African walnut seed (Tetracarpidium conophorum) is rich in protein and phytochemical with great potentials for food application, but has limited uses in food industry. The African walnut seed was procured from Oje market and commercial wheat flour in Aleshiloye market, Ibadan. The commercial wheat and African walnut flours were composites of varying ratios; 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30 and 60:40 to prepare cookies and labeled samples X, A, B, C and D respectively. The proximate composition, anti-nutrients (oxalates, phytate and protease inhibitor), phyto-chemical (tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, saponins, and Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) and sensory evaluation of the cookies were determined using standard methods. The result of proximate composition of cookies showed that carbohydrate (47.0-52.36%), protein (16.3-19.6%) and fat (18.5-19.2%) were the major components in the cookie samples. Other components including; moisture (7.7-8.4%), ash (4.1-4.2%) and fibre (0.9-1.8%) were generally low. Anti-nutrient factors of cookie samples ranged from 11.3-17.7mg/100g for Phytate and no traces of oxalates and protease inhibitors in all cookie samples. Control cookie sample had no traces of tannin, flavonoids and saponins, but enriched cookie ranged from 10.3-14.7mg/100g; 3.4-5.7mg/100g and 10.7-15.3mg/100g, respectively. Phytochemical constituents of cookie samples in ORAC ranged from 3.4-12.0mg/100g and alkaloids (3.7-7.7mg/100g). Organoleptic panelists preferred sample X to all other samples, followed by sample A. Inclusion of 10% African walnut flour compared favorably with wheat cookie in terms of sensory quality.
Cassava root storage is limited by Post harvest Physiological deterioration (PPD), which renders cassava root unpalatable and unmarketable. The research work was aimed at analyzing delayed PPD, total carotenoids (TC), starch content (SC) and dry matter (DM) of some selected cassava cultivars and correlating the variables to ascertain their relationships. We planted twenty cassava cultivars at the western farm of the National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike which were replicated twice and the different cultivars served as the source of variation. The design of the experiment was Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The cassava cultivars were harvested after the twelfth month of planting and root and shoot biomass taken. The roots obtained were taken to the laboratory to evaluate for PPD, TC, SC and DM. The results obtained were analysed using GENSTAT to obtain the ANOVA, Correlation Coefficient and the mean separated using LSD. The correlation result showed that PPD was inversely correlated to TC, although the association was weak. SC and DM were however, directly correlated to PPD. TC was inversely correlated to SC and DM, although their correlation was weak. SC and DM were directly and strongly correlated.
This study seeks to evaluate the potential health risks associated with the consumption of selected heavy metals in soils and selected vegetables from polluted sites. The vegetable includes; Gongrenema latifolium (GL), Ocimum gratissimum(OG), Vernonia amygdalina(VA) and Talinum triangulare (TT), harvested from a crude oil polluted area in Bodocity, Ogoniland., Rivers State. The concentrations of Fe, Pb, Zn, Mg, Cd and Cr were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). The mean concentrations of heavy metals (Fe, Pb, Zn, Mg, Cd and Cr ) for the samples ranged from 0.36±0.01 in GL (Control) to 16.82±0.01 in the polluted soil (SS); Fe>Zn>Cr>Pb>Cd. Health Risk was assessed by computing the average Daily Intake of Heavy Metals, Target Hazard Quotient and Carcinogenic Risk for Heavy Metals. The daily intakes of Heavy metals from vegetable consumption were within the threshold values for Cr, Zn, Pb, and Cd except for contaminated soil, which exceeded the threshold value. The observed THQ of Cr, Zn, Pb and Cd were generally 1 for Fe which maybe a concern to consumers of crops planted in the Bodocity soil. The CR values of Pb, Cd and Cr in GL, VA, TT and SS were within 10-6 to10-4, indicating that consumption of vegetables grown in the oil spilled area may likely result in cancer over a period of 70 years. The CR values indicated in this study were within the predicted permissible lifetime cancer risk (10-6-10-4) for all the samples assessed, constant consumption/exposure to these Heavy metals may result in their bioaccumulation overtime which is implicated in serious health risk.
This study assessed livelihood diversification and settlement patterns among agro-pastoralists in Ibadan/Ibarapa Agricultural Zone, Oyo State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 106 agro-pastoralists, while data were collected with the aid of pre-tested and validated interview guide. Data were subjected to descriptive (frequency, percentage, mean) and inferential (chi-square) statistics using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Results revealed that the mean age of respondent was 43 years, and that 60.4% of the respondents were sole owner of their cattle. The major livelihood activities were sale of cattle, crop farming and sale of milk/milk products. Findings also showed that many of the agro-pastoralists practiced either the transhumance (25.5%) or semi-transhumance (55.7%) settlement patterns. It was further revealed that the respondents benefited from equitable access to land, expansion of business trade and market integration. Some of the challenges faced by the agro-pastoralists include; cattle defecating on streams and roads (78.3%), extensive sedentarization (80.2%), farmland invasion by cattle (85.8%), and overgrazing on fallow lands (80.2%). Chi-square analysis revealed that there were significant associations between settlement patterns and livelihood diversification; selling of milk and milk product (χ2 = 12.248, p≤0.01), cultivation of crops (χ2 = 15.362, p≤0.01), petty trading (χ2 = 7.957, p≤0.05) and commercial selling of livestock (χ2 = 9.456, p≤0.05). It was concluded that the transhumance or semi-transhumance settlement patterns adopted by the agro-pastoralists had positive influence on their livelihood diversification into different activities. It is therefore recommended that agro-pastoralists should diversify into more income generating livelihood activities.
In the light of the need to continue to supply food to the ever-growing Nigerian population which anchors on human labour productivity, this study analysed gender differentials in labour utilization and productivity among rice farmers in Enugu State, Nigeria. Data were collected through a multi-stage sampling technique and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviation, Z-test and multiple regression. The result showed that a combination of family labour and hired sources contributed most of the labour supplied for rice production for female (71.6%) and male (88.3%) rice farmers in the area. It is evident from the result that male rice farmers were more productive than their female counterparts. Labour utilization of the male farmers was positively influenced by distance, farm size, land ownership, credit and education, and for female farmers; was positively influenced by distance, farm size, age, and credit and negative by household size and extension. Also labour productivity of the male farmers was positively influenced by distance, farm size, age and credit and negative by land ownership, while labour productivity of the female farmers was positively influenced by distance, farm size, age and credit and negative by land ownership. The study therefore recommends that farmers utilize their family labour efficiently in order to reduce the hired labour, thereby, leading to a decrease in the cost of rice production and increase in farm revenue. Also government and stakeholders should assist farmers through timely and adequate input supply and access to more land, creating effective services (especially credit) and enabling environment, for efficient utilization of agricultural inputs on farms, which will lead to enhanced productivity among the rice farmers.
