Determinants of farmers’ willingness to export yam in Ibarapa East and Ibarapa Central Local Government Areas of Oyo State, Nigeria

The study was carried out to determine the factors affecting farmer’s willingness to export yam in Oyo State. This study used data collected from a multistage sampling of 80 yam farmers. Analytical techniques used include descriptive statistics and probit model. The results showed that majority of farmers in the study area are ageing, with a mean age of 57.21. It was also observed that there were more males (87.5%) than females (12.5%) and that 71.2% of farmers had formal education. The result of probit analysis showed that farm size (0.81, p = 0.002) was a significant factor determining the willingness of farmers to export. This means as the farmers' farm size increases so also is their willingness to export. The result also revealed that an increase in other occupation (0.96, p = 0.154) of the respondents will bring about an increase in their willingness to export yam. This suggests that farmers who had other sources of income might be more willing to export yam. It was therefore concluded that when more land is allocated to yam production and financial support is made available to farmers in the study area, their willingness to export yam would increase

Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on Poverty Reduction in Nigeria, (1980-2009).

The impetus for this study stems from the paradoxical observation that, although Nigeria is blessed with a huge influx of foreign direct investment (FDI), the country suffers from acute and chronic poverty. While this casual observation appears to cast doubts about the effect of FDI, it could be camouflaged by omission of potentially relevant variables. It is the objective of this study, then to investigate the relationship between FDI and poverty in a systematic manner (i.e. By controlling for the effects of other potentially relevant variables).Towards this end, an empirical analysis of the relationship between poverty (measured by the head count ratio) and FDI as well as a host of control variables (such as government expenditure, national debt, inflation, human capital, and infrastructural) was conducted during the period (1980-2009). Since this study employed time series data, the issue of nonstationarity needs to be addressed beforehand. Using a standard unit root test (i.e. the Augmented Dickey-Fuller test).this study found that each variable is nonstationary in first differences, suggesting a possibility for co-integration. Using standard co-integration tests (i.e. Engle-Granger and Johansen-juselius tests, respectively), this study found that the variables are co-integrated, suggesting that there exists a short relationship among them. The result from Error Correction Model (ECM), uncovered the short-run relationship among the variables under study. The ECM-based estimation results showed that, while poverty reduction is positively related to FDI, government expenditure, and infrastructure, it is negatively related to inflation, national debts, and human capital. Of these findings, a special interest is the result of FDI and poverty reduction, which suggest that FDI does have a positive relationship on poverty reduction. Accordingly, more FDI should be encouraged to Nigeria, especially those that will prompt employment opportunities to the populace. Key words Foreign Direct Investment, Poverty reduction, Nigeri

Payment for environmental services, rural poverty reduction and agricultural land conservation in Oyo state farm settlements, Nigeria

Despite successive anti-poverty and environmental resources conservation programs by the Nigerian government, the problems of poverty and environmental resources degradation still persist. This study argues that since the two problems are interrelated, the solutions to them must be undertaken simultaneously and in an integrated manner rather than independently of each other. However, one major obstacle to the solution is property rights (i.e. Secured land ownership rights). Past studies argued that without property rights the poor would not be willing to participate in the environmental resources conservation. Besides, studies have indicated that most of the anti-poverty benefits do not reach the target group. Hence, it is inevitably necessary for this study to first of all identify the ‘real poor’ and the categories of the poor multidimensionally. This was achieved with the aid of Alkire and Foster (2010) and Alkire and Santos (2011) multidimensional poverty assessment methods. The study argues that a credit-based Payment for Environmental Services (PES) has the potential to tackle rural poverty and agricultural land degradation simultaneously, without the poor having absolute ownership rights of the agricultural land. To this end a choice experiment approach was employed to design the multi-attributes of PES. Thus, the perspectives of the poor and their preferences for the options of the PES attributes on rural poverty reduction and agricultural land conservation were identified. Multistage sampling technique was used to choose 317 respondents in Akufo, Ijaye and Ilora farm settlements. The main findings of this study revealed that tenancy security of the land is sufficient to attract the poor to participate in land conservation programs. The study also discovered that PES is a viable mechanism for rural poverty reduction and agricultural land conservation. Thus, there is a need for an institutional arrangement for adequate tenancy security provision as this arrangement will enhance the potentials of PES to mitigate both land degradation and rural poverty concomitantly

Exploring Leadership Strategies to Maximize Profitability in the Nigerian Housing Sector

The collapse of construction companies in the Nigerian housing sector continues unabated, even in the face of 17 million housing deficits. Many construction company leaders believe that lack of business opportunities and the recent world economic decline have been responsible for the collapse. This situation has resulted in limited business activities for 80% of the Nigerian construction companies. This multiple case study explored the strategies used by leaders to maximize profitability in the Nigerian housing sector. The RBV and Porter\u27s model of competition provided the conceptual framework for the study. Findings were based on detailed reviews of the policies and procedures of the companies, coupled with semi-structured face-to-face interviews with 5 leaders of construction companies that have successfully completed and currently involved in several housing projects in 2 southwestern states in Nigeria. The research question examined the strategies construction company leaders used to maximize profitability in the Nigerian housing sector. Four themes representing strategy categories emerged from thematic analysis: planning, human capital development, leadership factor, and organizational location. The key outcomes from the findings include the need to plan with the available resources, employ and invest in competent staff, increase leadership influence, and improve knowledge of the business environment. The implication for social change includes a potential reduction in unemployment in Nigeria. Profitable organizations will construct more affordable housing through collaboration with public authority, and more low-income earners will be able to afford to live in a decent environment, thus reducing the populations of slum dwellers in the country

The Effects of Jungle Justice on Social Reengineering in Nigeria (A Case Study of Lagos State)

THE EFFECTS OF JUNGLE JUSTICE ON SOCIAL REENGINEERING IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF LAGOS STATE) BY: VICTOR A. ADESIYAN (PhD) DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION BABCOCK UNIVERSITY ABSTRACT: Jungle justice has been characterised as one of the social vices that impedes the development of any society. The act of placing law into ones’ hands and not going through the appropriate government agencies for the proper dispensation of justice leads to infringement of other people’s rights which unveils the postulation of jungle justice. It has been observed that in Nigeria, jungle justice prevails; especially in Lagos state, due to circumstances best known to them, this has resulted to loss of respect for law, social harmony, and fair hearing in Lagos state. The research employed quantitative and qualitative method; primary and secondary data collection were adopted. A purposive sampling technique with the sample size of 200 elements was employed, oral interview guide was used. Retributive theory and structural functionalist theory in its theoretical frame work. Study found that the prevalence of jungle justice is hazardous for a growing state, which has occurred at various instances in Lagos state and of which its continuance can lead to underrating such a promising state. Study therefore, recommends that there should be quick dispensation of justice in Lagos state. Also, that there should be a re-orientation and enlightenment on the part of the citizens by the state government to reduce the menace of Jungle Justice

The Feeding Value of Hatchery Waste Meal in the Diets of Early-Weaned Piglets.

In an experiment designed to investigate the feeding value of hatchery waste meal (HWM) in the diets of early-weaned piglets, HWM was included in the experimental diets at 0, 7.5, 15, 22.5, and 30%. Thirty piglets weaned at 3 weeks were used for the experiment, which lasted for a period of 8 weeks in a complete randomized design. The results showed that pigs fed with the various treatments had comparable (P>0.05) feed to gain ratio. However, there was a gradual decrease in weight gain, nitrogen intake and nitrogen digestibility as the levels of HWM in the diets increased. The feed intake, weight gain, nitrogen intake and digestibility of the piglets fed on the control diet was significantly higher (

Comparison of Dissolved Metal Constituents of Borehole and Well Water in Osogbo Metropolis

Introduction: Water is considered safe for consumption only if the dissolved particles are not hazardous to health. This study evaluated and compared the concentrations of certain metals in water from bore-holes and wells in Osogbo metropolis. Methods: A total number of 36 boreholes and 36 wells from six different geographical zones of Osogbo were used for this study. The concentrations of calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, selenium, cobalt, cadmium, chromium, lead and zinc were determined in them using atomic absorption spectrophotometry method.Results: Concentrations of calcium, magnesium, and manganese, increased significantly (P<0.05) while the level of copper decreased significantly (P<0.05) in well-water when compared with bore hole-water. There were no significant differences (P>0.05) observed in the levels of iron and lead in well-water when compared with bore-hole water. Zinc, cadmium, chromium, selenium and cobalt were not detected in both water samples. Levels of Mg, Pb and Cu were higher in both well and bore hole waters of Osogbo metropolis when compared with the WHO standard for drinkable water.Conclusion: It could be concluded in this study that well water may contain more dissolved metals from the top soil. To avoid metal-induced toxicity, feasibility studies may be necessary to ensure that wells are not sited in areas where toxic materials have been deposited.Â

Technical Efficiency of Poultry Production in Afijio Local Government Area of Oyo state, Nigeria

The study was designed to examine the technical efficiency of poultry farmers in the Afijio local government area of Oyo state using stochastic frontier production function analysis. Data were collected using a set of structured questionnaire. The study is interested in how feed, veterinary, stocking of birds, labour and drugs variables are efficiently allocated and used. The technical efficiencies of the farmers varied between 0.45 and 1.00 with a mean efficiency of 0.78. The result showed that 38.75 per cent of the farmers were technically efficient. The study further revealed that veterinary cost and drugs positively affected technical efficiency, while the increase in the socioeconomic variables such as family size and years of farming led to decrease in technical efficiency. Keywords: Technical, efficiency, Poultry, Production

Economic Analysis of Maize Production in Osun State: A Case Study of Ilesa East and West of Osun State

The study examined the performance of maize production in Osun state and the factors affecting maize production in Ilesa East and Ilesa west Local Government areas. Data were collected with the aid of structured questionnaires from 100 respondents selected through random sampling technique. Data was analysed using multiple regression and budgetary technique.The result the profitability analysis revealed a profit per naira incurred to be N1.022k. Findings from the regression analysis shows that land used in hectares, labour in man-days, quantity of fertilizer and level of education were positive and significant factors affecting output of maize while quantity of maize seeds, herbicides and insecticides were negative and significant factors affecting maize output in the study area. Therefore, maize production will improve in the study area if there is input support like fertilizers, land, credit facility and improved education from the government, private investors or Non Governmental Organisations