SMALL-SCALE, WOOD BASED PROCESSING ENTERPRISES; THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND IMPACT ON PEOPLE OF AKURE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ONDO STATE

A survey was conducted in Akure Local Government Area of Ondo State to give preliminary information on the magnitude, characteristics and contribution to rural employment of small-scale, wood-based processing enterprises through structured questionnaire. Small scale, wood based enterprise accounts for about 44% of the total rural labour force. The enterprises are characterized by very small size, heavy reliance on entrepreneur and family labour, technological simplicity of operations and rural location bias. Furniture, logging and carpentry were found to be the commonest among the small scale, wood-based enterprises. A range of problems facing small scale, wood-based enterprises was identified and a number of solutions were suggested. It was recommended that there should be removal of various discrimination through policies which might go a long way to ensuring a healthier small-scale, enterprise growth, reduction or removal of subsidies and other privileges currently offered the large enterprises rather than extending these support and incentives to small ones, a number of specific policy changes to increase access to market, reduce raw material and financial problems should be effected, and small-scale enterprise should be organized into groupings so as to benefit from policy changes.small-scale, wood-based, enterprises, impact, Agribusiness,

SMALL-SCALE, WOOD BASED PROCESSING ENTERPRISES; THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND IMPACT ON PEOPLE OF AKURE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ONDO STATE

A survey was conducted in Akure Local Government Area of Ondo State to give preliminary information on the magnitude, characteristics and contribution to rural employment of small-scale, wood-based processing enterprises through structured questionnaire. Small scale, wood based enterprise accounts for about 44% of the total rural labour force. The enterprises are characterized by very small size, heavy reliance on entrepreneur and family labour, technological simplicity of operations and rural location bias. Furniture, logging and carpentry were found to be the commonest among the small scale, wood-based enterprises. A range of problems facing small scale, wood-based enterprises was identified and a number of solutions were suggested. It was recommended that there should be removal of various discrimination through policies which might go a long way to ensuring a healthier small-scale, enterprise growth, reduction or removal of subsidies and other privileges currently offered the large enterprises rather than extending these support and incentives to small ones, a number of specific policy changes to increase access to market, reduce raw material and financial problems should be effected, and small-scale enterprise should be organized into groupings so as to benefit from policy changes

ALTERNATIVE COOKING FUELS FROM SAWMILL WASTES

In a conversion efficiency study, 10 sawmills were selected out of the existing 44 in Abeokuta metropolis. For 5 days per week in each of the 10 sampled sawmills, the volumes of all the round logs to be converted each day were determined using Newton’s formula. At the end of the days work, the volumes of all lumbers converted were determined and were subtracted from those obtained in the morning, whatever is obtained was the volumes of wood wastes generated in each of the sampled sawmills. This study revealed that the mean conversion efficiency of the 10 selected mills was 56.05%. As a result, the total volume of wood waste generated per day by the 10 mills was approximately 52.00m3. In the entire Abeokuta metropolis 2288m3 of wood wastes will be generated per day. When carbonized, 381 tonnes of charcoal will be produced. In conclusion, it is suggested that enormous volume of wood waste generated in virtually all the sawmills in Abeokuta and indeed Nigeria are collected together and be used in the carbonization of charcoal as substitute for kerosene

Social network and innovation dissemination among farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria

Agricultural innovation has tremendous potentials to improve the welfare of the rural poor. Yet, many new technologies that seem profitable in demonstration plots are not widely adopted due to inadequate social groups linking the farmers to the researchers which result to non-effective information dissemination. There is no adequate link between the farmers and the social groups which are very pivotal to the adoption of innovation and its eventual usage. This study therefore looked at social network and innovation dissemination among farmers in Kwara state Nigeria. This research specifically examined the impact of social network among the farmers in the study area and estimated the correlation of individual farmer’s choices and social network behaviour. A two-stage approach was used in data selection; the first stage was purposive and second involved the random selection technique to collect data from 125 respondents in the study area. Descriptive statistic, Social Network Analysis (SNA), and Qap correlation were the tools employed. The result of the analysis showed that farmers who are members of social group adopt innovation faster. The p-value at 5% signified that there is no correlation between the farmer choice behaviour and social network behaviour. This implies that farmer tend to behave differently under different conditions as regards their choice of innovation adoption., However, when farmers are members of a social group, their decision tend to be different from when they were not and thus, there is a need for adequate information link between researchers and the farmers. Female farmers should be encouraged to join social group as measure to enhance innovation adoption.Keywords: Social Network Analysis (SNA), Qap Correlation and Innovatio

ALTERNATIVE COOKING FUELS FROM SAWMILL WASTES

In a conversion efficiency study, 10 sawmills were selected out of the existing 44 in Abeokuta metropolis. For 5 days per week in each of the 10 sampled sawmills, the volumes of all the round logs to be converted each day were determined using Newton’s formula. At the end of the days work, the volumes of all lumbers converted were determined and were subtracted from those obtained in the morning, whatever is obtained was the volumes of wood wastes generated in each of the sampled sawmills. This study revealed that the mean conversion efficiency of the 10 selected mills was 56.05%. As a result, the total volume of wood waste generated per day by the 10 mills was approximately 52.00m3. In the entire Abeokuta metropolis 2288m3 of wood wastes will be generated per day. When carbonized, 381 tonnes of charcoal will be produced. In conclusion, it is suggested that enormous volume of wood waste generated in virtually all the sawmills in Abeokuta and indeed Nigeria are collected together and be used in the carbonization of charcoal as substitute for kerosene.Charcoal, conversion, lumbers, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,