Competitiveness of Nigeria ginger exports: 1961-2016

This study considered the trends, competitiveness and constraints of Nigeria ginger export from 1961-2016. The data were sourced from secondary sources. Quadratic trend model, unit root tests, generalized method of moments; revealed comparative advantage and autoregressive distributed lag models were used to analyze the data. The findings shows that ginger exports had a positive forecast and trend while United Kingdom and United States of America are the major importers of Nigerian ginger. Cost of exporting and time required for exports were statistically significant at 10% and 1% respectively and constrained the ginger exporters. Nigerian ginger exports became competitive within the era of the structural adjustment program with a mean of 0.084. Export friendly policies should be formulated and judiciously implemented to boost ginger exports from Nigeria.Keywords: Ginger, Trends, Competitiveness and Constraint

Effect of rural-urban migration on household food security in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria

This study analyzed the effects of rural-urban migration on household food security in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. Specifically the study examined the socio-economic characteristics of the migrants’ household; identified the causes of rural-urban migration in the study area and determined the food security status of the respondents in the study area. A total of 120 respondents were randomly selected across 10 villages in the study area. A structured questionnaire was used to collect primarydata. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ordinary least square multiple regression model. The results of the descriptive statistics showed that the respondents have a mean age of 49 years and majority of the migrants’ household were educated and married, with male dominated household constituting 79.16 % and mean household size of 5 persons. It also showed that most (81.66%) of the respondents were engaged in farming occupation with mean income of ₦50,737.The three main causes of rural-urban migration in the study area were: search for job, better education and join spouse. The results of the food security status showed that 66.67% of the respondents have food security index of less than 1. The results of the regression analysis showed that age, household size and food from friends were the major determinants of food security in the study area. The study thus recommends that government through its relevant agencies should encourage sustainable food production through subsidizing farm inputs and giving improved seedlings to farmers to boost their productivity and achieve the sustainable development goal of zero hunger by 2030.Keywords: rural-urban migration, household and food securit

Rice production and marketing in Nigeria: Assessing regulatory agencies’ role in positioning made in Nigeria goods

Rice food system has been identified as a key block in global food security. However, demand for locally manufactured rice is still abysmally low due to broken food system leading to concerns for standards. Regulatory agencies have a lot of role to play in enhancing standards, quality and positioning the product before consumers. This is the crux of this study. Specifically, the study sought to ascertain the role of rice regulatory agencies in ensuring quality control and how it affects consumer patronage. In addition to identify best techniques to position local rice to consumers. Using data from 151 rice producers and marketers in Ebonyi state obtained from well-structured questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive statistics, the study observed that majority of the respondents are involved in marketing/supply and rice production while only 7.9% specialized on both rice production and marketing. Most of them have prior regulatory permit approval from Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), among other certifications. The result showed that regulatory agencies plays a vital role in ensuring quality control of made in Nigeria rice, but observed that consumers still lack trust in standards hence, the low patronage for local rice. Finance was mentioned as the major threat to rice production and marketing among other challenges. The study therefore, recommended that the government should set up programmes to enlighten rice producers and marketers on the potential threat of poor standards in their rice marketing. As such, they should be provided with the necessary and adequate standard machineries that will aid them in improving quality of our local rice, which will aid large production and marketing of made in Nigeria rice. This has implication on wider product acceptance and competitiveness.Keywords: made in Nigeria rice, NAFDAC, positioning, regulatory agencies, and Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON)

HIV and women in the USA: what we know and where to go from here

New diagnoses of HIV infection have decreased among women in the USA overall, but marked racial and geographical disparities persist. The federal government has announced an initiative that aims to decrease the number of new infections in the nation by 90% within the next 10 years. With this in mind, we highlight important recent developments concerning HIV epidemiology, comorbidities, treatment, and prevention among women in the USA. We conclude that, to end the US HIV epidemic, substantially greater inclusion of US women in clinical research will be required, as will better prevention and treatment efforts, with universal access to health care and other supportive services that enable women to exercise agency in their own HIV prevention and care. Ending the epidemic will also require eliminating the race, class, and gender inequities, as well as the discrimination and structural violence, that have promoted and maintained the distribution of HIV in the USA, and that will, if unchecked, continue to fuel the epidemic in the future

Gender differentials in profit among oil palm processors in Abia state, Nigeria

The study analyzed gender differentials in profits among oil palm processors in Abia state, Nigeria with a random selection of sixty (60) males and sixty (60) females palm oil processors. The result of the cost and return analysis showed that palm oil processing was highly profitable in the study area and male processors had higher revenue (₦92,842,000) than the female processors (₦47,590,570). The result showed that there was a significant difference in the profit between male and female processors at one percent probability level. The study also observed factors such as processing techniques for male and income, fixed and variable costs for female processors exerts influences on processors profitability. The study recommended that women should be given the necessary assistance and barriers that create unequal opportunities for both men and women should be removed to enhance efficiency in processing and other related activities by the relevant government agencies

Numerical bifurcation analysis: The role of the second border steady-state solution

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