In spite of the numerous advantages associated with integrated rice and fish farming, deliberate adoption of this technique is still insignificant. This study examined rice farmers’ perception and knowledge of integrated rice and fish farming practice in Kwara State. A three-stage sampling procedure was used to select 149 rice farmers, while data was obtained through the use of a well-structured structured interview schedule. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). The results show that 81.9% of the respondents were male with mean age of 38 years and an average of 14 years farming experience. Given the average mean score of 3.04 respondents had a positive perception of integrated rice and fish farming, while 63.8% of the respondents had moderate knowledge. Farmers’ identified high cost of irrigation materials (M.S.=2.59), poaching (M.S.=2.59), flooding (M.S.= 2.55) as major constraints to the practice of integrated rice and fish farming. Farmers’ perception had a significant relationship with knowledge of integrated rice and fish farming at p<0.05 level. Also, farmers’ age (r=0.300, p<0.000), level of education (r=0.287, p<0.000), farming experience (r=0.220, p<0.007), membership of cooperative society (r=0.176, p<0.032) and extension contact (r=0.204, p<0.013) had significant relationship with the knowledge level. The study concluded that the rice farmers had moderate knowledge and positive perception of integrated rice and fish farming. There is a need to provide incentives, such as irrigation facilities to farmers and provision of adequate training on integrated rice and fish farming in order to fully maximize the potentials therein.
This study assessed the youths’ involvement in oil palm fruit processing activities in Ondo State, Nigeria. It described the socio-economic characteristics of youths involved in oil palm fruit processing activities, determined their level of involvement, examined their perception and identified constraints associated with their involvement. Multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 120 respondents from the study area. Interview schedule was employed to collect relevant data, which was analysed with SPSS software package. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data while inferential statistics were used to draw inference on hypothesis. The results show that majority (63.3%) were male, 95.8% had formal education with a mean age of 27.2 ± 2.7 years. Picking of fresh fruit bunches ( = 2.71), packaging ( = 2.60) and gathering of bunches ( = 2.50) were the major activities youth involved in. Higher percentage (57.9%) of the youth had favourable perception towards involvement in oil palm fruit processing activities. Lack of modern processing facilities ( =3.65) and funds/inadequate credit facilities ( = 3.65) were the prime constraints to their involvement. Number of labour (r = 0.7460; p≤0.01) and income (r = 0.601; p≤0.01) of the respondents were significantly related to youth involvement. The study concluded that youth had moderate involvement in oil palm processing activities. However, agricultural development stakeholders like government should provide adequate and functional credits facilities to these youths to encourage their involvement.
The study assessed the effect of contract farming on broiler production in Osun State, Nigeria. 120 farmers comprising of broiler farmers participating and not participating in contract farming were selected using multistage sampling technique. Information was elicited from the farmers with the aid of a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Stochastic Production Frontier and Ordinary least square regression model. The findings of this study revealed that majority (75%) of the farmers rated the activities of contracting farming to be good and favorable, as the contract farmers earn more from broiler production than their counterparts. Average technical efficiency of the contract and non contract farmers were 0.8209 and 0.6803, respectively. The results also revealed that years of experience in broiler production, education of farmer, off-farm income, membership in farmers association, access to credit, access to veterinary services and participation in contract farming significantly affected technical efficiency of broiler farmers in the study area. Therefore, the study recommends that there should be increase in the awareness of the benefits associated with contract farming in agrarian communities, so that more farmers are encouraged to participate, as this will improve their production efficiency.
Optimum supply of macro and micronutrients is of critical importance in improving the yield and quality of horticultural crops. Alike, the quality and yield of mango plants significantly increase by balanced application and uptake of macro and micronutrients. However, soil type and characteristics are important factors that directly influence the bio-availability of these nutrients to the plants. In addition, variability in climate has an impact on mango yield in the current scenario. Many scientists have found that mango cultivation in saline soils is a major obstacle to achieving the desired yield and improving quality. Overdose of fertilization is the major factor for the development of saline soils, furthermore, rise in climate temperatures is also a major factor. Therefore, to overcome this problem, nutrient management and the use of balanced fertilizer are the important factors to be controlled. Thus, this review focuses on the performance and importance of essential macro and micronutrients to improve the yield and quality of mango fruits. To understand the effective use of macro and micronutrients, the positive and negative impacts of the nutrients are explained. It is suggested that analyzing the soil, mango fruits, and mango plant leaves for their nutrient status can be useful to formulate fertilization strategies for higher fruit production and quality. Research and development, along with agricultural extension, should focus more on introducing genetically effective mango varieties to improve nutrient and water utilization efficiency.
Food insecurity remains a major challenge worldwide, especially among the rural areas of developing nation. Women and children are most vulnerable to this phenomenon. However, while many studies have assessed farming households’ food security status in general, there is dearth of information on vegetable farmers’, who are mostly women, food security status in particular. This study, therefore, investigated the food security status of vegetable farming households, its drivers and coping strategies in Kwara State, Nigeria. Descriptive statistics, food insecurity index and logistic regression were used to analysed data collected from 180 respondents. The findings showed that food insecurity remains a major challenge in rural areas as only 45.55% were food secure. The food secure group surpassed the food security line by 17%. Food insecure group fell below the food security line by 36% with a daily average calorie intake of 1581.35 kcal. Annual income (p< 0.1), cooperative membership (p< 0.1), vegetable production (p< 0.05) and access to credit (p< 0.05) were the significant factors enhancing their food security status, while household size (p< 0.01) negatively influenced it. The widely used food insecurity coping mechanisms by the households were eating less expensive food, eating wild fruits, reducing rational consumption, allowing children to eat first, borrowing money to buy food, buying food on credit and skipping meal within a day. The study recommends encouragement of vegetable production through provision of credit facilities to the farmers as this would enhance their food security status.
