Effects of weather extremes on crop yields in Nigeria

This study seeks to analyze how extreme weather conditions affect crop yield and risk in Nigeria and to assess the potential implications of weather extremes on the nation’s crop insurance portfolio. A panel of Nigerian state-level crop yields was paired with a fine-scale weather data set that included distribution of temperature and precipitation between the minimum and maximum across all days of the growing season for selected crops. Weather data were examined from January 1, 1991 to December 31, 2012. The analysis was started with the traditional approach of estimating climate change impact by a quadratic regression model of weather and Growing Degree Days (GDD) on crop yields using panel data estimation. Later, Harmful Degree Days (HDD) and Vapour Pressure Deficit (VPD) were step-wisely included. Interactions of rainfall, GDD and VPD were also explored. In the production approach, crop yield was specified as a function of weather inputs (temperature and precipitation). The results showed that the time when the lowest and highest yields were obtained differed by crops. The highest (43.50 kg/ha) and lowest (1.085kg/ha) yields for cassava were observed in 1999 and 2001, respectively, while both highest and lowest yields for sorghum were recorded in 2012. Daily maximum temperature between 30 and 35 °C occurred more than a 1000 times over all the days covered in this study (January 1, 1991 to December 31, 2012). The regression results showed that high damage to cassava, cotton and maize was evident by the strong and negative coefficient of Harmful Degree Days (HDD). For sorghum and rice, an exposure to heat range showed a negative influence on the yield. In order to address the negative weather effects and other problems associated with the National Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) such as little access by farmers, high information asymmetric and transaction costs, crop insurance based on indices from Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) could be adopted to compensate part of the damage caused to the farm products.Key words: Extreme Weather, Staple Crop, Yield Risk, Agricultural Insurance, Econometrics, Nigeri

The Effects of Structural Breaks on Cocoa Yield Response in Nigeria (1961 – 2007)

This study examines the effect of structural break- namely the Structural Adjustment Policy (SAP) change of 1986 – on the yield response of cocoa in Nigeria between 1961 and 2007. The yield of cocoa was specified as a function of factors such as exchange rate, cocoa producer price, producer price of substitute crops such as rice, maize and cassava. Quantitative estimates, based on Augmented-Dickey Fuller unit root test, cointegration and error correction specification, indicate that the real exchange rate, cocoa producer price, cassava price and trend significantly affected cocoa yield response in the long-run while the real exchange rate, cocoa producer price, cassava price and rice price significantly affected cocoa yield response in the short- run. In addition, from the results, the error correction mechanism (ECM) indicated a feedback of about 67.4% of the previous year’s disequilibrium from long-run domestic cocoa yield. The Perron structural break test show that SAP has a positive and significant effect on cocoa yield, but a negative effect on the cocoa producer price. It is concluded that only a combination of price and other structural factors can bring about the much desired change in the Nigerian cocoa sector

Prevalence of Rubella virus-specific immunoglobulin-g and -m in pregnant women attending two tertiary hospitals in southwestern Nigeria

Background: Rubella is a self-limiting disease that causes congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) when rubella virus (RV) infects women in the first trimester of pregnancy.Objective: To assess a population of pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in two tertiary hospitals in southwestern Nigeria for anti-RV IgG and IgM in order to determine the proportions susceptible to the viral infection and infectious to their fetuses.Method: Ninety consenting pregnant women were consecutively recruited and aseptically bled for the study. The sera were screened with commercial ELISA kits for anti-rubella virus IgG and IgM. Due to the controls and calibrators included in the tests, the IgG test was performed on 89 sera while all 90 samples were screened for IgM.Results: Of the 89 pregnant women tested for anti-RV IgG, 86 (96.6%) were positive with protective serum concentrations of the antibody. Only six (6.7%, 95% CI: 1.5-11.8%, n = 90) women were positive for anti-RV IgM with 5 (5.6%, 95% CI: 0.8-10.3%) having both anti-RV IgG and IgM. Overall, three (3.4%) of the women were susceptible to RV infection, one (1.1%) of these in the first trimester of gestation was probably infectious.Conclusion: Majority of the pregnant women had protective levels of anti-RV IgG antibody although susceptibility to rubella as well as level of infectiousness were low. Intensification of rubella immunization of all females of child-bearing age in Osun and Oyo States is advocated.Keywords: Prevalence, Rubella, Antibodies, Pregnant women, Southwestern Nigeria

Rast produktivnosti tipičnih poljoprivrednih kultura ECOWAS-a: priča o dvije suprotstavljene granične metode analize

This study examines productivity growth of 3 ECOWAS crops, namely, rice, cotton and millet, using both Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) and Data Envelopment analysis (DEA). The results show that the magnitude of productivity progress vary across models applied and by segmentation of the data set. Nevertheless, the overall results indicate that technical change has had the greatest impact on productivity and producers have tendencies to catch-up with front runners. A closer look at the total factor productivity differences in ECOWAS and pre-ECOWAS sub-period shows larger total factor productivity in ECOWAS period (1979-2005) than in pre-ECOWAS period for cotton and millet for SFA model. In terms of policy reform’s effects, productivity growth in ECOWAS and pre-ECOWAS sub-period differ across crops depending on model applied.Koristeći analizu stohastičkih granica (SFA) i analizu omeđenih podataka (DEA) ovaj rad istražuje rast produktivnosti kod 3 poljoprivredne kulture ECOWAS-a (Ekonomske zajednice zapadnoafričkih država): riže, pamuka i prosa. Rezultati pokazuju da magnituda produktivnosti varira ovisno o primijenim modelima i segmentaciji podataka. Unatoč tome, sveukupni rezultati upućuju na to tehnička promjena ima najveći utjecaj na produktivnost te da proizvođači nastoje dostići one na čelu razvoja. Detaljnija analiza razlika između ukupne faktorske produktivnosti u razdoblju ECOWAS-a u odnosu na onu u podrazdoblju prije osnivanja ECOWAS-a u SFA modelu pokazuje veći ukupni faktor produktivnosti za pamuk i proso u razdoblju ECOWAS-a (1979. – 2005.) od onog u podrazdoblju prije ECOWAS-a. Po pitanju učinka zakonskih reformi, rast produktivnosti u ECOWAS-u i podrazdoblju prije ECOWAS-a razlikuje se za pojedine poljoprivredne kulture ovisno o primijenjenom modelu analize

Occupational Hazards and Productivity of Poultry Farmers in Osun State of Nigeria

Abstract: This study examined the degree of occupational hazards among Osun state poultry farmers and how it affects their productivity. A structured questionnaire was designed to obtain relevant information from 70 poultry farm owners chosen through random sampling techniques. Descriptive statistics and a linear production function were employed to analyze the data. The results showed that youths were the major set of people in poultry business in the state. All the poultry farmers and farm workers in the study area were educated. Given multiple responses, about 93% of the farm owners experienced physical hazards while 91% were involved in accident at one point or the other. Those who complained of chemical hazards were found to be 86%. An increase in the expenditure on drugs will lead to a decline in net revenue of the poultry farmers per hectares

Impacts of climate change on rice agriculture in Nigeria

This study employed the Ricardian approach to test the relative importance of climate normals (average long-term temperature and precipitation) in explaining net revenue from Nigerian rice agriculture under irrigation and dry land conditions. A survey was done by interviewing 1200 rice farmers from 20 rice producing states in Nigeria. The states covered all the six geopolitical zones in the country. The results showed that increase in temperature will reduce net revenue for dry land rice farms while net revenue rises with increase in temperature for irrigated rice farms. Precipitation had similar effects on rice net revenue. Increase in precipitation will cause reduction in revenue for dry land rice farms whereas it will cause increase in revenue for irrigated farms. The results clearly demonstrate irrigation as a significant techniques used by the farmers to adapt to the climate change. Other adaptation options include Keeping of livestock, engaging in off farm works and the use of different market channels.El estudio empleó el enfoque Ricardiano para evaluar la importancia relativa de variables climáticas (temperatura promedio a largo plazo y precipitación) para explicar las ganancias netas del cultivo de arroz con o sin riego. Se entrevistó 1200 productores de arroz de 20 estados de Nigeria. Se encontró que un incremento de temperatura reducirá la ganancia cuando no existe riego e incrementa con riego. La precipitación tuvo el mismo efecto y redujo la ganancia en condiciones sin riego y la incremento en condiciones de riego. Los resultados muestran que la irrigación es una estrategia importante para adaptarse al cambio climático. Otras estrategias propuestas son la crianza de animales, trabajo alternos y empleo de differentes canales de mercadeo.Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy in Africa (CEEPA)http://www.veterinaria.uady.mx/ojs/index.php/TSAnf201

Procurement Functons as Tools for Entrepreneurial Successby

Abstract: This paper work was carried out on procurement functions as a tools for entrepreneurial success and the works discuss extensively on entrepreneur as a concept and the procurement function which includes all activities in purchasing were also explained, the researcher discovered during the course of written this paper that procurement as a function have a lot to do when it comes to business survival not only in Nigeria but throughout the world, because the primary aim of purchasing is to achieve the five rights in which is a business organization can get right, the whole activities will not be only productive but profit maximization which is the primary goal of all business establishment will definitely be achieved

Rast produktivnosti tipičnih poljoprivrednih kultura ECOWAS-a: priča o dvije suprotstavljene granične metode analize

This study examines productivity growth of 3 ECOWAS crops, namely, rice, cotton and millet, using both Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) and Data Envelopment analysis (DEA). The results show that the magnitude of productivity progress vary across models applied and by segmentation of the data set. Nevertheless, the overall results indicate that technical change has had the greatest impact on productivity and producers have tendencies to catch-up with front runners. A closer look at the total factor productivity differences in ECOWAS and pre-ECOWAS sub-period shows larger total factor productivity in ECOWAS period (1979-2005) than in pre-ECOWAS period for cotton and millet for SFA model. In terms of policy reform’s effects, productivity growth in ECOWAS and pre-ECOWAS sub-period differ across crops depending on model applied.Koristeći analizu stohastičkih granica (SFA) i analizu omeđenih podataka (DEA) ovaj rad istražuje rast produktivnosti kod 3 poljoprivredne kulture ECOWAS-a (Ekonomske zajednice zapadnoafričkih država): riže, pamuka i prosa. Rezultati pokazuju da magnituda produktivnosti varira ovisno o primijenim modelima i segmentaciji podataka. Unatoč tome, sveukupni rezultati upućuju na to tehnička promjena ima najveći utjecaj na produktivnost te da proizvođači nastoje dostići one na čelu razvoja. Detaljnija analiza razlika između ukupne faktorske produktivnosti u razdoblju ECOWAS-a u odnosu na onu u podrazdoblju prije osnivanja ECOWAS-a u SFA modelu pokazuje veći ukupni faktor produktivnosti za pamuk i proso u razdoblju ECOWAS-a (1979. – 2005.) od onog u podrazdoblju prije ECOWAS-a. Po pitanju učinka zakonskih reformi, rast produktivnosti u ECOWAS-u i podrazdoblju prije ECOWAS-a razlikuje se za pojedine poljoprivredne kulture ovisno o primijenjenom modelu analize

Water Supply and Sanitation Challenges in an Urban Setting: A Case Study

Access to clean water, good sanitation services and improved hygiene practices enhance sound health, boost socio-cultural development, and promote economic balance. This study is focused on investigating and identifying the state of water, sanitation and hygiene practices in an urban setting, and proffer solutions to the probable challenges associated with it. Five Local Government areas (LGAs) of Lagos State were selected for this study. The survey involved the use of structured questionnaires administered to randomly selected residents from the LGAs. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software application and descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. The study reveals that access to water and proper sanitation is insufficient and its services is at high cost to many of the residents who live below the poverty line of less than $2 per day. The supply of water from the water corporation to the local government is not sufficient thereby making many to rely on commercial and private boreholes which often time is expensive. The result also shows that indifferent attitude characterizes poor sanitation which is basically associated with poor maintenance, indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drains and ineffective drainage systems. It is therefore important that sustained cooperation be developed among key actors in order to reduce cost of gaining access to potable water. There should also be continuous sensitization and enlightenment campaigns to the public on the dangers of environmental neglect