Perceived Effect of Agricultural Transformation Agenda on Livelihood of Cocoa Farmers in Osun State, Nigeria

This study assessed the perceived effect of Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) on cocoa farmer’s livelihood in Osun State. Multi stage sampling technique such as purposive and simple random techniques were used for the selection of 120 respondents. Questionnaire instrument was used to collect data from the respondents and data analysis was carried out using descriptive (frequency counts, mean and percentages) and inferential (Pearson Product Moment Correlation) statistics. Results showed that average farm size was 2 acres. The major source of labour used by some of the respondents (37.5%) was family labour. The study revealed that more than half (68.3%) of the respondents had high knowledge of ATA programme and majority (61.7%) of the respondents utilize it. Majority (66.7%) of the respondents had various challenges against the utilization of ATA inputs. There was a significant relationship between the respondents’ farm size (r=0.387, p>0.000), years of farming experience (r=0.351, p>0.000), ATA inputs accessibility (r=0.734, p>0.000), utilization (r=0.720, p=0.000) and the perceived effect on their livelihood. The respondents had high level of knowledge about ATA programme with a favorable attitude towards ATA, though, the inability to access ATA inputs posed limitation on its utilization. It is recommended that ATA workers should pay necessary attention to the needs of the farmers in the study area and also employ well skilled extension agents to guide farmers to access and utilize ATA inputs effectively. Continuous family farming is encouraged to boast labour and reduce cost

Perceived Effect of Agricultural Transformation Agenda on Livelihood of Cocoa Farmers in Osun State, Nigeria

This study assessed the perceived effect of Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) on cocoa farmer’s livelihood in Osun State. Multi stage sampling technique such as purposive and simple random techniques were used for the selection of 120 respondents. Questionnaire instrument was used to collect data from the respondents and data analysis was carried out using descriptive (frequency counts, mean and percentages) and inferential (Pearson Product Moment Correlation) statistics. Results showed that average farm size was 2 acres. The major source of labour used by some of the respondents (37.5%) was family labour. The study revealed that more than half (68.3%) of the respondents had high knowledge of ATA programme and majority (61.7%) of the respondents utilize it. Majority (66.7%) of the respondents had various challenges against the utilization of ATA inputs. There was a significant relationship between the respondents’ farm size (r=0.387, p>0.000), years of farming experience (r=0.351, p>0.000), ATA inputs accessibility (r=0.734, p>0.000), utilization (r=0.720, p=0.000) and the perceived effect on their livelihood. The respondents had high level of knowledge about ATA programme with a favorable attitude towards ATA, though, the inability to access ATA inputs posed limitation on its utilization. It is recommended that ATA workers should pay necessary attention to the needs of the farmers in the study area and also employ well skilled extension agents to guide farmers to access and utilize ATA inputs effectively. Continuous family farming is encouraged to boast labour and reduce cost

Strengthening retinopathy of prematurity screening and treatment services in Nigeria: a case study of activities, challenges and outcomes 2017-2020.

OBJECTIVES: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) will become a major cause of blindness in Nigerian children unless screening and treatment services expand. This article aims to describe the collaborative activities undertaken to improve services for ROP between 2017 and 2020 as well as the outcome of these activities in Nigeria. DESIGN: Descriptive case study. SETTING: Neonatal intensive care units in Nigeria. PARTICIPANTS: Staff providing services for ROP, and 723 preterm infants screened for ROP who fulfilled screening criteria (gestational age <34 weeks or birth weight ≤2000 g, or sickness criteria). METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A WhatsApp group was initiated for Nigerian ophthalmologists and neonatologists in 2018. Members participated in a range of capacity-building, national and international collaborative activities between 2017 and 2018. A national protocol for ROP was developed for Nigeria and adopted in 2018; 1 year screening outcome data were collected and analysed. In 2019, an esurvey was used to collect service data from WhatsApp group members for 2017-2018 and to assess challenges in service provision. RESULTS: In 2017 only six of the 84 public neonatal units in Nigeria provided ROP services; this number had increased to 20 by 2018. Of the 723 babies screened in 10 units over a year, 127 (17.6%) developed any ROP; and 29 (22.8%) developed type 1 ROP. Only 13 (44.8%) babies were treated, most by intravitreal bevacizumab. The screening criteria were revised in 2020. Challenges included lack of equipment to regulate oxygen and to document and treat ROP, and lack of data systems. CONCLUSION: ROP screening coverage and quality improved after national and international collaborative efforts. To scale up and improve services, equipment for neonatal care and ROP treatment is urgently needed, as well as systems to monitor data. Ongoing advocacy is also essential

Assessment of the contribution of microbial activities to tomato growth and yield under an organic production system

Optimizing microbiological activities in an organic crop production system is crucial to the realization of optimum growth and yield of the crops. Field and pot experiments were conducted to assess soil microbial activities, growth and yield of tomato varieties in response to 4 rates of composted plant and animal residues. The trials were carried out in the Federal University of agriculture, Abeokuta Nigeria, between April 2014 and November 2015. The compost rates were 0, 5, 10 and 20 t ha−1, while the varieties used were Ibadan-improved and Ibadan-local. Fungi population, microbial biomass nitrogen and enzyme activities were significantly higher (P≤ 0.05) at the rhizosphere of the local variety than that of the improved variety. This led to a significantly higher number of branches, plant height, leaf area, number of fruits and less days to maturity in the local variety. Also, growth parameters and tissue N significantly increased in all compost treatments while dry matter yield and weight of fruits were significantly higher in soil amended with 20 t ha−1. Microbial activities correlated more significantly with growth and yield parameters at 6 weeks after transplanting. It was concluded that microbial activities could be optimized to improve the yield of tomato varieties in an organic production system, through the application of compost, particularly at 20 t ha−1

Availability and dynamics of organic carbon and nitrogen indices in some soils amended with animal manures and ashes

Abstract Purpose The study evaluated dried manures and manure ashes as alternative products from animal manures, and determined the dynamics of soil nitrogen availability indices and organic carbon release in some soils amended with dried manures and ashes under laboratory incubation, screen-house and field experiments. Methods Cattle, goat and poultry manures were collected and air dried to produce dried manures after which part of the dried manures were burnt in open space at a temperature range of 320–450 °C to produce manure ashes. Treatments which were no amendment (control), dried manures of cattle, goat and poultry manure ashes of cattle, goat and poultry and NPK 15-15-15 at 120 kg N ha−1 were applied to soil. Samples were taken fortnightly after amendment incorporation in the incubation experiment; in screen-house experiment and field experiments, plant seeds were established after amendment incorporation; thereafter, soil samples were taken fortnightly. Soil samples were analyzed for soil organic carbon (SOC), NH4 +–N and NO3 −–N using a spectrophotometer. Results Incineration of manures increased pH, exchangeable cations and carbon, while nitrogen in manures ashes was comparable to nitrogen in dried manures. The application of manure ash increased SOC, NH4 +–N and NO3 −–N by 182, 102, 128% in incubation experiment while 64 and 628% increase in SOC and NH4 +–N was recorded in screen-house experiment, respectively, relative to the control. In the field experiment, a significant increase in NO3 −–N was recorded at the onset of incorporation; nitrification was more pronounced than ammonification under incubation and field conditions. Conclusion Dried manures are not superior to manure ashes and incorporation of manures ashes increased the SOC, NH4 +–N and NO3 −–N though changes with increasing weeks were erratic

Acquisition, maintenance and adaptation of invasion inhibitory antibodies against Plasmodium falciparum invasion ligands involved in immune evasion

Erythrocyte-binding antigens (EBAs) and P. falciparum reticulocyte-binding homologue proteins (PfRhs) are two important protein families that can vary in expression and utilization by P. falciparum to evade inhibitory antibodies. We evaluated antibodies at repeated time-points among individuals living in an endemic region in Nigeria over almost one year against these vaccine candidates. Antibody levels against EBA140, EBA175, EBA181, PfRh2, PfRh4, and MSP2, were measured by ELISA. We also used parasites with disrupted EBA140, EBA175 and EBA181 genes to show that all these were targets of invasion inhibitory antibodies. However, antigenic targets of inhibitory antibodies were not stable and changed substantially over time in most individuals, independent of age. Antibodies levels measured by ELISA also varied within and between individuals over time and the antibodies against EBA181, PfRh2 and MSP2 declined more rapidly in younger individuals (15 years) compared with older (>15). The breadth of high antibody responses over time was more influenced by age than by the frequency of infection. High antibody levels were associated with a more stable invasion inhibitory response, which could indicate that during the long process of formation of immunity, many changes not only in levels but also in functional responses are needed. This is an important finding in understanding natural immunity against malaria, which is essential for making an efficacious vaccine

Kaplan- Meier survival curves showing the proportion of individuals with antibody levels of >50% of the day 0 antibody level for all antigens among the different age groups and among individuals with different levels of exposure to <i>P</i>. <i>falciparum</i>.

<p>Kaplan- Meier survival curves showing the proportion of individuals with antibody levels of >50% of the day 0 antibody level for all antigens among the different age groups and among individuals with different levels of exposure to <i>P</i>. <i>falciparum</i>.</p

Longitudinal invasion inhibitory activity profiles of representative individuals.

<p>Individuals exhibited diverse invasion inhibitory activity against the 3D7 WT relative to the EBA knockout parasites overtime. Individual AD23 inhibited the EBA knockout parasites more than the parental parasite; individual AD50 inhibited the parental parasite more than the EBA knockout parasite lines.</p

Relationship between invasion inhibitory antibodies to invasion pathway ligands parasitaemia and age.

<p>(A) Effects of antibodies directed against SA-dependent or SA-independent pathways on the mean parasitaemia. “<b>A</b>”, “<b>B</b>” represent individuals with only antibody responses to SA-dependent or SA-independent pathway invasion ligands, respectively. “<b>A and B”</b> represents individuals that presented a response to both pathways. (B) Effect of age on the acquisition of antibody responses to the two invasion pathways.</p

Comparison of EBA175 and PfRh2 antibody levels between individuals that switched between invasion inhibition patterns and those with unchanging invasion patterns.

<p>Bars represent the mean antibody levels and SEM. ‘‘Switchers” represents individuals that had fluctuating invasion inhibitory patterns while ‘‘Non-switchers” represents those that had stable invasion inhibitory pattern.</p