African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development

African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN 2375-0693 Vol. 7 (1), pp. 659-664, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effects of socio-economic factors on the adoption of Ginger production in Nigeria

Ahmed Yusuf¹, Lukman Galadima² and Ibrahim Saleh³                                                     

¹Faculty of Agriculture, Kaduna State University, Kaduna

²Faculty of Agriculture, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi

³Faculty of Agriculture, Bayero University, Kano

Accepted 11 December, 2018

Abstract

The study examined the effect of socio-economic factors on the adoption of ginger (Zingiber officinal) production technologies in Southern Kaduna State of Nigeria. 200 respondents were randomly selected for this study. Data were collected by means of questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The result revealed that the average age of the respondents was 35.5 years, household size was 10 persons, farm size was 2.55 ha and years of farming experience constituted 15.5 years. The result also revealed that 62.70% of the respondents were married and 84.00% attained one form of education or the other. The result also revealed that educational level and scale of farming influenced the adoption of ginger farming innovations at P ≤ 0.05. It was concluded that the level of education attained by a farmer and his/her scale of farming ease the farmers’ ability to adopt improved ginger farming innovation hence a higher productivity level. It was recommended that extension agents should gear their effort towards adequate technology transfer to farmers and adequate provision of agricultural credit facilities and farm inputs to farmers at low interest rates and prices to enhance the adoption of farming technologies to boost their production capacities.

Key words: Ginger, adoption, socio-economic, tafin giwa, yatsun biri

African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN 2375-0693 Vol. 6 (6), pp. 650-658, June, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Food inflation and households’ welfare: The case of Ethiopia

Asare Eric,¹ Segarra Eduardo² and Agyekum Michael³

¹Texas Tech University, Agricultural Sciences 123, Lubbock, TX, 79409.

²Texas Tech University, Agricultural Sciences 205-E, Lubbock, TX, 79409.

³Michigan State University, Legume Innovation Lab & Dept. Ag. Food & Resource, U.S

Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]; Tel.: 13067134413

Accepted 29 May, 2018

Abstract

Food inflation has been shown to have an adverse impact on the welfare of households, especially net-buyers of food commodities in developing countries. This study investigates the effects of households’ socioeconomic and demographic characteristics on households’ welfare after food inflation. Welfare is the monetary compensation needed to restore a household to its pre-food inflation level of utility. A quadratic almost ideal demand system (QUAIDS) is estimated using five food groups; then the compensated price elasticities derived are used to compute the welfare values for each household. The study uses the Ethiopian household survey data collected jointly by International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Mexico and Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) in 2009/2010. The study shows that low dependency ratio and increases in land holdings significantly improves households' welfare after food inflation.

Keywords: Welfare, Dependency Ratio, Landholding, QUAIDS, Ethiopia.

African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN 2375-0693 Vol. 6 (4), pp. 628-637, April, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A study of soil metal accumulation from a one-time biosolids surface application on disturbed rangeland in Western Utah

Kibaki Okemo¹, John Saitoti² and Njeru Masakhalia²

¹Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah, U.S.

²Department of Agricultural Extension, School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Kesses, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 13 April, 2018

Abstract

Land application of biosolids has been shown to benefit degraded rangeland; however, soil metal accumulation has been a concern. To date, nine heavy metals found in land applied biosolids are regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Concern increases when application rates exceed the agronomic rate. The objective of this study was to monitor changes in soil metal accumulation from a one-time biosolids surface application on disturbed rangeland in Western Utah. Two types of biosolids, aerobically digested and lime stabilized, were applied at rates up to twenty times (20x) the estimated agronomic rate. Biosolids were not incorporated into the soil. Levels of heavy metals were recorded at five different soil depths, 0.2, 0.6, 0.9, 1.2 and 1.5 m. The one-time application was evaluated over a two year period. No significant consistent trend between metal concentration, biosolids application rate, biosolids type, year, and soil depth was found. It was concluded that metal concentrations in this study were below the cumulative loading rate from the 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 503 rule. These findings can help alleviate concerns about environmental and health risks due to metal accumulation from biosolids land application.

Key words: Biosolids application, biosolids-amended soil, agronomic rate, cumulative loading rate, metal accumulation.

African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN 2375-0693 Vol. 6 (5), pp. 647-649, May, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Short Communication

Evaluation of nitrogenous fertilizer influence on some quantity and quality values of balm at Iran

 Ali Emami, Reza Yazdi and Habibi Abbas

Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Fasa University, Fasa, Iran.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 15 March, 2018

Abstract 

An experiment was carried out using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications to study the nitrogenous fertilizer influence on quantity and quality values of balm (Melissa officinalis L.) at Iran Research Institute of Forest and Rangelands during 2005. The factor studied included nitrogenous fertilizer of ourea (0, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 kg ha^-1). The analysis of variance showed that N fertilizer had significant effect on biological yield, essential oil percentage, essetial oil content, plant height and tiller number (P 0.01). Highest biological yield (6788 kg ha^-1) and plant height (61.63 cm) were produced by application of 90 kg N ha^-1 and highest tiller number (32.6 tiller/plant), essetial oil percentage (0.2577%) and essetial oil content (16.05 kg ha^-1) were obtained under application of 60 kg N ha^-1. The results showed that optimal application of N fertilizer increased quantity and quality values of balm, but application of inordinate N fertilizer reduced all plant values. Consequently, our finding may give applicable advice to farmers and medicinal and aromatic plants researches for management and proper use of N fertilizer in farming of balm.

Key words: Nitrogenous fertilizer, biological yield, essetial oil percentage, essetial oil content and Melissa officinalis L.

African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN 2375-0693 Vol. 6 (5), pp. 638-646, May, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A study of sustainable development among leaders of rural community in Malaysia

John Murugan¹, Iyer Nayar,¹ Singh Sivakumar¹ and David Aziz²

¹Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

²Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 04 April, 2018

Abstract

Rural development researchers have identified a number of factors that affect sustainable development among the rural community. Nevertheless, mix results were reported in literature. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate on the constructs that affect sustainable development among members of Village Development and Security Committee (VDSC) under the Vision Village Movement (VVM). A total of 235 respondents from 18 villages were involved encompassing three states in Malaysia. The final model derived from this study showed that four pertinent constructs that fit into the sustainable development model are spirituality, leadership, beautification, and education. It is believed that the findings of this study would add new perspective in understanding the complexities associated with sustainable development among the rural community.

Key words: Village development and security committee (VDSC), vision village movement (VVM), sustainable development, rural community.

African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN 2375-0693 Vol. 6 (4), pp. 621-627, April, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A study of the learning and technological capabilities of banana and plantain innovation system in Nigeria

James Nwapa and Ezeigbo Arinze

Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E -mail: [email protected]. 

Accepted 22 October, 2017

Abstract

The stakeholders were classified into five major groups according to their actions in the system; the groups include research agency, government agency, technology transfer agency, marketers and plantain and banana farmers. Four states which are zonal headquarters of Plantain Resource Training Centre, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Edo and Ogun states were selected and sampled for data collection. A total of 95 respondents were sampled for data collection. Percentages, means and factor analysis were used in data analysis and presentation. The research and technology transfer groups contributed over 90% of the technological capability in plantain and banana innovation system IITA, NIHORT and NSPRI were revealed as the major technology generating agencies in the plantain and banana innovation system. The study concluded that constant interactions and exchange of ideas among stakeholders encouraged learning and optimization of technological capability in the plantain and banana innovation system.

Key words: Banana, plantain, stakeholder, technological capability, innovation system.