African Journal of Tropical Agriculture

African Journal of Tropical Agriculture Vol. 9 (3), pp. 001-009, March, 2022. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Analysis of rural and urban households’ food consumption differential in the North-Central, Nigeria: A micro-econometric approach

Obayelu, A. E.*, Okoruwa, V. O. and Oni, O. A.

Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Accepted 21 May, 2021

Abstract

This paper examines whether there are differences in food consumption patterns between the rural and urban households in the North-central Nigeria using food consumption data obtained from households’ seven days memory recall. While analytical tools like the descriptive statistics were used, the nature of data on fruits and vegetable with a lot of zero consumption led to the employment of the double-hurdle model. The results of the descriptive statistics revealed heterogeneity in consumption and expenditure patterns across households in rural and urban areas. While the urban residents purchase 37.9% of the food they consume, families in rural areas purchase only 26.6%. The most commonly consumed foods among urban populations included rice, fat and oil, bread, soft drink, sugar and milk, while those in rural areas was substantially different and included yam and cassava flour. Urban households in both states consumed more rice, fat and oil, bread, soft drink, sugar and milk with less yam and cassava flour compared to the rural households. Households’ decision to participate in fruits and vegetable food group from double-hurdle model was based on their income, location, membership of cooperative group and access to refrigerator. The actual consumption was based on income and their membership of social group. There is the need to increase households’ income and access to fruits and vegetable preservation facilities to facilitate the consumption of the food items.

Key words: Consumption, zero food consumption, food consumption differential, double-hurdle.

African Journal of Tropical Agriculture Vol. 9 (2), pp. 001-006, February, 2022. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Avoiding more biofuel surprises: The fuel, food and forest trade-offs

Clayton W. Ogg

US Environmental Protections Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., EPA West 4339T, MC 1809T, Washington, DC 20460. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: 202-566-2315. Fax: 202-566-2339.

Accepted 16 July, 2021

Abstract

Biofuel policies involve a convergence between, policies to protect ecosystems and reduce greenhouse gases and policies to support food security and agricultural income. Beginning in 1985, agricultural programs shifted dramatically from being a major cause of environmental damage to providing a strong leverage which encouraged the most environmentally beneficial practices. Biofuel programs are erasing some of those gains. Careful review of the literature indicates that biofuel incentives considerably increase both food prices and destruction of the world’s tropical ecosystems, even though funding organizations have been slow to document the latter. Attempts to frame the policy issues as a pursuit of “biofuel sustainability” apparently understate environmental and food security challenges and could undermine over 2 decades of efforts to make farm programs more equitable, market oriented and environmentally friendly.

Key words: Biofuels, deforestation, water quality, food prices, equity.

African Journal of Agribusiness Research Vol. 9 (1), pp. 001-011, January, 2022. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The welfare costs of electricity outages: A contingent valuation analysis of households in the suburbs of Kampala, Jinja and Entebbe

Eseza Kateregga

Makerere University Faculty of Economics and Management, Department of Economic Policy and Planning, P.O. Box 7062 Kampala, Uganda. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 19 October, 2021

Abstract

Electricity power outages have been quite rampant in Uganda since the early 1990s.The water hyacinth, faults in the transmission and distribution systems, other generation related faults and the ever increasing demand for electric energy in the face of a given load capacity, are factors that have been responsible for the numerous outages experienced by both commercial and domestic power consumers. Inconveniences that result from such power cuts are likely to differ across consumers depending on the types of consumption requiring power in different time periods. In this study, we use the contingent valuation method to elicit outage costs for electric energy consumers in 3 Ugandan suburbs. We subjected respondents to 8 descriptions of outage scenarios. We used payment cards and open-ended questions to elicit outage costs that accrue from each type of outage. Willingness to pay (WTP) means and medians for each outage type was estimated following the Ayer et al. (1955) estimation procedure and the implied aggregate outage costs calculated. The effects of socio-economic factors on responses from the open-ended questions were explored using Tobit model with sample selection effects. We find that electric energy as the main source of cooking fuel in the household, income and substitution costs were significant determinants of open-ended WTP.

Key words: Willingness to pay, electricity outage costs.

Advanced Journal of Agricultural Research Vol. 9 (2), pp. 001-007, February, 2021. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Use of models in assessing the impact of cropping system, land types and suitability on land degradation in Southwestern Nigeria

Aruleba, J. Olusegun* and Ajayi, A. Samuel

Department of Crop, Soil and Environment Sciences University of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria.

Accepted 14 September, 2020

Abstract

Two sites (Apomu and Alabata) measuring 10 ha and representing rainforest and savannah agro-ecological zones, respectively in South Western Nigeria were chosen to evaluate the influences of cropping system, suitability and land types on the degree of land degradation. Multiple linear step-wise forward elimination regression was use to measure the interrelationships of the land parameters measured. The result using the model Y = 0.99 – 0.21CS + 0.10LT + 0.36S showed that for Apomu, the cropping system contributed 30% to the degradation as indicated by bulk density. Organic matter, conductivity and land suitability contributed more than 15% in terms of bulk density and permeability while land type contributed 17.5 and 2% of the degradation due to permeability and organic matter respectively. At Alabata, the model that best describes the relationships is Y = 0.17 + 0.09CS + 0.23LT + 0.31S. Cropping system contributed 10 - 12% degradation while land type contributed between 6.5 – 17.3% due to organic matter content, ESP, exchangeable K and bulk density. Land degradation models were also developed for each nutrient based on the cropping system, suitability and topographic land types. Appropriate cropping systems such as alley cropping, organic farming, contour farming, and rotational cropping etc. are recommended for the defined soil / land types to minimise land degradation in the study area.

Key words: Land degradation, cropping system, land type, model and suitability.

Advanced Journal of Agricultural Research Vol. 9 (2), pp. 001-005, February, 2021. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Adoption and non-adoption of sprinkler irrigation technology in Ardabil Province of Iran

Asghar Bagheri* and Ardavan Ghorbani

College of Agriculture, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Iran.

Accepted 19 November, 2020

Abstract

This survey study was carried out to identify the adoption, discontinuance and non adoption of sprinkler irrigation systems among farmers who were trained to apply those in Ardabil Province of Iran. Farmers were divided into 3 groups as: adopters, abandoners after adoption and non-adopters. A sample of 160 farmers, including 20 adopters, 80 abandoners and 60 non-adopters were randomly selected. Results show that no significant differences among three studied groups exist regarding access to agricultural research and extension service centers. Adopters had lower farming experiences however, were more educated, having larger farm sizes including irrigated and rainfed lands, with more fragments and less distances among them. They were more informed about irrigation methods specially, sprinkler systems than the other two groups. Such awareness enabled them to solve problems occurred after installation of equipments in their farms. On the other hand, weakness of awareness had affected abandoners` decisions to reject the technology. Nevertheless, all of the respondents showed positive attitude towards optimum use of irrigation water. Significant relationships exist among contact with agricultural experts and extension agents as well as training programs of radio, TV and adoption behaviors. Meanwhile, differences among groups regarding ability to read written materials on irrigation were statistically significant. Overall, farmer’s reasons for adopting and non-adopting of sprinkler systems were classified.

Key words: Water policy, water efficiency, water allocation, sprinkler irrigation.

Advanced Journal of Agricultural Research Vol. 9 (1), pp. 001-005, January, 2021. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Replacement of fishmeal with locally available ingredients in diet composition of Macrobrachium dayanum

Seema Langer*, Yahya Bakhtiyar and Rewa Lakhnotra

Department of Zoology, University of Jammu and Kashmir, 1800 06, India.

Accepted 09 November, 2020

Abstract

The effect of locally available low cost ingredients such as silk worm pupae (SWP), soyabean meal (SBM), earth worm meal (EWM) as a replacement of fish meal (FM) on growth, survival and biochemical composition, were investigated for Macrobrachium dayanum (0.50 g). A significantly higher rate of growth, survival and food conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded for prawns fed EWM, as compared to SWP, SBM, and FM. The proximate composition of flesh further revealed a higher level of proteins and lipids in prawns fed EWM thereby indicating EWM as a possible substitute of FM.

Key words: Macrobrachium dayanum, low cost ingredients, biochemical composition.