SOCIAL DIVERSITY IN SEED YAM PRODUCING COMMUNITIES OF BWARI AREA COUNCIL, FCT ABUJA NIGERIA: A GENDER SITUATION ANALYSES

This study area was Bwari Area council of FCT Abuja Nigeria, to investigate gender and social diversity issues among seed yam producing communities in the area. A multistage sampling procedure, with the use of purposive and random sampling techniques was employed to select 270 seed yam farmers belonging to three gender groups. Focus group discussions (FGD) and interviews of group leaders as key informants, using different check lists were carried out to elicit information relating to gender roles in seed yam production, decision taking, access and control over resources, yam varietal preferences and constraints to seed yam production in the study area and descriptive statistics used to analyse the responses. The result shows that all the genders groups were involved in seed yam production. However, their levels of involvement and roles differ; influenced by social and religious inclinations. Men, women and youths perform roles that are categorized into dominant, minor, complimentary and some cases, no roles. Men dominate critical roles in farm site selection, access and control of money, women do much of the labour such as hand weeding and fertilizer application, youths were more inclined to performing activities that require physical strength. Gender issues in seed yam production therefore, are important for enhanced productivity and livelihoods of the farmers in the face of social diversity existing within and among communities

Comparative economic assessment of the effect of selected fallow species for soil amendment on the yield of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) alley in the Guinea savannah of Nigeria

The study focused on the comparative economic assessment of the effect of selected fallow species for soil amendment on the yield of sweetpotato (Ipomea batatas) alley in the Guinea Savannah of Nigeria. As a result of the increasing cost and scarcity of inorganic fertilizers, sweetpotato production has been on the decline in recent times. Part of the intensive efforts being made by farmers to resuscitate the declining soil fertility so as to meet the challenge of providing food for the increasing population, is the use of cheap and available fallow species  in a sweetpotato alley. Therefore, sweetpotato (Ipomea batata) vines (30cm long) of the variety, Ex- Igbariam were used in a three year alley cropping system using different combinations of the selected fallow species. These include; 100% Moringa alley, 50% Moringa + 50% Leucaena leucocephala alley, 50% Moringa + 50% Glaricidia septum alley, 100% Leucaena leucocephala alley, 100% Gliricidia alley, 50% Leucaena + 50 % Glaricidia alley, N.P.K. (15:15:15) fertilizer (200kg ha-1) and Control. Mean yield of sweatpotato from plots treated with the different fallow species were separated using analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine if statistical difference existed among the values. The economic analysis was done by simple gross margin analysis. The result showed that alley cropping with all the fallow species used in the trial, increased yield of sweetpotato progressively, with 50% Moringa + 50% Leucaena leucocephala alley, giving the highest average yield of 17.2 tons/ha and highest value of output ₦111,000 with a returns to investment of 1: 3.79. Also, the application of 100% Leucaena leucocephala alley and any other mixture of leuceana had yield advantage over the other fallow species used in the experiment. It was therefore concluded that alley cropping of sweetpotato with the selected fallow species, progressively increased yield and reduced cost of sweetpotato production in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria.Keywords: Sweetpotato, Fallow, Species, Alley, Cropping, Economic, Yiel

Economic evaluation of the incidence of yellow leaf spot disease on the yield of ginger in the rainforest agro ecology of Nigeria

This study evaluated the economic effects of the incidence of yellow leaf spot disease on cost of production and yield of ginger. A field experiment was conducted at the research farm of National Root Crops Research Institute Umudike in Abia State in 2014 and 2016 planting seasons. The study involved six treatments replicated two times. Three (3) rates of Ridomyl and Z-force (both fungicides) each were applied in a completely randomized block design, during the two year cropping season. Data were collected on weekly, bi-weekly and monthly bases depending on treatment, the incidence of leaf spot disease was assessed by counting the number of infected plants per plot which also depends on the number of sprouted plants and this was done between 13WAP and 24WAP when infestation was most prevalent. The economic evaluation of the incidence of yellow leaf spot on the yield of ginger was done using a modified gross income analysis by holding other variable costs constant for all the treatments except the cost of controlling yellow leaf spot, which is assumed to be the only source of variability among the treatment combinations. The result showed that all the plots, including the control had varying levels of incidence of leaf spot disease, implying that none of the treatment combinations were able to completely eradicate yellow leaf spot in the study area. However, it was observed that incidence becomes critical if it is above 20%. This implies that although yellow leaf spot is likely to infect ginger crops in the rainforest zone, its yield may not be critically affected below 20% infestation. TR3 (R. 7g/monthly) had the highest gross income of ₦2,488,500 with TR1 recording the highest cost implication of ₦125,000. Also, TR12 (Z. 7.5g/monthly) had the least cost implication of ₦16,000. Results showed no significant difference in yield and value of output among the treatment means in 2014 and 2016. Further analysis indicated that a significant difference existed in the incidence of yellow leaf spot in 2014 and 2016, with 2014 recording higher incidence. It was therefore concluded that yellow leaf spot is most likely to occur in ginger farms located in the tropical rainforests of Nigeria. But only disease incidences above 20% are likely to affect the economic yield of ginger in the study area. It is therefore recommended that Redomyl 7g applied monthly to check incidence while optimizing the best economic return.Keywords: Ginger, yellow leaf spot, incidence, yield, control, and fungicide

Effect of Adoption of Ginger Production and Processing Technologies on Rural Households’ Productivity in Anambra and Enugu States

This study examined effect of adoption of ginger production and processing technologies on rural households’ productivity in Enugu and Anambra States. The study specifically described the socio-economic characteristics of ginger farmers and processors in the study area, assessed the level of utilization of ginger production and processing technologies, estimated the factors influencing rural households’ utilization of ginger production and processing technologies and determined the effect of utilization of ginger production and processing technologies on production and income. Multi-stage sampling technique was adopted in selecting 192 farmers and processors from Anambra and Enugu States. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean and inferential statistics such as ordinary least squares regression and z-test. Majority of respondents were aware of most of the ginger production and processing technologies that were taken into consideration for this study, and they primarily obtained their information through ADP Extension personnel. In the study area, respondents had high level of use of ginger production technologies, but low level of use of ginger processing technologies. Age, marital status, extension contact, and income were factors influencing whether ginger production technologies were used, while factors influencing ginger processing technologies include; level of education, cooperative membership, processing experience, and extension contact. Following the use of ginger production and processing technologies, ginger farmers experienced a considerable increase in ginger productivity. Therefore, the study suggested that ADPs be strengthened to ensure that they successfully disseminate agricultural information and agricultural technologies developed should take into consideration the heterogeneity in the farmers’ socioeconomic characteristics

Analysis of profitability of water yam (Dioscorea alata) marketing in Umuahia Agricultural Zone of Abia State, Nigeria

The study was conducted in Umuahia Agricultural Zone of Abia State, Nigeria, to determine the socio-economic characteristics of water yam (Dioscorea alata) traders and the profitability of the marketing enterprise. Multistage sampling techniques were used in the study. Data collected from 72 respondents (32 wholesalers and 40 retailers) were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The socio-economic characteristics of the traders were described using their age, sex, educational level, marketing experience, marital status, household size, membership of cooperative and source of fund for business. The profitability of the marketing enterprise was described using marketing income statement and profitability ratios including the input ratio, cost ratio, income ratio and capital ratio. The results of the study showed that there were more males than female traders in the marketing enterprise. Most of the traders were middle-aged, married, had formal education, good marketing experience, large household size, high cooperative society membership, and depended on informal sources of fund for business. The commodity input ratios were generally high at the retail than the wholesale level, while the cost ratios, the income ratios and the capital ratios were relatively high for the wholesalers than the retailers. The marketing system was more profitable at the wholesale than the retail marketing level, because of the relative risk evasiveness of the traders. The profitability and efficiency of the marketing system can be improved by lowering the production and marketing cost of the commodity in the study area.Keywords: Profitability, water yam, profitability ratios, marketing efficienc