Estimation of the total fertility rates and proximate determinants of fertility in North and South Gondar zones, Northwest Ethiopia: An application of the Bongaarts' model

Background: Evidence shows that nearly two million people are added to the population of Ethiopia each year. It has become clear that uncontrolled fertility has adversely influenced the socio-economic, demographic and environmental situations of the country.Objectives: To estimate the total fertility rates and look into the relative contribution of the intermediate determinant variables in bringing fertility below its biological maximum in North and South Gondar zones of Northwest Ethiopia.Methods: A cross-sectional study which included a sample size of 3512 women of reproductive age was performed. Multi-stage cluster sampling was used to select the required study subjects. The Bongaarts model was employed to estimate fertility rates and quantify the contribution of each of the proximate determinants of fertility.Results: The overall total fertility rate of the two Gondar zones was computed as 5.3. Among the three major proximate determinants in reducing fertility in the two zones, postpartum infecundability (Ci=0.55) stood first followed by contraceptive use (Cc=0.75) and non- marriage (Cm=0.83). Conclusion: The fertility-inhibiting effect of postpartum infecundability resulting from prolonged breastfeeding is by far the most important proximate determinant in the entire study areas. A substantial role (particularly in urban areas) is played by contraceptive use. The promotion of breastfeeding should continue by all concerned bodies and the region should continue exerting its maximum effort to make the majority of the rural population users of modern contraceptive method

Intra-household impact of improved dual-purpose cowpea on women in northern Nigeria

This study explores the intra-household impact of transfer of improved dualpurpose cowpea from a gender perspective. Increased productivity by IDPC, has increased food, fodder and income availability. The impact of which is linked to the income it has placed in the women’s hands. Surplus income has been found to be extremely important in providing food and nutritional benefits to the home, particularly during periods of risk. Most importantly, income generated through the adoption of IDPC has entered a largely female domain, where transfers of gifts and income reserves were passed on from generation to generation. Having meaningful impact towards the social and economic development for the women. However, the technology has strengthened the separation of working spheres between men and women, with the associated seclusion of wives. Future IITA technologies, should attempt from the onset, to use alternatives, existing within the local rubric, to target women, with the aim of expanding their participation and contribution to agriculture with the associated benefits to their families

Socio-economic factors and smallholder cassava farmers' access to credit in south-western Nigeria

Open Access JournalRésumé Facteurs socio-économiques et accès au crédit des petits producteurs de manioc dans le sud-ouest du Nigeria L'accès au crédit est un facteur important pour l'augmentation de la productivité agricole. Le modèle " Tobit" a été utilisé pour évaluer les facteurs qui influencent l'intensité de l'accès au crédit des petits producteurs de manioc du sud-Ouest du Nigeria. Les données primaires utilisées ont été collectées, auprès de 856 ménages, lors d'une enquête conduite par l'International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) en 2011. Les résultats du modèle empirique Tobit indiquent que seules sept des 11 variables sont statistiquement liées à l'intensité de l'accès au crédit. Cependant, seules les variables cheptel, production totale de manioc, valeur monétaire des actifs productifs du ménage et taille du ménage ont une influence positive et statistiquement différente de zéro sur l'intensité de l'accès au crédit. L'augmentation de ces variables permettrait d'augmenter le montant du crédit auquel un agriculteur pourrait avoir accès. Les politiques qui mèneront à l'amélioration de la diversification par l'élevage, l'augmentation de la production de manioc et l'accumulation d'actifs des agriculteurs sont recommandées pour cette région. Abstract Access to credit is an important factor in the attainment of agricultural productivity increase. We adopted a Tobit model to assess the factors that influence the intensity of rural smallholder cassava farmers' access to credit in Southwest Nigeria, using primary data collected from 856 rural households by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in 2011. The results of the empirical Tobit model indicate that seven out of the 11 variables included in the model are statistically related to the intensity of access to credit. However, only total livestock unit, cassava output, monetary value of the households' productive assets and household size are positively and statistically significant. This implies that increase in output, diversification of households' income sources into livestock production and accumulation of assets are important variables that have the potential to enhance farmers' access to larger amounts of credit. Therefore, policies that will lead to improve farmers' outputs and/or increase diversification and assets accumulation are recommended for this region

Economic impacts of cassava research and extension in Malawi and Zambia

This paper estimates the economic impacts of cassava research and extension in Malawi and Zambia over the period 1990-2008. The data come from sample household surveys, planting material production records, and a series of cassava improvement experiments conducted in the two countries. Past investments in cassava improvement have led to the development and release of a good number of high-yielding and cassava mosaic virus disease (CMD)-tolerant cassava varieties. The results show relatively higher adoption rates for the CMD-free local varieties compared to CMD-tolerant varieties that have been released in the two countries. The adoption of new varieties has been low and slow largely due to the fact that most of these varieties lacked the consumption attributes highly valued by farmers. The multiplication and distribution of CMD-free planting materials of the recommended local varieties led to greater adoption, but infection with CMD three to four years after adoption meant that the yield gains and economic benefits could not be sustained. Nevertheless, the multiplication and distribution of clean cassava planting materials generated a modest rate of return of 24%, which is actually consistent with an earlier rate of return estimate of 9 to 22% for cassava improvement in developing countries. Analysis of the ex ante impacts of current and future investments in cassava improvement shows that cassava improvement research that focuses on the development and dissemination of varieties with highly preferred consumption and industrial attributes would yield a greater rate of return of 40%

Multi-stakeholder Innovation Platforms and knowledge management: Africa RISING science, innovations and technologies with scaling potential from the Ethiopian Highlands

United States Agency for International Developmen