Aim: The study aimed at assessing the feasibility of commercial meat rabbit production in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana. Place and Duration: The study was conducted in Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region of Ghana between February and May, 2013. Methodology: Structured and unstructured questionnaires were utilized in obtaining information from two hundred meat consumers and 15 meat rabbit farmers. Data were analyzed using Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR)/ Profitability Index (PI) technique, percentages and chi-square contingency test. Results: The study found that the current demand for rabbit meat is low (36%). The desirable nutritional attributes of rabbit meat and other socio economic factors of meat consumers make the potential demand for rabbit meat high (69%). It was estimated that GH¢5,292 (approximately $ 2672) was needed as a start-up capital for a 40-doe unit meat rabbit farm in Kumasi Metropolis. The cost of breeding animals, housing and equipment Original Research Article American Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 4(2): 183-192, 2014 184 formed 12.47%, 53.97% and 24.87% respectively of the initial estimated capital. A Net Present Value of GH¢ 5,910.75 (approximately $ 2984) was obtained at the end of the fifth year, with an Internal Rate Return and Profitability Index of 70% and 1.12 respectively. The major constraints identified in meat rabbit production were low price of rabbit meat, shortage of fodder, pest and diseases, high cost of capital, high cost of operating materials and veterinary care. Conclusion: Based on the analysis it was concluded that meat rabbit production is feasible in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana. The study recommends embarking on mass advertisement; farmer association and adapting to new technologies in the production process will help to enhance productivity.
Abstract—The grain quality is a decisive factor in its use. In Poland, spring wheat is characterized by more favorable quality parameters in relation to the winter form of this species. In the present study, the effects of three different sowing dates (autumn, delayed autumn, and spring) and cultivar (Tybalt, Cytra, Bombona, Monsun, and Parabola) on the selected technological value parameters of spring wheat over three years were studied. The field trials were carried out in two locations (Bezek, Czesławice) in the Lubelskie Vivodeship, Poland. It was found that the falling number of spring wheat grains from autumn sowing dates was at a similar level to wheat sown in spring. The amount of wet gluten in the grain was variable in years, and its quality was better in wheat sown in spring. Sedimentation index was dependent upon on the cultivar.
The agri-food market transformation has implied market growth for the fruit industry in Thailand. This article focuses on analysis of farmer competence and farm resources which affect market strategies used by fruit farmers in Chanthaburi province of Thailand. The survey data were collected through the use of face-toface interviews with structured questionnaires. This study identified 14 drivers related to farmer competence and farm resources of which some had significant effect on the decision to use either high-value markets or traditional markets. The results suggest that farmers who used high-value markets were better educated and they had longer experience and larger sized business. Identifying the important factors that match with the market transformation provides policy with opportunities to support the fruit farmers to increase their market power. Policies that promote business expansion of agricultural cooperatives and knowledge sharing among farmers are recommended to reduce limitations due to limited knowledge, low experience, and small business sizes. Keywords—Farmer competence, farm resources, fruit industry, high-value markets, Thailand.
Several colonisation projects were implemented in the Brazilian Legal Amazon in the 1970s and 1980s. Among these colonisation projects, the most prominent were those with the “fishbone” and “topographic” models. Within this scope, the settlements known as Anari and Machadinho stand out because they are contiguous areas with different models and structures of occupation and colonisation. The main objective of this work was to evaluate the dynamics of Land-Use and Land-Cover (LULC) in two different colonisation models, implanted in the State of Rondônia in the 1980s. The fishbone and topographic or Disorganised Multidirectional models were implemented in the Anari and Machadinho settlements, respectively. A 36-year time series of Landsat images (1984–2020) was used to evaluate the rates and trends in the LULC process in the different colonisation models. In the analysed models, a rapid loss of primary and secondary forests (anthropized areas) was observed, mainly due to the dynamics of its use, established by the Agriculture/Pasture relation with a heavy dependence on road construction. Understanding these two forms of occupation can help the future programs and guidelines of the Brazilian Legal Amazon and any tropical rainforest across the globe.
