Fabrication of Extrudate Filaments from Waste Polyethylene Terephthalate Plastics for 3D Printers

The use of 3D printers for manufacturing processes comes with the challenge of filament replacement for subsequent processes. This aforementioned including the environmental problems posed by plastics wastes formed the basis for the current work which is focused on design and construction of a simple single extruder for the production of filaments from waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics for rapid prototyping machines and 3D printers. Three Band heaters were used to melt the PET plastics and a screw was used to move the melted PET plastics longitudinally along the barrel. The screw is consisted of three zones namely feed zone, compression zone and metering zone. The temperature of the band heaters is controlled by a Digital temperature controller. This paper describes the design, fabrication and testing of a filament extruder. A 2mm die was used to extrude the filament to1.75 mm. The performance of the system was quantified through relevant tests and the findings reported. When the barrel and die assembly are at 200°C, melting begins to occur and at 230°C, the extrudate begins to appear at the metering zone. The energy efficiency of the system was found out to be 75.2%

A framework for agricultural adaptation to climate change in Southern Nigeria

The agricultural sector which contributes between 20-50% of gross domestic product in Africa and employs about 60% of the population is greatly affected by climate change impacts. Agricultural productivity and food prices are expected to rise due to this impact thereby worsening the food insecurity and poor nutritional health conditions in the continent. Incidentally, the capacity in the continent to adapt is very low. Addressing these challenges will therefore require a holistic and integrated adaptation framework hence this study. A total of 360 respondents selected through a multi-stage random sampling technique participated in the study that took place in Southern Nigeria from 2008-2011. Results showed that majority of respondents (84%) were aware that some climate change characteristics such as uncertainties at the onset of farming season, extreme weather events including flooding and droughts, pests, diseases, weed infestation, and land degradation have all been on the increase. The most significant effects of climate change that manifested in the area were declining soil fertility and weed infestation. Some of the adaptation strategies adopted by farmers include increased weeding, changing the timing of farm operations, and processing of crops to reduce post-harvest losses. Although majority of respondents were aware of government policies aimed at protecting the environment, most of them agreed that these policies were not being effectively implemented. A mutually inclusive framework comprising of both indigenous and modern techniques, processes, practices and technologies was then developed from the study in order to guide farmers in adapting to climate change effects/impacts

Barriers to climate change adaptation among farming households of southern Nigeria

Abstract Climate change is perhaps the most serious environmental threat to the fight against hunger, malnutrition, disease and poverty in Africa, essentially because of its impact on agricultural productivity. The objective of this paper was to identify the major barriers to climate change adaptation among smallholder farmers of Southern Nigeria. The paper was based on primary data collected within the framework of the Development Partnership for Higher Education (DelPHE) Project from 360 farming households selected randomly from the region. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and factor analysis. The result of the analysis show that majority of the farmers were men (70%), relatively educated (average of 9 years in school) and practiced mixed farming (61%). The major factors constraining farmers from adapting to climate change impacts were – (a) land constraints which manifested itself in limited availability, high costs and poor ownership systems (tenure); (b) poor climate change information and agricultural extension service delivery; (c) high cost of farm inputs and processing facilities; (d) high cost of irrigation facilities and government irresponsiveness to climate change risk management, (e) credit constraints, (f) labour constraints, and (g) income constraints. The paper concludes with a recommendation that farmers need to be supported in order for them to effectively adapt to the climate change impacts that are already affecting their production and hence reduce hunger and poverty. These supports could come from governments, non-governmental organizations and even farmers’ unions themselves

The human rights implications of virginity testing in South Africa

This article examines the historical context of virginity testing in Southern Africa with a focus on South Africa. It then examines the arguments often adduced in justifying the introduction of this practice. The two major arguments to support the reintroduction of virginity testing, namely, that it helps in reducing the spread of HIV and in preserving societal moral values are critically examined. Thereafter, the article discusses how the ever contentious debate between universalists and relativists applies to virginity testing. The last part of the article then considers the human rights implications of virginity testing

Towards Commercialization of Irrigated Agriculture in Nigeria: Lessons from the Lower Anambra Irrigation Project South-East Nigeria

Irrigated agriculture commercialization is a necessary step towards realizing Nigeria’s goal of poverty reduction and rural development. Commercial irrigation farming in this paper is taken to mean producing above subsistence and utilizing farm resources efficiently. This paper is a case study in the Lower Anambra Irrigation Project South-Eastern Nigeria. A sample of 143 farmers in the scheme, was selected for interview with well structured questionnaire. A focus group discussion with key farmers and River basin development staff was also used to elicit information. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the socio economic characteristics of the farmers, while a Cobb- Douglas production function analysis was used to ascertain productivity of resources used in the farm. The results show that given the farmer characteristics, and resource efficiencies, opportunity for commercialization of irrigated agriculture in the public sector irrigation scheme exists

Effects of Relative Pricing of Alternative Cooking Energy Sources on Their Substitution: A Comparative Analysis of Rural and Urban Households of Enugu State, Nigeria

In recent years, much attention has been directed to finding solutions to the ongoing increase in the use of unclean cooking energy sources, which is especially the case among households in the developing nations. This study was therefore conducted to investigate the effects of relative pricing of alternative cooking energy sources on their substitution. This study was conducted in Enugu State using primary data collected from two hundred and four respondents from rural and urban areas of the state, using structured questionnaires. The information collected were socio-economic characteristics of the households, pattern and levels of energy use, relative pricing of alternative energies and energy substitution pattern. Data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis and Chow test. Results show that the energy sources used in the rural areas are fuelwood (51.5%) and kerosene (48.5), while those used in the urban areas are fuelwood (30.6%), charcoal (31.6%), kerosene (33.7%) and liquefied petroleum gas (4.1%). There was a relative cross inelastic nature of the energy sources. The price of fuel wood varied inversely and directly with quantities of kerosene demanded in the rural and urban areas, respectively, while the price of charcoal had an inverse relationship with the quantities of kerosene consumed in both the urban and rural areas

Effects of Relative Pricing of Alternative Cooking Energy Sources on Their Substitution: A Comparative Analysis of Rural and Urban Households of Enugu State, Nigeria

In recent years, much attention has been directed to finding solutions to the ongoing increase in the use of unclean cooking energy sources, which is especially the case among households in the developing nations. This study was therefore conducted to investigate the effects of relative pricing of alternative cooking energy sources on their substitution. This study was conducted in Enugu State using primary data collected from two hundred and four respondents from rural and urban areas of the state, using structured questionnaires. The information collected were socio-economic characteristics of the households, pattern and levels of energy use, relative pricing of alternative energies and energy substitution pattern. Data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis and Chow test. Results show that the energy sources used in the rural areas are fuelwood (51.5%) and kerosene (48.5), while those used in the urban areas are fuelwood (30.6%), charcoal (31.6%), kerosene (33.7%) and liquefied petroleum gas (4.1%). There was a relative cross inelastic nature of the energy sources. The price of fuel wood varied inversely and directly with quantities of kerosene demanded in the rural and urban areas, respectively, while the price of charcoal had an inverse relationship with the quantities of kerosene consumed in both the urban and rural areas

Effects of Relative Pricing of Alternative Cooking Energy Sources on Their Substitution: A Comparative Analysis of Rural and Urban Households of Enugu State, Nigeria

In recent years, much attention has been directed to finding solutions to the ongoing increase in the use of unclean cooking energy sources, which is especially the case among households in the developing nations. This study was therefore conducted to investigate the effects of relative pricing of alternative cooking energy sources on their substitution. This study was conducted in Enugu State using primary data collected from two hundred and four respondents from rural and urban areas of the state, using structured questionnaires. The information collected were socio-economic characteristics of the households, pattern and levels of energy use, relative pricing of alternative energies and energy substitution pattern. Data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis and Chow test. Results show that the energy sources used in the rural areas are fuelwood (51.5%) and kerosene (48.5), while those used in the urban areas are fuelwood (30.6%), charcoal (31.6%), kerosene (33.7%) and liquefied petroleum gas (4.1%). There was a relative cross inelastic nature of the energy sources. The price of fuel wood varied inversely and directly with quantities of kerosene demanded in the rural and urban areas, respectively, while the price of charcoal had an inverse relationship with the quantities of kerosene consumed in both the urban and rural areas

Impact of extreme climate events on poverty in Nigeria: a case of the 2012 flood

<p>This study analysed the impact of the 2012 flood that occurred in Nigeria on households’ chance of entering into poverty, using a panel analysis of covariance model and data from the Nigerian General Household Survey of 2011 and 2013. The result of the analyses showed that though the 2012 flood did not significantly affect the per capita expenditure of all the surveyed households, it may have significantly decreased the per capita expenditure of households located in the flood affected areas and were heavily dependent on agriculture for their income. More so, the effects were not uniform across the households as the result showed that the effects were more on female-headed households compared to male-headed households, and more on households that had no access to credit compared to those that had access to credit. These lead to the recommendation that efforts should be made to integrate adaptation to climate change into poverty alleviation/eradication programmes in the country by ensuring that farmers prone to flood and other extreme climate-related disasters have access to finance. They should also be trained on how to build resilience, adaptive, anticipatory and absorptive capacity to climate change, giving priority to female-headed household that earn their living from agriculture.</p