Performance Evaluation of a Ginger Harvesting Machine with Four Different Tractor Forward Speeds

Ginger is a potential agricultural commodity to be developed in Nigeria. Harvesting of ginger rhizomes in Nigeria is done manually by using hoes, fork, spade and other farm implements. The farmers are constrained with scarce labour for harvesting leading to increased labour cost and harvesting time. Experimental field trials were conducted at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, primary school field on a bed of sandy clay loam soil, to evaluate the performance of the machine at four different tractor forward speeds; 4km/hr, 8km/hr, 12km/h and 16km/h. The field parameters recorded are the operation speeds on the number of ginger rhizomes harvested, weight of ginger harvested, number of ginger un-harvested, number of ginger rhizomes with cut, weight of ginger with cut, effective/theoretical field capacity and efficiency. The machine was tested at four tractor forward speeds to investigate the effect of tractor forward speed on ginger harvesting. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used to test for significant differences at 4 tractor speeds. From the results, the tractor forward speed of 4km/h has the highest harvested rhizomes of 85.7%; while speed of 12km/h has the highest number of ginger un-harvested (41%) and number of ginger with cut (38.7%). The speed of 16km/h gave the lowest weight of harvested ginger rhizomes (3.4kg) and highest weight of cut (1.23kg). The ginger harvesting machine performed satisfactorily with effective field capacity, theoretical field capacity and field efficiency of 0.0261ha/h, 0.000505ha/h and 52% respectively

Improving and Promoting Ethical Behavior in Business Relations: Evidence from Nigeria

The purpose of this research work is to look at improving and Promoting Ethical Behavior in Business Relations in Nigeria. Specifically, the study aimed to pursue the following objectives: to identify the benefits’ of ethical issues in business organisations, to determine the causes of unethical behaviour in an organisation, to identify mean of advancing ethical behaviour in an organisation. The study had a population size of 996, out of which a sample size of 260 was realized using Taro Yamene Formula at 5% error to tolerance and 95% level of confidence. Instrument used for data collection was primarily questionnaire and interview. The total numbers of 285 copies of the questionnaire were distributed while 260 copies were returned. The descriptive research design was adopted for the study. Three hypotheses were tested using Pearson chi square statistical tools. The finding indicate that Good image Projection and public confident are benefits of ethical issue in business organisations. Intimidating behavior and conflict of interest are the causes of unethical behaviour in an organisations. Policies on ethics and ethics training programme are the means of advancing ethical behaviour in an organisation. The concluded the effective ethic programmes enhance organisational performance. The study recommends that firms should uphold ethical standard so that they may have strong competitive advantage over their fellow competitors. Keywords: Ethical Behaviour, Business Relation, Ethical Trainin

Food Poverty in Nigeria: Implications for Life Expectancy

Food poverty and its effect on life expectancy has over the years attracted greater research attention from many researchers given the attendant negative effects it has on the growth of an economy.This present study investigated the implications of food poverty on life expectancy in Nigeria between 1985 and 2018. It employed the multivariate ordinary least squares, stationarity and cointegration techniques which minimize the possibility of estimating spurious regressions while at the same time, retaining long run information. The independent variables used in the study were total labour force, capital formation, agricultural output (proxy for food poverty) and food items importation. Research findings show that while total labour force, capital formation and food items importation had positive effects on life expectancy in Nigeria, food poverty exerted a negative impact on life expectancy in Nigeria within the period under study. The study recommends, among other things, that the government should through the ministry of agriculture map out policies that will help to further improve the performance of the sector. This will help increase the availability of food items in Nigeria and therefore reduce the incidence of food poverty which will further improve life expectancy in Nigeria. Keywords: food poverty, life expectancy, poverty, food security. DOI: 10.7176/JESD/11-2-11 Publication date: January 31st 202

IRON TECHNOLOGY AND POLITICAL POWER: EXAMPLES FROM THE IRON SMELTING BELT OF NSUKKA AREA, ENUGU STATE, SOUTH-EASTERN NIGERIA

Iron smelting and its technology in Nigeria, particularly in South-Eastern Nigeria, had long gone into oblivion. Most people seem not to recollect coherent information about it as people aver that the furnace walls and iron slag dotted across the zone grew out from the ground. What a crass show of ignorance! But pointers to the practice exist in so many areas in form of iron slag, broken pieces of tuyere and furnace walls, etc. One area in South-Eastern Nigeria that is replete with these clues even to an intimidating level is Nsukka area in Enugu State. The area, possibly due to its proximity to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka has been well researched on, archaeologically speaking, especially in the area of iron technology. However, one fascinating feature of this technology lies not only on the magnitude of these pointers but how its tangible aspects grade into the intangible cultural practices of the respective communities where they occur. Apart from the often touted military superiority of those who possessed iron over those who did not, our ethnographic research in Nsukka area shows that iron could be a symbol of power in another way. As we observed, some areas with large concentration of evidence of iron workings tend to produce kings of their communities and where it is otherwise, they anoint kings or title takers. Is this a coincidence? This paper attempts to bring out the state of archaeological research, the ways the past through the furnace walls and iron slag, live in the present and direct the future in Nsukka area. It also tries to explore avenues through which these could be harnessed to attract UNESCO attention so as to use the features for the benefit of mankind. It concludes by calling on the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) and Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC)/Culture ministry to redirect attention on those non-renewable national resources. Key Words:  Iron, Technology, Political power, Nsukka, Iron smelting belt, Nigeria

Impact of Television Advertisement on Undergraduate Students’ Purchase Decision on Indomie Noodles

This study surveys undergraduate students’ views on the effect of television advertisement on their purchase of indomie noodles. 392 respondents, drawn from the Business Administration unit of Abia State University were studied. The structured questionnaire was administered on the select respondents. The SPSS version 20 students t-test was used to test stated hypotheses. Finding disclosed that television advertising has a significant influence on students’ preference, patronage and repeat purchase of indomie noodles. The study recommends that Advertising messages should be clear, credible and precise so that the target market will not give different meanings to it and that noodles marketers should see television advertising as a long-term investment into the life of products and not be discouraged by the early, immediate low returns of advertisements

Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Oil Extracted from Amaranth

This chapter deals with the kinetics of solvent extraction of oil from Amaranth, as well as the thermodynamics of the extraction process. Brief introduction of Amaranth and Amaranth oil yields and compositions were given. The justifications of the choice of extraction method, as well as the solvent used in the kinetics and thermodynamic studies, were discussed. Known kinetic models used to model vegetable oils extraction process, were discussed, with the view of evaluating the feasibility of fitting the obtained experimental data into the models. The extraction kinetic models considered are the parabolic diffusion, power law, hyperbolic, Elovich’s and pseudo second order models. The thermodynamics of oil extraction process were also considered. Hence, the thermodynamic parameters, enthalpy, entropy and Gibb’s free energy change of the process were also discussed

Determination of physicomechanical properties of velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) from South Eastern Nigeria

Selected physical and mechanical properties of velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) were studied at two moisture content levels of 13% and 20% (db). Compression strength characteristics were conducted under quasi-static compressive force at longitudinal and latitudinal (lateral) loading positions and the rupture forces, compressive strength, modulus of deformability, toughness, stiffness and force at bio-yield point determined as the mechanical properties at varying loading positions. Results indicated that volume (7.398 - 9.416 mm3), surface area (73.289 - 111.782 mm2), geometric mean diameter (9.18 - 11.68mm), and weight (0.872 - 1.055 g) of the velvet bean seed increased linearly with increase in moisture content. Also, the bulk density, specific gravity (0.118 - 0.112 g/mm3), sphericity (0.737 - 0.704) and aspect ratio (0.776 - 0.719) decreased linearly with increase in moisture content. These indicate that Velvet beans have wide size ranges and no single sample of the grains can effectively represent the other. In the case of the force-deformation characteristics, result indicates that the force and corresponding deformation to rupture of velvet bean seeds were found to vary from 525N, 5mm in longitudinal loading position to 800N, 7mm in lateral loading position at 13% moisture content and 131.25N, 3mm in longitudinal loading to 237.5N, 4.75mm in lateral loading at 20% (wb) moisture content. The bio-yield force, compressive strength, stiffness and toughness of the velvet bean seeds varied from 375 N, 14.412 N/mm2, 105 N/mm and 354.836 J/mm3respectively in longitudinal loading position to 475 N, 21, 961 N/mm2, 114. 286 N/mm2 and 756.961 N/mm2respectively in lateral loading position at 13% moisture content and 112.5N, 3.53N/mm2, 43.75 N/mm and 41.817 J/mm3respectively in longitudinal loading and 175 N, 6.388 N/mm2, 50 N/mm and 119.809 J/mm3respectively in lateral loading at 20% (wb) moisture content. Generally, the compressive strength of the velvet bean seeds is higher at lateral loading position than at the longitudinal loading position.Key Words: Physical Properties, Mechanical Properties, Velvet Bean, Moisture content, Loading Positions

PROFESSIONAL SELF DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES OF BASIC EDUCATION TEACHERS IN ABIA STATE, NIGERIA

The study sought to determine the professional self-development activities engaged in by basic education teachers in Abia State of Nigeria. Four research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. The subjects consisted of 345 teachers purposively drawn from a population of about 6500 teachers to reflect the variables of sex, location and experience. A 20-item checklist constructed and validated, with a reliability co-efficient of 0.86 was the instrument for data collection. Analysis of data was done using percentages for the research questions and z-test for the hypotheses. Findings revealed that the basic education teachers were more interested in the government sponsored teacher-professional-development activities than in those that would cost them personal funds. Significant differences existed in the activities engaged in by teachers according to sex, location and experience. Appropriate recommendations were made on ways of encouraging teachers to engage in professional self-development activities as to do so improves the quality of our teachers and by extension our educational system.  Article visualizations