Livestock extension practice and competency among agricultural extension agents in north-central Nigeria

The challenge of meeting the ever-increasing demand for animal products in Nigeria has become keen over the years. A major factor is low technology input by the bulk of animal producers. Because Extension has a crucial role to play, the purpose of this study was to investigate livestock extension (LE) activities and competencies of Agricultural Extension Agents (AEA's) in north-central Nigeria. Data were collected from 112 randomly selected AEA's with the aid of a structured questionnaire that consisted of positively presented livestock extension practice and competency items on 5-point Likert-type scales. A Livestock Extension Competency Coefficient (LECC) was computed for each respondent. The test-retest technique was used to pre-test the instrument, yielding a coefficient r=0.91. Descriptive, correlation and t-test statistics were used to analyze data. Results revealed that about 40% of respondents engaged in livestock extension activities in the last two years, while about 16% actually specialized in Animal Production while in school. Respondents generally expressed competence in some aspects of livestock production such as feeding, handling, housing, and production management systems. However, respondents claimed less competence in sire selection, breeding, diseases and pests control. Significant correlates of LECC were job experience, contact with farmers, number of trainings attended, and level of job satisfaction. Major LE constraints identified by respondents were inadequate LE programmes, funding, inadequate training, and lack of subject matter specialists. The paper concluded by proffering recommendations on how to adequately address the constraints and the low level of LE activities.Key Words: animal production, livestock-extension, competencies, constraint

Socioeconomic Correlates of Perceptions of Sustainability of Pastoral Livelihood Among Cattle Herdsmen in Kwara State, Nigeria

The paper provides empirical evidence on the perception of sustainability of pastoral livelihood among its practitioners in Kwara State, Nigeria. Multi-stage cluster random sampling was used in sample selection, while an interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to elicit information. A Pastoral Livelihood Sustainability Perception Index (PLSPI) was computed for each respondent, using 10 positively presented perception statements on a 5-point Likert type scale. Data analysis revealed that respondents were mostly male, uneducated, and fairly young. Mean monthly income and herd size were N203, 393 and 41 respectively. Respondents exhibited highly favourable perception of pastoral livelihood sustainability (= 4.2). Also, there were significant correlations between PLSPI and age (r = 0.65), income (r =0.72), herd size (r= 0.78), and years of education (r = -0.68). Pastoralism is not just a function of culture but also that of rational income generation. Intensification of formal education among pastoralist youth and children is thus recommended as a means of personal and future development of pastoral households

Role Duality among School-age Children Participating in Farming in Some Villages in Kwara State, Nigeria

The paper examines rural children’s role duality as school pupils and farm participants. Multi-stage cluster random sampling was used to elicit data from 229 respondents aged between five and sixteen years. It was found that 44 per cent of the respondents were simultaneously schooling and farming, while the remaining were only either in school or farming. Using eight common farm activities, a coefficient of farm participation (cfp) was computed, while another eight agricultural innovations were used to compute agricultural innovation awareness index (awi) for each respondent. It was found that no significant difference existed in farm participation levels of respondents attending school and those that were not, while a significant difference in innovation awareness (awi) existed in favour of respondents in school. Parental influence, peer group and school farms were also found to be significantly related to respondents’ participation in agriculture. It is thus imperative to keep rural children in school even as they are engaged in farming activities

Evidence of Gender Role in Soybean Production: Case Study from Agrarian Communities in Benue state, Nigeria

The main purpose of this study was to investigate role of gender in soybean production activities in Benue State, Nigeria. Two (2) Local Government Areas (LGAs) were purposively selected from each of the Eastern and Northern Agricultural Zones of the State. Two (2) rural communities were selected from each LGA and finally ten (10) farmers were selected from each community to make a total of eighty (80) farmers that were interviewed. Data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages and mean. Findings revealed that 67.5% of the respondents were between 30 and 49 years old and 70% had family size of between 5 and 7 members. Majority had formal education, but was relatively new in soybean production. Women are mostly involved in the tedious farm activities in soybean production such as bush/land clearing, stumping, and tilling. The production needs of men and women were the same in areas like credit/loan facility, supply of improved variety, subsidized farm inputs, availability of land, and pest and disease control. The results of this study provide a strong advocacy for more extension services to be directed towards women farmers so as to encourage their participation in agricultural development programmes in Nigeria.Key words: Gender Role; Soybean Production; Agrarian Communities; Benue State; Nigeri

Determinants of Value Addition Initiatives Use by Fish Farmers in Kwara and Kogi States, North Central Nigeria

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Prescribing indicators at primary health care centers within the WHO African region: a systematic analysis (1995-2015)

Abstract Background Rational medicine use is essential to optimize quality of healthcare delivery and resource utilization. We aim to conduct a systematic review of changes in prescribing patterns in the WHO African region and comparison with WHO indicators in two time periods 1995–2005 and 2006–2015. Methods Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of science, Africa-Wide Nipad, Africa Journals Online (AJOL), Google scholar and International Network for Rational Use of Drugs (INRUD) Bibliography databases to identify primary studies reporting prescribing indicators at primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in Africa. This was supplemented by a manual search of retrieved references. We assessed the quality of studies using a 14-point scoring system modified from the Downs and Black checklist with inclusions of recommendations in the WHO guidelines. Results Forty-three studies conducted in 11 African countries were included in the overall analysis. These studies presented prescribing indicators based on a total 141,323 patient encounters across 572 primary care facilities. The results of prescribing indicators were determined as follows; average number of medicines prescribed per patient encounter = 3.1 (IQR 2.3–4.8), percentage of medicines prescribed by generic name =68.0 % (IQR 55.4–80.3), Percentage of encounters with antibiotic prescribed =46.8 % (IQR 33.7–62.8), percentage of encounters with injection prescribed =25.0 % (IQR 18.7–39.5) and the percentage of medicines prescribed from essential medicines list =88.0 % (IQR 76.3–94.1). Prescribing indicators were generally worse in private compared with public facilities. Analysis of prescribing across two time points 1995–2005 and 2006–2015 showed no consistent trends. Conclusions Prescribing indicators for the African region deviate significantly from the WHO reference targets. Increased collaborative efforts are urgently needed to improve medicine prescribing practices in Africa with the aim of enhancing the optimal utilization of scarce resources and averting negative health consequences

Agricultural Education and the Challenges of Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development in Developing Countries: A Nigerian Case Study

The ultimate aim of any meaningful educational activity is palpable value addition to the quality of life of the beneficiaries and the society and not the acquisition of a certificate per se. There is an apparent and bothersome tendency for stakeholders in the education system to lay disproportionate emphasis on ‘passing examinations’ and obtaining certificates to the detriment of acquisition of useful skills that are necessary for enhancement living standards of inhabitants of developing countries. This paper examines agricultural education in relation to the need to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development in Nigeria. Nigeria currently has the largest agricultural education system in Africa. Specifically, the paper presents an overview of contemporary agricultural education in Nigeria, the current problems and prospects of agricultural production, and the connection between agriculture, poverty, and sustainable development in Nigeria. Furthermore, the paper argues for a far-reaching revision of higher agricultural education core curriculum and concludes that a more virile and realistic agricultural education system (incorporating formal and non-formal sub-systems) is imperative for the attainment of significant poverty reduction and sustainable development in Nigeria. Finally, a robust use of information and communication technology was recommended to enhance the relevance of the agricultural education system

Analysis of Training Needs of Extension Agents on Climate Change Issues in Ekiti State Agricultural Development Project (EKSADP), Nigeria

The study specifically examined tasks performed by extension agents in the EKSADP as related to climate change and the task areas in which they needed further training. Using structured questionnaire, data were collected from thirty three (33) randomly selected extension agents in the two agricultural zones of Ekiti State. The major tasks performed by the extension agents on climate change related issues were educating farmers on pest control (90.9%), rendering of technical advice to farmers (84.8%), establishment of SPAT to monitor climate change impacts (81.8%) and indigenous technology development to mitigate climate change impacts (81.8%). The training needs in the following areas as perceived by the extension agents were weather forecast skills on climate change ( x =3.76), pest control skills to reduce pest attack ( x =3.72), soil conservation skills to reduce evapo-transpiration ( x =3.58), programme planning on climate change issues ( x =3.45), agro-chemical skills to reduce weed growth ( x =3.36), indigenous technology development for mitigating climate change impacts ( x =3.30), use of cultural practices to mitigate climate change impacts ( x =3.27), use of information communication technologies (ICTs) for awareness creation on climate risk management ( x =3.21) and statistical analysis of field data on climate change issues ( x =3.03). In order to improve performance and increase awareness on climate change impacts on agriculture, extension staff in the various agricultural organizations in the country needed to be trained and re-trained in the relevant areas