male, around 50 years of age, educated, with an average monthly income of ₦150,000, 18 years of farming experience, and membership in producers’ cooperatives. The findings indicated that cooperative societies significantly enhanced members’ livelihoods by improving market access ( x ̅= 3.81), enabling better prices for produce (x ̅ = 3.85), and facilitating credit for farm inputs ( x ̅= 3.85). However, key challenges identified included inadequate storage facilities (x ̅= 1.86), poor transportation ( x ̅= 1.93), and delayed payments for produce ( x ̅= 1.66). Statistical analysis revealed significant relationships between educational level (p = 0.016), farming experience (p = 0.002), and the perceived impact of cooperatives on marketing. Overall, cooperative membership improved market access, secured better selling prices, and expanded credit opportunities as factors that collectively enhanced productivity and living standards. It is recommended that cooperatives, while leveraging their credit-access advantage, negotiate more flexible loan terms with financial institutions to stimulate greater investment in farming. Furthermore, cooperative leaders should collaborate with relevant government agencies to enhance awareness, eligibility, and documentation for agricultural grant access, thereby addressing structural challenges in arable crop marketing.
The current research was designed to explore the potential of indigenous pulses as source of valuable protein for human dietary requirements with improved protein bioavailability. The bio evaluation of selected formulation of flour samples was carried out by running animal model feeding trail, and nitrogen contents of dried carcass were quantified by AACC official method. The study was conducted at National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad during 2022-23. The results of bio-efficacy study showed significant improvement in biological value (60.02-79.94%), protein efficiency ratio (2.08-2.77), true digestibility (60.98-69.25%) and net protein utilization (67.10-69.99%). For safety assessment purpose, the experimental rats were fed on formulated diets containing chickpea, mung bean and lentil flour blends in combination with wheat flour. Rats were subjected to serum protein analysis, renal and hepatic function tests. Results regarding the enzyme activity for liver function indicated non-significant variations among the experimental diets containing pulse flours compared to control diets. The enzyme activities ALT, AST and ALP varied as 48.584±0.424 to 68.78±0.386, 16.20±0.278 to 23.096±0.741 and 31.499 ±0.998 to 43.758 ±0.821 μmol/L. The values for urea varied from 2.97±1.06 to 4.172±0.788mgdl-1 and serum creatinine 0.47±0.174 to 0.56±0.095 mg/dl-1. Hematological study depicted increased level of hemoglobin and red blood cells from 4.0 to 7.0g/dl and 2.35 to 2.45 (X103 mm-3). The red blood and lymphocytes count ranged from 0.64 to 2.45×103 mm3 and 23.00-68.60%, respectively. The safety of the developed products was assessed from the kidney and liver functioning tests. Histopathology of liver and kidney showed no morphological changes in hepatic or renal tissues of the animals suggesting no negative effect of the diet in LFT and RFT. The lab values of these parameters were in the safe limits proving that pulse composite flours are safer for consumption. The intake of selected composite flours showed varied ranges of blood urea (1.74-2.29 mmol/L) and serum creatinine (17.92-18.68 μmol/L), among the different groups. No harmful effects were observed in rats after consumption of plant-based protein enriched diets. The results indicated that pulse flour based composite diets improved the protein bioavailability compared to standard diets and can be utilized to counterfeit the protein energy malnutrition within the community.
Zinc has physiochemical involvement in the soil and plant system, but inadequate consideration of this mineral by the farming community in plant nutrition leads to significant loss of production as well as the nutritional quality of food crops. The current study elaborates on the effects of varying zinc dosages at rates of 2.5, 5, and 10 kg/ acre on growth, yield, and quality characteristics of red rice. The study was conducted during 2023 at the research farm, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan. The results indicated that, the rice plants received nutrition as 10 kg zinc / acre exhibited significant contribution in agronomic (plant height and number of tillers), yield (panicle length, low spikelet sterility, 1000 grain weight and grain yield) and quality attributes (grain length, grain breadth, less broken & immature grains, color intensity, grain hardness and zinc contents in grain composition). Therefore, it is suggested that the application of Zn seems important for excellent growth, higher yield with good quality characters in grain to fulfil the demand of zinc fortified rice to improve the nutritional status of urban communities.
This study, conducted in 2025, proposes policy interventions to address lead (Pb) contamination in the agriculture sector of Pakistan. The absence of a comprehensive regulatory framework undermines sustainable agricultural practices and endangers food security. The study examined various case studies regarding lead contamination in crops across different regions of Pakistan and identified the underlying causes behind the issue. Furthermore, existing legal and institutional frameworks that work to curb heavy metals were studied for a better understanding of the current landscape. The findings revealed that Pakistan lacks a focused regulatory framework, particularly in relation to lead (Pb) prevention and detection. To address this gap, a comprehensive regulatory and monitoring framework was proposed, involving various ministries, departments and stakeholders. However, financial constraints hinder the implementation of the policy interventions. With proper attention from the government, robust support from foreign donors, NGOs and environmental agencies can serve as a much-needed solution. Some recommendations were also proposed to facilitate the effective enforcement of the interventions.
CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) - Cas (CRISPR associated protein) advancements revolutionize genome editing, enabling precise genetic modifications effectively. CRISPR/Cas technology has been applied in both animal and plant cells for therapeutic purposes and gene function studies in plants. In animals, CRISPR/Cas has various applications for therapeutic purposes. But the main concern is to precisely and efficiently deliver components of CRISPR/Cas inside host cells. For this, various delivery tools have been investigated for in vivo and in vitro incorporation of the CRISPR/Cas components such as viral vectors, non-viral vectors, and physical methods. Each delivery tool has its applications and limitations, and selection of appropriate methods is necessary for treating several diseases. In plants, the widely used approach for delivering CRISPR/Cas components is Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Other methods include direct (physical and chemical methods) and indirect delivery tools which result in efficient editing of genome in plants. In this review, we are focusing on the efficient delivery method with minimal drawbacks which cause efficient editing of genome in both plants and animals.
