Constraints to use of mobile telephony for agricultural production in Ondo State, Nigeria

This study identifies the factors affecting the use of mobile telephony by small-scale farmers in Ondo State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study describes the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of the farmers, examines their access to telecommunications services, determines their frequency of using mobile telephony for agricultural activities as well as the factors affecting the use of the technology by the farmers. The study made use of 170 randomly selected farmers across the state. Descriptive statistics, likert scale and multivariate logit model were the analytical tools adopted for the study. The findings revealed that non-membership of agricultural society, inadequate extension services, fluctuating telecommunication services, inadequate access to mobile services and lack of electric power supply are the constraints to the use of mobile telephone services by the farmers. Therefore, the study calls for provision of stable services by mobile telecommunications service providers, regular electric power supply, training of the farmers by extension agents and agricultural development agencies as well as formation of agricultural societies by the farmers

Comparative analysis of women’s contribution to food crop production in Kogi state, Nigeria

Women in Nigeria form a significant part of the population and are practically involved in agricultural activities. Based on the involvement of women in agriculture and in the rural economies of Nigeria, this study evaluates the contribution of women to food crop production. This is to establish knowledge about what farm inputs these women use in agriculture and how they combine these resources available to them in food production process as regards their efficiency. Four-staged sampling was conducted to survey a sample of 120 farmers (men and women) with the aid of an interview schedule. The data collected were for the 2009/2010 cropping season and analyzed with descriptive tools and stochastic production frontier. The result established that a high level of technical inefficiency exists among the sampled farmers. Age, household size and sex were found to be significant (p < 0.05) determinants of technical inefficiency that exists between the sampled farmers. To achieve efficiency in production among women farmers, it was recommended that inputs required, especially land, modern farm implement, accessible capital and extension services should be made available. The women should also be taught the better use of farm inputs to achieve efficiency in food crop production.Keywords: Food Production, Women, Agriculture, Kogi State, Efficienc

Economics of Soybean Production Technology in the Guinea Savanna of Nigeria

This study examined the economics of soybean production technology in the Guinea Savanna of Nigeria within the framework of small scale farming households using rain-fed soybean production technology, The study measured the rate of compliance with the recommended package, profitability of, as well as the technical efficiency of the production technology. Primary data were collected from one hundred and fifty soybean farming households using structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. A Cobb Douglas production function was further employed to analyze the data using the Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) procedure to derive the Stochastic Frontier Production Function. The study revealed that the typical farming household using the technology had an average farm size of 1.2ha. Further analysis of level of technology compliance revealed a 60% level with a yield gap of 43%. The farm budget analysis showed that the farming households had positive net farm income using the technology. The MLE of the stochastic frontier function revealed the presence of increasing returns to scale for the production technology. It further revealed a mean output-oriented technical efficiency of 0.75 with possible room for improvement. The estimated parameters of labour, farm size and level of compliance included in the production equation had expected  positive signs and are significant at 5% level. While the present level of compliance with recommended production package affords the farming households positive gross margins, they are yet to attain their potential yields. In order to move closer to this potential, the present soybean production technology need to be revaluated for improvement and better efficiency. This should include modifications that fulfill the low-cost inputdesires of the small-scale farming households.KEYWORDS: Production technology, technology compliance, yield gap, technical efficienc

Contract farming approach to essential oil production in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa

Based on empirical evidence from small scale growers and a processor, this study evaluated contract farming of rose geranium (Pelagonium graveoleus) production in a rural setting of Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. With the aid of interview schedules and observation, cross sectional data were collected from the growers and processor of geranium oil on their 2007 production activities. The analytical tools employed descriptive statistics and farm budget model. The contract rose geranium growers in the area supplied the land for planting while the processor supplied the other inputs from land preparation to the harvesting of the plant. The contractual agreement was, however, unwritten with no signed contract between the parties. Further analysis revealed some ambiguities in the contractual arrangement. With an average of US $4 785.61 as production and processing costs on a hectare of rose geranium, the processor receives US$3 862.39 as net profit, while the contract growers received US $833.33. This arrangement appears unsustainable. Although contract farming is essentially private in the area, the arrangement can become an integral policy, where the government, together with the growers and agro-industry, join to create a conducive production environment. Sustainable contract farming of essential oil plants in South Africa, calls for a policy option that enforces well documented and clearly explained agreements between the farmers and the processors

Technical Efficiency and its Determinants at Different Levels of Intensification Among Maize-Based Farming Households in Southern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria

Examining the level of farm-specific technical efficiency of maize-based farming households in Southern-Guinea Savanna (SGS) of Nigeria, this study fitted cross-sectional data into a Cobb-Douglass production frontier. The study examined technical efficiency and its determinants among maize-based farming households at different levels of cropping intensification in the SGS of Nigeria. Data used for this study were obtained using structured questionnaire administered to 252 randomly selected maize-based farming households. Descriptive analysis, crop intensity index and the stochastic frontier production function methodology was used to achieve the research objectives. The study concludes that maize-based households can be grouped into high and low intensity farming households and are technically inefficient. The high intensity farming households are more technically efficient (78.2.4%) than those of low intensity households (30.1%). The main determinants of technical efficiency among the low intensity households are farm size, farming experience and access to credit. On the other hand, farm size and access to credits are the most important factors among the high intensity farming households. Providing farming households with both formal and informal credits will be a useful investment and a good mechanism for improving efficiency in maize-based farming. Policies that would make more lands available for the high intensity farming households must also be encouraged.Keywords: Crop production intensification, technical efficiency and maize-based farming household

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) specific antibodies among married pregnant women and female commercial sex workers attending voluntary counseling and HIV testing (VCT) centre in Abuja, Nigeria

Generally, married women and commercial sex workers (CSWs) engage in sexual activity - an important risk factor for contracting HIV. We therefore tested a hypothesis that prevalence of HIV-1/2 antibodiesamong married pregnant women (PW) is not different from that of female CSWs. One hundred married PW and 99 female CSWs enrolled in the study. They were consecutively selected as they visited the VCT centre for HIV antibody test. Pertinent data were obtained from each subject using questionnaire forms; venous blood sample was aseptically collected from subjects that gave verbal consent. Plasmaobtained from each sample was tested using parallel testing algorithm with DETERMINE® HIV-1/2 and HIV-1/2 STAT-PAK® test was used for statistical analysis of the data. The overall prevalence of HIV-1/2antibodies was 29.1% (n = 199). Seroprevalence of 39.4 and 19.0% were observed for the CSWs and the PW, respectively. Using various variables, comparison of HIV-1/2 serostatus of the CSWs with that ofthe married PW showed that the CSWs generally had significantly higher seroprevalence. CSWs who were inconsistent in the use of condom with their clients prior to sexual intercourse in the past three months before this study (P = 0.0001, OR = 11.2) and those aged 39 years had significantly (P = 0.004, OR = 2.6) higher seroprevalence. Though both groups recorded seropositivity, inconsistency in the useof condom appeared to be the factor mostly responsible for the significantly higher seropositivity of the female CSWs

On a Stable and Consistent Finite Difference Scheme for a Time-Dependent Schrodinger Wave Equation in a Finitely Low Potential Well

In this paper, a stable and consistent criterion to an explicit finite difference scheme for a time-dependent Schrodinger wave equation (TDSWE) was presented. This paper is a departure from the well-established time independent Schrodinger Wave Equation (SWE). To develop the stability criterion for the scheme, the Fourier series method of von Newmann was adopted, while in establishing the consistency property, the concise definition of the consistent scheme was applied. This research is carried out for a particular case of a finitely low potential well.Keywords: Time-Dependent Schrodinger Wave Equation, Stability, Consistency, Finite Potential Well, Finite Difference

Rubella IgG Antibody among Nigerian Pregnant Women without Vaccination History

Rubella is a vaccine-preventable viral infection, its aetiologic agent; rubella virus was identified as human teratogen capable of causing a spectrum of birth defects described as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). Despite the availability of safe and effective vaccines, significant proportion of the population remains susceptible to rubella infection in developing countries. More significantly, such developing countries including Nigeria have not demonstrated adequate commitment to preventive vaccination; a panacea for intervention. Consequently, this study was designed to determine the prevalence of anti-rubella IgG among pregnant women to ascertain the proportion of susceptible population. A total of 273 consenting rubella vaccine naïve antenatal clinic attendees aged 15-42 years (Median age = 28 years) were randomly selected and their sera analyzed for qualitative and quantitative anti-rubella IgG detection. Overall, 244/273 (89.4%) pregnant women enrolled in this study had protective level (Titre = >10 IU/mL) of anti-rubella IgG (Median Titre = 165 IU/mL; Range = <10 - >250 IU/mL), while, 29/273 (10.6%) of the study population lack protective antibody titre ( OD = <10 IU/mL). Results confirm previous reports of exposure, infection, and continuous circulation of rubella virus in Nigeria. It emphasizes the need for improved  and continuous surveillance for rubella and CRS cases, prompt vaccination of vulnerable populations, and evaluation of health policies to achieve immunization and ultimately ensure control/elimination of rubella virus in Nigeria and beyond.Keywords: Rubella, Pregnancy, Antibody, Congenital Rubella Syndrome, Nigeri

Impacts of transportation on the profitability of sweet potato production in selected local government areas of Kwara state, Nigeria

Transportation is an essential aspect of agricultural production. However, in many parts of Nigeria, bad transport system is still a problem of rural farmers. Therefore, this study seeks to examine the impacts of transportation on the profitability of sweet potato production in Kwara State. The sampling techniques involved the purposive selection of two local government areas (LGAs). Two communities were randomly selected from each of the two LGAs. Then, twenty six sweet potato farmers were finally selected from each of the four communities giving a total of 120 respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multinomial logit model and gross margin. The study showed that head porterage, motor cycle, motor vehicle and pick up van of less than 3 tons were themost prominent means of transporting sweet potato in the study area. Also, the size of the farm, cost of transportation, quantity of sweet potato produced, and average distance from the farm to the market are the factors that significantly affected the choice of transportation means used by the farmers in the study area. The results also showed that the farmers who sell their produce at the market earn more profit than those that sell at the farm gate. Therefore, in other to encourage the farmers to produce more sweet potatoes it is recommended that adequate transportation system be provided.Keywords: Sweet Potatoes, Transportation, Logit, Profitability, Impac

Impacts of transportation on the profitability of sweet potato production in selected Local Government Areas of Kwara state, Nigeria

Transportation is an essential aspect of agricultural production. However, in many parts of Nigeria, bad transport system is still a problem of rural farmers. Therefore, this study seeks to examine the impacts of transportation on the profitability of sweet potato production in Kwara State. The sampling techniques involved the purposive selection of two local government areas (LGAs). Two communities were randomly selected from each of the two LGAs. Then, twenty six sweet potato farmers were finally selected from each of the four communities giving a total of 120 respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multinomial logit model and gross margin. The study showed that head porterage, motor cycle, motor vehicle and pick up van of less than 3 tons were the most prominent means of transporting sweet potato in the study area. Also, the size of the farm, cost of transportation, quantity of sweet potato produced, and average distance from the farm to the market are the factors that significantly affected the choice of transportation means used by the farmers in the study area. The results also showed that the farmers who sell their produce at the market earn more profit than those that sell at the farm gate. Therefore, in other to encourage the farmers to produce more sweet potatoes it is recommended that adequate transportation system be provided.Keywords: Sweet Potatoes, Transportation, Logit, Profitability, Impac