Economic Efficiency Estimate of Captured Fisheries from Plateau State, Nigeria: a Case on Pandam Lake fisheries innovation techniques

This paper examines the productivity of captured fishery in Plateau state, with a view to examine the economics and sustainability of inland water fisheries innovation as renewable resource in the country. Daily fishing observations for 8 weeks and data collected through questionnaire from the 30 licensed fishers, using a purposive sampling technique was analysed by descriptive statistics, net farm income and stochastic frontier production and cost function models. The mean technical, allocative and economic efficiencies of the fishers were 0.91, 0.68 and 0.72 respectively. The fishing harvest rate indicates decreasing return to scale of 0.728, showing fishers were operating at stage II.  Socioeconomics characteristics such as extension contact, age and educational status significantly explain technical efficiency and allocative efficiency.  Transformation for effective and sustainable fisheries exploitation will need the involvement of educated fishers, extension education, and constraining of fishing gear at the fishery. Keywords: fisheries, technical, efficiency, inefficiency, frontier, stochastic, renewable, innovation

A Review of Information Needs of Rice Farmers: A Panacea for Food Security and Poverty Alleviation

The study aimed at reviewing rice farmers’ agricultural information needs, access, and utilization and the constraints faced in sourcing for information. Information were got on the concept of information needs, assessment of information needs of rice farmers, concept of information access, farmers’ information search behaviour,  concept of utilization or adoption of information and the constraints faced or being faced. Review of related literature on the information needs of rice farmers, access and utilization have been included. Recommendations are given for effective transformation in rice production technology sub-sector if considered such as setting up of adult literacy education programme for farmers, developing ICT-based agricultural information delivery support system. Key words: Information, Technology, Utilization, Innovation, Access, Farmer

Economic Analysis of Irrigated Irish Potato Production in Plateau State

The study examined the economics of irrigated Irish potato production in Plateau State. A multistage sampling technique using purposive and systematic random sampling was used to obtain data from a sample size of 120 respondents using structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed using Descriptive Statistics, Gross Margin Analysis, Benefit –Cost Analysis and Sensitivity Analysis. Results reveals that majority of the farmers were educated (64.17%) adults (58.33%) with long years (97%) of experience in Irish potato irrigation farming, and owned an average of 0.7 hectares of irrigated farm land each. Cost and Return analysis revealed that costs of seeds, labor and chemical fertilizers made up the highest (89.40%) portion of the average total variable cost of production. Results also revealed that irrigated Irish potato production in Plateau State is a profitably lucrative enterprise with a robust economic viability as shown by values  of Gross Margin (N655,637.88), benefit–Cost Ratio (2.64) and Sensitivity Analysis ratio (2.16). The study recommends expansion in irrigated Irish potato farm lands in addition to adoption of technologies that will minimize cost of seeds, labor and chemical fertilizers. Keywords: Gross Margin, Benefit, Cost, Sensitivity, Profitability

Comparing government regulated and unregulated inland water fisheries of Plateau State, Nigeria: an economic productivity analysis

The objectives of the research was to compares the economics of regulated and unregulated fisheries through the estimates of technical, allocative and economic efficiency of micro entrepreneur or artisanal fishers in  the central Nigerian state of Plateau, with a view to examine the economic benefits and sustainability on inland water fisheries as renewable resource in developing economics. Stochastic frontier production and cost functions using the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) technique was used to analysed data collected from, daily fishing observations made for 4 weeks, and through questionnaire from 20 micro entrepreneurs from unregulated lakes of Polmakat, Shimankar, Deben, Janta and 30 micro entrepreneurs from the only regulated Pandam Lake to give a sample size of 110 respondents selected in a multi-stage sampling technique. The mean technical, allocative and economic efficiency of unregulated fishers were 0.83, 0.56 and 0.68 respectively, while, the mean technical, allocative and economic efficiencies of the regulated fishers were 0.91, 0.68 and 0.72 respectively. This study shows higher potential for increase in fishing output at unregulated fisheries through better use of available resources, given the current state of technology. The MLE result suggested that extension contact, age and educational status were major determinants of efficiency in unregulated fishing, meaning that the transformation for effective and sustainable fisheries exploitation requires the involvement of educated fishers, extension education, and redefinition of property rights of unregulated fishery and constraining of inputs at regulated fishery.   Keywords: micro entrepreneurs, economic, efficiency, comparative, stochastic, renewable resourc

Variation in postoperative outcomes of patients with intracranial tumors: insights from a prospective international cohort study during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: This study assessed the international variation in surgical neuro-oncology practice and 30-day outcomes of patients who had surgery for an intracranial tumor during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We prospectively included adults aged ≥18 years who underwent surgery for a malignant or benign intracranial tumor across 55 international hospitals from 26 countries. Each participating hospital recorded cases for 3 consecutive months from the start of the pandemic. We categorized patients’ location by World Bank income groups (high [HIC], upper-middle [UMIC], and low- and lower-middle [LLMIC]). Main outcomes were a change from routine management, SARS-CoV-2 infection, and 30-day mortality. We used a Bayesian multilevel logistic regression stratified by hospitals and adjusted for key confounders to estimate the association between income groups and mortality. Results: Among 1016 patients, the number of patients in each income group was 765 (75.3%) in HIC, 142 (14.0%) in UMIC, and 109 (10.7%) in LLMIC. The management of 200 (19.8%) patients changed from usual care, most commonly delayed surgery. Within 30 days after surgery, 14 (1.4%) patients had a COVID-19 diagnosis and 39 (3.8%) patients died. In the multivariable model, LLMIC was associated with increased mortality (odds ratio 2.83, 95% credible interval 1.37–5.74) compared to HIC. Conclusions: The first wave of the pandemic had a significant impact on surgical decision-making. While the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection within 30 days after surgery was low, there was a disparity in mortality between countries and this warrants further examination to identify any modifiable factors