ISSN 2375-0693
Research Article
African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN: 2375-0693 Vol. 4 (4), pp. 327-334, April, 2016.© International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
A study of farmers’ awareness of the effects of pesticides use in Osun state, Nigeria
Okonkwo A. Vincent*, E. R Awolowo and Bozine H. Elliot
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Accepted 29 January, 2016
Abstract
This study analysed farmers’ awareness of European Union (EU) ban on using some cocoa pesticides and factors determining use of pesticides by farmers. Tobit model was fitted to the cross sectional data collected from 100 sampled farmers across six (6) local governments’ area of Osun State, Nigeria. Although majority (74%) of the respondents are aware of the EU Pronouncement, some of the banned chemicals are still being use by farmers. Results from Tobit estimates indicate that pesticide price is among the significant variables influencing the decision to use a particular pesticide or not. Major policy thrusts for devising pesticide use regulation, increasing farmers’ awareness of the harmful effects of using banned pesticide and regulating pesticide prices to an affordable level are suggested to ensure appropriate use of pesticides by farmers.
Key words: Pesticides, cocoa beans, awareness, pesticide use, Tobit model.
Okonkwo A. Vincent*, E. R Awolowo and Bozine H. Elliot
Page: 327 - 334
https://doi.org/10.46882/AJAERD/1043Research Article
African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN: 2375-0693 Vol. 4 (4), pp. 335-344, April, 2016. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
A study of farm level efficiency of the mixed crop-livestock production system and sources of efficiency differentials among the farmers
Derartu B. Defar1*, Kenenisa Tulu Gebrselassie2, O. W. Yifter3 and Tilahun Ephraim3
1 Wollo University, Department of Agricultural Economics, P.O. Box 1145, Ethiopia,
2 HEDBES Consult, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
3Haramaya University, School of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, Ethiopia
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Accepted 29 January, 2016
Abstract
This study analyzed the efficiency of crop-livestock production and assessing their potential for improvement in North-East Ethiopian highlands. Cross-sectional data were used to analyze the economic efficiency of mixed crop and livestock production system and identify its determinants factors from 252 farmers who were selected using probability proportional to sample size sampling technique. The parametric method stochastic frontier approach was employed to measure economic efficiency. The parametric methods of efficiency measurement indicated that most farmers in the study area were not efficient suggesting that efficiency improvement is one of the possible avenues for increasing agricultural production with available resource and technology. The mean Technical Efficiency (TE), Allocative Efficiency (AE) and Economic Efficiency (EE) of the household calculated from parametric approach of stochastic frontier analysis were 62%, 51% and 29%, respectively. The production efficiency of mixed crop-livestock farming system was determined by farm size, livestock ownership, labour availability, off/non-farm income participation, total household asset, total household consumption expenditure and improved technology adoption. This study found that improved agricultural technology adoption significantly improved production efficiency of households. Such actions may, in turn, alleviate the current problem of food insecurity and lead in the long run to economic development in the country.
Key words: Economic efficiency, parametric frontier, technical efficiency, technology.
Derartu B. Defar*, Kenenisa Tulu Gebrselassie, O. W. Yifter and Tilahun Ephraim
Page: 335 - 344
https://doi.org/10.46882/AJAERD/1042Research Article
African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN: 2375-0693 Vol. 4 (4), pp. 328-336, April, 2016. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
The linkage between price and output of cotton in Zambia
*Obrian Ndhlovu and Venkatesh Seshamani
Department of Economics, The University of Zambia, P.O. Box 32379 Lusaka - ZAMBIA. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel. +260 211 290475; Cell: +260 974 496566.
Accepted 20 April, 2016
Abstract
This paper investigated the relationship between output and price of cotton in Zambia. The paper was guided by three specific objectives: to establish the extent to which output affects cotton prices; to determine whether cotton production trails prices; and to determine the time lag by which production responds to prices. The paper used annual data on cotton output and price from 1999 to 2014 to estimate the regression models linking the two variables. The models involved regressing output on current price and varying lagged values of the price as well as regressing the price ratio on output. The paper found no significant evidence of output affecting the domestic price of cotton. On the other hand, strong evidence was found on price affecting cotton output with a lag. That is, current price was found to impact significantly on succeeding year’s output. There was a strong indication of farmers basing their decisions on naive expectation in which only the immediate past price and not the trend is taken into account when deciding how much cotton to produce. The key lesson was that this year’s price will strongly affect next year’s output and that the effect will quickly die out.
Keywords: Cotton price, cotton output, naïve expectation, price index share, lag length, asset specificity, Pearson’s correlation, regression, Dickey-Fuller test.
*Obrian Ndhlovu, Venkatesh Seshamani
Page: 328 - 336
https://doi.org/10.46882/AJAERD/1040Research Article
African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN: 2375-0693 Vol. 4 (3), pp. 322-327, March, 2016. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Nutritional quality of carrot (Daucus carota L.) as influenced by farm yard manure
*Khammash Gatsinzi, James Habyarimana and Augustine Gatsinzi
Department of Crop Science, University of Rwanda, College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, P. O. Box 210, Musanze, Rwanda
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
Accepted 22 October, 2015
Abstract
An experiment was conducted at the University of Rwanda, college’s farm located in Northern Rwanda in 2013. The main objective was to determine the effectiveness of farm yard manure on carrot nutritional quality. The experimental design applied was randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates for each treatment. The treatments comprised five levels (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 tha-1) of decomposed farm yard manure. The quality parameters namely, ß-carotene, vitamin C and total soluble sugars were analyzed in harvested carrots for each treatment using standard methods. The results showed that farm yard manure had a positive effect on ß-carotene whereby the highest content of 11188 µg/100 g was recorded from the 20 tha-1 treatment, while the lowest content of 10287 µg/100 g was recorded from the carrots that did not receive any farm yard manure. The results on vitamin C showed that its content increased with the application rate of 20 tha-1 recording 7.980 g/100 g, while the lowest content was recorded in plots that did not receive any fertilization. However, FYM did not influence significantly total soluble sugars content in carrots whereby the highest TSS of 10.267% was obtained in plots without FYM, while the lowest TSS of 9.997% was obtained in carrots from the 20 tha-1 treatment. On the basis of the results of this study, a range of 15-20 tha-1 of FYM is therefore recommended because it improved the nutritional quality of carrots.
Key words: Carrot, nutritional quality, ß-carotene, vitamin C, total soluble sugars.
James Habyarimana and Augustine Gatsinzi, *Khammash Gatsinzi
Page: 322 - 327
https://doi.org/10.46882/AJAERD/1041Research Article
African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN 2375-0693 Vol. 4 (1), pp. 274-280, January, 2016. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Estimation of the technical efficiencies of Ethiopian agro-food processors using stochastic frontier approach
Haileeyesus Habtegebriel1 and Bekabil Fufa2
1Research director, Wolkite university, P.O.Box 07, Wolkite, Ethiopia.
2Department of Agricultural Economics, Haramaya University college of Agriculture, PO Box 138, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.
Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
Accepted 22 October, 2015
Abstract
This study was conducted to estimate the level and determinants of technical efficiencies of Ethiopian food processing firms using stochastic frontier approach. Two stages stratified sampling technique was used to draw 90 sample firms during the years (2000 - 2006) from a data collected by Central Statistical Authority of Ethiopia. Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production function model in combination with a technical inefficiency effects model were employed to study the level and determinants of technical efficiency of the firms in a simultaneous one step estimation procedure. The software used in this study was Frontier 4.1 written by Tim Coelli (1998). The test result indicated that mean technical efficiency of Ethiopian agro – food processing firms is 0.866 indicating that there is a room to improve production of processed foods by 13.4% given the existing level of inputs, price of inputs and technological level. Among the explanatory variables of the technical inefficiency effects model, incentive, capacity utilization, ownership type and age were found to be positive determinants of technical efficiency. Furthermore, it is investigated that there is a parabolic relation between age and technical efficiency. A decrease in the technical efficiency of food processors through the study period was also observed.
Key words: Food processors, technical efficiency, Cobb – Douglas production function, Ethiopian, stochastic.
Haileeyesus Habtegebriel, Bekabil Fufa
Page: 274 - 280
https://doi.org/10.46882/AJAERD/1037Research Article
African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN 2375-0693 Vol. 4 (2), pp. 281-286, February, 2016. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Evaluation of the factors that determine the use of certified maize seeds by farmers in Ghana
Kotei Kojo*, Labi Kwaku and Konotey Kofi
Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Extension, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].
Accepted 09 October, 2015
Abstract
This study was conducted to examine key factors that explain the use or non-use of certified maize seeds by farmers in the Ejura-Sekyedumasi Municipal Area in Ghana. A standardized structured questionnaire was used to interview 106 farmers selected from five (5) communities through a simple random sampling method. The data were analyzed using descriptive tools such as frequency distribution tables, percentages and arithmetic mean. Binary logistic regression model was used to examine the main factors that determine the use of certified seeds. Even though 95% of maize farmers were aware of certified seed maize, only 27% of them used certified seeds to produce maize. Results from the study showed that farm size, level of education, extension contact and access to credit were the main factors that significantly influenced the use of certified maize seed by farmers. Whereas educational level, extension contact and credit access had positive effect on the probability of using certified maize seeds, farmers with larger farm sizes were found to have a higher probability of not using certified seeds to produce maize. To improve the uptake of certified seeds among farmers, the study recommended improved extension-farmer contact, continuous sensitization and education of farmers on the benefits derived from certified seeds and improved access to credit for farmers.
Key words: Certified seeds, maize, crop, logistic regression.
Labi Kwaku and Konotey Kofi, Kotei Kojo*
Page: 281 - 286
https://doi.org/10.46882/AJAERD/1038