PRODUCTION EFFICIENCIES OF ARABLE CROP FARMERS IN OGUN STATE: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BANK OF AGRICULTURE LOAN BENEFICIARIES AND NON-BENEFICIARIES

This study compared the production efficiencies of Bank of Agriculture loan beneficiary and non-beneficiary arable crop farmers in Ogun State. Two hundred and forty arable crop farmers were sampled using multistage sampling technique. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and stochastic frontier analysis. The finding revealed that the farmers are in their active age. The significant determinants of farm output include farm size, labour, planting material and fertilizer. The production inefficiency model revealed that education, extension contact and loan significantly determined the technical efficiency of the farmers. The determinants of cost of production include farm output, labour wage rate, price of planting material and price of herbicide. The cost inefficiency model showed that age, household size, extension contact and loan have significant effect on the cost efficiency of the arable crop farmers. The mean technical efficiency of 86 percent and 79 percent shows that there is potential to increase the technical efficiency by 14 percent and 21 percent by the loan beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries, respectively. The mean allocative efficiency of 0.81 and 0.67 for the loan beneficiary and non-beneficiary respectively implies there is room for improvement in the allocative efficiency by 19 percent and 33 percent respectively. The mean economic efficiency of 0.78 and 0.60 for the loan beneficiary and non-beneficiary respectively implies the farmers can improve their economic efficiency by 22 percent and 40 percent respectively. The z-test revealed that the loan beneficiary arable crop farmers are more technically, allocatively and economically efficient (P<0.01) than their non-beneficiaries’ counterpart. Policy option requires the arable crop farmers to expand their farm land to ensure efficient utilization of other resources. Extension and adult literacy education should be encouraged among arable crop farmers to afford the farmers the benefit of agricultural loan. Access to agricultural loan should be strengthened among the non-beneficiary arable crop farmers for increased production efficiency.Â

DETERMINANTS OF FOOD SECURITY STATUS AND INCIDENCE OF FOOD INSECURITY AMONG RURAL FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN IJEBU DIVISION OF OGUN STATE NIGERIA

This study examined the determinants of food security status and incidence of food insecurity among faming households in Ijebu Division of Ogun State. A sample of 120 farming households was drawn using multistage sampling procedure and the data were analysed using descriptive statistics, food security index and logit model. The study showed that majority of the household heads fall within the age range of 20-60years and the incidence of food insecurity increases with increase in age of household head. Food insecurity incidence was higher among female headed households. Further revelation showed that majority of the respondents are married and the food insecurity incidence is highest among the married respondents. Household heads with no formal education had the highest food insecurity incidence while those with tertiary education had the lowest food insecurity incidence. Household food insecurity incidence increases with increase in household size. Household food insecurity incidence increases with increase in the farming experience of the household head. Food insecurity incidence of households whose heads are cooperative members was found to be lowest. Using the food security index, the survey related that 59.2% of the respondents were food secure while 40.8% were food insecure. The logit model revealed that the socio-economic characteristics of the farming households such as age (10%), education (10%), household size (1%) and farming experience (5%) are the significant factors influencing the food security status of the farming households in the study area. Effort should be made at improving programmes and policies that will ensure a proper family planning especially in the rural area which will reduce the number of children to that which the household can adequately cater for. Nutrition-oriented programmes should be organized in attempt to improve the food substitution knowledge of the farming households.Â

Microcredit and Technical Efficiency of Rural Farm Households in Egba Division of Ogun State Nigeria

This study examined the effect of microcredit on technical efficiency of rural farm households in Egba division of Ogun State. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select 160 rural farm households used for the study. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, probit regression model and stochastic frontier production analysis. The findings revealed that majority of the rural farm household heads are in their active ages. It was also revealed that most farm household heads are fairly educated with relatively high experienced in farming. The significant factors that determine access to credit among rural farm households as revealed by the probit result include age(p<0.05), farm size(p<0.01), household size(p<0.01), farming experience(p<0.01) and education(p<0.10). The stochastic frontier production function result revealed that farm output increases with farm size(p<0.05), family labour(p<0.05) and hired labour(p<0.05) but decreases with increase in intermediate materials(p<0.10). The inefficiency model revealed that age (p<0.05), farming experience(p<0.05), education(p<0.05), household size(p<0.10) and credit(p<0.05) increase the technical efficiency of the farmers. The mean technical efficiency of 0.69 implies there is room for improvement in the technical efficiency level of the rural farm households by 31 percent. Policy option requires the strengthening of the education of farmers and increase in the level of awareness on the benefit of credit to increase the production efficiency among rural farm households in the study area

Consumption and Savings Pattern among Food Crop Farmers in Imeko Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria

This study examines savings and consumption patterns among food crop farmers in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. The primary data used for the study were obtained through structured questionnaires using random sampling technique. Descriptive statistics and Ordinary Least Square Regression model were used to analyze the data. Descriptive analysis showed that 58.3% of the household heads were males, 64.2% of them were married, and 26.7% fell within the age bracket of 30 and 49 years, indicating that the majority of them are within agile and productive ages. Most of the respondents (70.9%) had tertiary education and the average household size was below 5 persons. Furthermore, the consumption pattern shows that N22,973.39 was expended on food items while N144,407.88 was spent on non-food items and N68,475.62 was incurred on agricultural purpose, and N13,602.33 was saved.  The result of the Ordinary Least Square Regression model showed that the age of respondents, level of education and marital status of the household heads were significantly influenced by household’s monthly food expenditure (consumption) in the study area, while, monthly income and amount of food expenditure were major determinants of savings. The study recommends among other things enlightenment programmes that will educate the rural dwellers on the need to eat good quality food and need for savings. Keywords: Saving, Consumption, Loan Repayment, Multistage, Polic

Effect of packing on changes in erythrocyte osmotic fragility and malondialdehyde concentration in donkeys administered with ascorbic acid

Experiments were performed with the aim of investigating the effect of packing on erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in donkeys, and the effect of ascorbic acid (AA). Twelve apparently healthy donkeys raised under the traditional extensive system served as experimental subjects. Six donkeys administered orally with AA (200 mg/kg) and subjected to packing were used as experimental animals, whilst six others not administered with AA served as controls. Blood samples were collected pre- and post-packing from all the donkeys for the determination of MDA and EOF. At 0.3% Sodium Chloride (NaCl) concentration, the percentage haemolysis was 93.69% ± 2.21% in the control donkeys and the value was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the value of 71.31% ± 8.33%, recorded in the experimental donkeys. The post-packing MDA concentration obtained in the control donkeys was 39.62 µmol ± 4.16 µmol, and was not significantly different (P > 0.05) from the value of 35.97 µmol ± 2.88 µmol recorded in the experimental donkeys. In conclusion, the increase in haemolysis obtained in the donkeys suggested that packing induced oxidative stress, which was ameliorated by AA administration

Economics of Rubber Production: Empirical Evidence from Ilushin and Waterside Rubber Estates, Ogun State, Nigeria

The study was carried out to appraise the economics of rubber production in rural Nigeria. Secondary data were used for the study. The data collected were analysed using budgetary analysis and multiple regression model. The Net Farm Profit of N176, 657.88 and N213, 105.71 per hectare for Ilushin Rubber Estate Limited (IREL) and Waterside Rubber Estate Limited (WAREL), respectively was an indication of the economic viability of rubber enterprise. The cost structure of the two rubber estates indicated that rubber enterprise requires huge capital outlay and is labour intensive. The results of the multiple regression revealed that labour input, transportation cost, maintenance cost, agrochemical and age of the tree were the determinants of rubber output. The study thus recommends the checking of the system of land acquisition in the country to enable potential investors venture into such a land demanding investment as rubber enterprise. Also, provision of sustainable credit is recommended as rubber enterprise is capital intensive. Lastly, existing policies on plantation establishment should be reviewed and enabling environment provided to ensure local consumption of rubber products

Profitability and Constraints Analysis of Women Entrepreneurs in Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract: This research assessed the constraints limiting the success of women entrepreneurs in selected local government areas of Lagos State, Nigeria. A sample of 120 women entrepreneurs were selected from three Local Government Areas of Lagos State in a two-stage sampling procedure. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, constraint analysis, budgetary analysis and multiple regression analysis. The predominant primary occupation was found to be trading 45 with 92.5% of the women in their productive years. The finding also revealed that a vast majority (92.5%) of the women entrepreneurs had formal education above primary level with 43.3% of them spent not less than 10 years in their business, which was presumed to benefit their enterprises. The women entrepreneurs faced certain constraints which affect their businesses, the highest ranked ones include; poor shop location (ranked 1 st ), lack of long term finance (ranked 2 nd ) and competition from rivals (ranked 3 rd ) among others. The women entrepreneurs earned 40 kobo on every 1 naira sale revenue. The multiple regression results revealed that main occupation, business membership strength, initial capital outlay and total variable cost had significant effect on the net income of the women. Policy options from the findings include: Increment in funds invested in the business enterprises of these women entrepreneurs alongside reduction in cost could boost the possible expansion of their enterprises; provision of psychological, moral and financial support from members of the family is needed for entrepreneurial development and Government should provide cheaper sources of credit to the women with little or no collateral to encourage their enterprises growth, self-reliance which are necessary ingredients for nation's development

Evaluation of Chemical and Physico-mechanical Properties of Ado-Ekiti Natural Moulding Sands for Foundry Applications

Poor casting quality is associated with the use of locally available moulding sands without recourse to their suitability through adequate knowledge of their properties. The properties of some Ado-Ekiti moulding sands were therefore examined with the aim of establishing their suitability or otherwise for foundry applications. Some natural sand samples were obtained from Ureje, Omisanjana, Odo Ayo and Ogbese within Ado-Ekiti metropolis. Their chemical compositions were determined and analyzed using the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer technique and atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The sands’ physico-mechanical properties were also examined in line with American Foundry Society (AFS) guidelines. The results of the chemical analysis indicated that the sands contained silica and aluminium oxide as their major constituents with values of 63.83 – 79.23% and 12.20 – 23.76% respectively. The Ureje, Omisanjana, Odo Ayo and Ogbese sands respectively possessed American Foundry-Men’s Society Grain Fineness Number (AFS-GFN): 63.27, 61.08, 66.98 and 61.12; clay content: 12, 13, 10 and 6%; moisture content: 12.04, 12.25, 12.23 and 11.92%; permeability 86.2, 87.5, 86.3 and 88.2%; flowability: 67.87, 68.50, 67.40 and 67.25%; green compression strength: 120.9, 63.6, 70.9 and 82.0 kN/m2; dry compression strength: 203.0, 101.8, 191.0 and 76.4 kN/m2. Each of the samples has refractoriness above 1200oC. The sands (except that of Ogbese sand) can be used naturally as core if the core length is short due to rapid decrease in the sands’ hot strength from 1100oC. These properties were found to fall within the required values for casting of most ferrous and non-ferrous metals, except that of Ogbese sand. Comparison of the results obtained from the studied sands’ properties with that of AFS mould sand properties for various types of castings revealed that the studied sands have the potential for use in sand casting process for metals like grey steel, light steels, brass, bronze and aluminum. Meanwhile, the properties of Ogbese natural sand can be improved with application of additive like bentonite to enhance its suitability for sand casting application

Evaluation of Chemical and Physico-Mechanical Properties of Ado-Ekiti Natural Moulding Sands for Foundry Applications

Poor casting quality is associated with the use of locally available moulding sands without recourse to their suitability through adequate knowledge of their properties. The properties of some Ado-Ekiti moulding sands were therefore examined with the aim of establishing their suitability or otherwise for foundry applications. Some natural sand samples were obtained from Ureje, Omisanjana, Odo Ayo and Ogbese within Ado-Ekiti metropolis. Their chemical compositions were determined and analyzed using the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer technique and atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The sands’ physico-mechanical properties were also examined in line with American Foundry Society (AFS) guidelines. The results of the chemical analysis indicated that the sands contained silica and aluminium oxide as their major constituents with values of 63.83 – 79.23% and 12.20 – 23.76% respectively. The Ureje, Omisanjana, Odo Ayo and Ogbese sands respectively possessed American Foundry-Men’s Society Grain Fineness Number (AFS-GFN): 63.27, 61.08, 66.98 and 61.12; clay content: 12, 13, 10 and 6%; moisture content: 12.04, 12.25, 12.23 and 11.92%; permeability 86.2, 87.5, 86.3 and 88.2%; flowability: 67.87, 68.50, 67.40 and 67.25%; green compression strength: 120.9, 63.6, 70.9 and 82.0 kN/m2; dry compression strength: 203.0, 101.8, 191.0 and 76.4 kN/m2. Each of the samples has refractoriness above 1200oC. The sands (except that of Ogbese sand) can be used naturally as core if the core length is short due to rapid decrease in the sands’ hot strength from 1100oC. These properties were found to fall within the required values for casting of most ferrous and non-ferrous metals, except that of Ogbese sand. Comparison of the results obtained from the studied sands’ properties with that of AFS mould sand properties for various types of castings revealed that the studied sands have the potential for use in sand casting process for metals like grey steel, light steels, brass, bronze and aluminum. Meanwhile, the properties of Ogbese natural sand can be improved with application of additive like bentonite to enhance its suitability for sand casting application