Farmer indigenous experimentation for pest management under yam cultivation farming system in the humid ecological zone of Nigeria

In spite of major thrust by research to increase agricultural production through the introduction of and use of scientific agricultural technologies, it is evident that most practices used by peasant yam growers to control and manage natural enemies to yam production consist of indigenous techniques borne of farmers experimentation. Yet, little information is available in an easily understandable form, on these cultural practices of local farmers. In Nigeria, pest constitutes one of the most pressing constraints to crop production, but farmers have built up tremendous knowledge on indigenous ways of controlling pests. The result of the studies conducted among yam farmers in some selected states of Nigeria revealed that the farmers, through their indigenous knowledge had developed botanical pesticides, using extracts of seeds and fruit of trees, wood ashes and other materials to control pests. This paper presents some field results of farmers’ experimentation with regard to pests’ management under yam cultivation farming systems within the humid ecological zone of Nigeria

A frame work for enhancing the use of indigenous knowledge system in technology development and utilization in developing economy

The productivity of agriculture in Nigeria over the years has relied extensively on the scientific innovations transferred to farmers from research institutes via extension services. Thus, technology development most often has been based on scientific research approach, with little or no collaboration with the indigenous people. This is based on the argument that indigenous people are ignorant, fatalistic and have nothing to offer as solutions to their problems. Incidentally, the imposition of scientific technology development framework, without the incorporation of the indigenous knowledge systems of local communities to a large extent, is believed to have contributed to failures in sustainable resource use and erosion of biodiversity. It is evident that indigenous societies have profound and detailed knowledge of the system, environment and species (plants and animals) which they are in contact with for generations and have developed strategies based on their own indigenous technical knowledge to solve their own problems. Therefore, full recognition of indigenous knowledge system of the “supposed users” of technology, their local traditions and technology endowment capabilities are central to the issue of sustainable and equitable technology development and utilization. This paper examines critically the technology development processes and suggest framework for enhancing the integration and use of indigenous knowledge system in technology developmen

Strategies for the management of environmental hazards: implications for sustainable healthy living in Calabar Urban, Cross River State, Nigeria

The study was designed to asses the strategies adopted in the management of environmental hazards in Calabar urban. The specific objectives of the study were to identify the strategies adopted by the government to promote environmental management consciousness and prevention of environmental hazards as well as the role of the residents on environmental hazards prevention. Calabar urban comprises of two local government areas which include; Calabar municipality and Calabar south. A total of one hundred and twenty respondents were randomly selected from the study area. Also interview were conducted on staff of the ministry of environment, Calabar Urban Development Agency (CUDA) and Cross River Waste Management Agency (CRWMA). A structured questionnaire and interview guide were the instruments used to collect data for the study. Data for the study were analyzed using simple statistical tools such as frequency distribution tables and percentages. The results revealed that certain strategies were adopted by both government and agencies in reaching people with information on environmental issues. Some of the strategies include distribution of waste disposal materials (75%), use of radio, television jingles (60%), provision of designated dumping sites, daily sweeping and excavating of waste were identified as the most important strategies for prevention and management of environmental hazards. The study therefore recommended that government should extend its environmental management programmes beyond certain areas in Calabar urban to other remote streets in Calabar urban through the provision of accessible roads and good drainage channels to ensure effective environmental hazards prevention. Also that awareness campaigns should be increased to enlighten the public of their role in the prevention of environmental hazards, and environmental education be included in the curriculum of secondary schools to inculcate good environmental management attitude among young people.Keywords: Environmental hazards and sustainable healthy livin

Socio-economic analysis of citizens’ participation in forest conservation in Ikom Agricultural Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria

The general objective of this study was to assess the relationship between some socio-economic variables of the citizens and participation in forest conservation in Ikom zone of the Cross River State Agricultural Development Project, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were to describe some of the socio-economic variables of the people, ascertain the relationship between some socio-economic variables and their participation in forest conservation and to assess the level of participation of male and female citizens in forest conservation. Also, one research hypothesis was developed to test the level of participation of male and female citizens in forest conservation activities. A total of three hundred (300) respondents were randomly selected from three (3) local government areas (Boki, Ikom and Etung). Data were obtained with the aid of a validated questionnaire. Data obtained were analyzed using frequency count, percentages, chi-square and probit regression analysis. The result of the analysis revealed that a substantial proportion of the respondents were youth within the age range of 30-35 years and also educated, majority of the respondents had large family sizes (10-14 persons). Also, low income of 20,000 – 60,000 characterizes the status of most respondents with farming as their main occupation. It was also revealed that there is a significant variation between female and male level of participation in forest conservation, as men are more disposed to participate. The study therefore recommended that women should be trained to acquire necessary skills and credit facilities should be provided to citizens to motivate them to conserve the forest and its resources.Keywords: Citizens’ participation and forest conservatio

Gender, kitchen resources and students’ academic performance and retention in thermochemistry in Cross River State, Nigeria

The purpose of the study was to ascertain the interactive effect of gender and teaching with or without kitchen resources on the academic performance and retention of secondary school students in Chemistry in Calabar Education Zone, Cross River State, Nigeria. The sample consisted of 120 students selected by stratified random sampling method. The pretest-posttest control group quasiexperimental research design was adopted in the study. The treatment lasted for a period of six weeks. The data collected with a 60-item multiple choice achievement test instrument were analyzed using 2x2 ANCOVA. The results indicate that there is no significant difference in the academic performance and retention of male and female students taught thermochemistry with and without kitchen resources.Keywords: Kitchen, Gender, Thermochemistry, Performance, Retentio

Investigation of the Inhibition of the Corrosion of carbon steel in Solution of HCl by Glimepiride

Communication in Physical Sciences 2020, 5(3): 246-256 Authors: *Nkem B. Iroha and Richard A. Ukpe Received 26 April 2020/Accepted 21 May 2020 The corrosion inhibition effect of glimepiride (GMP) on the corrosion of X70 carbon steel in 1 M HCl solution was investigated using weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) techniques. The inhibition efficiency was found to increase with increase in inhibitor concentration but decreased with temperature rise. The inhibition efficiency of glimepiride ranged from 54.2 to 95.8% for weight loss measurement, 52.0 to 90.5% for PDP and 53.3 to 90.3% for EIS method at 303 K. Polarization studies give evidence that GMP behaves as a mixed type inhibitor but predominantly anodic. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) spectra exhibit one capacitive loop indicating that, the corrosion reaction is controlled by charge transfer process. It was found that the investigated drug acts via adsorption on the carbon steel surface and obeys Langmuir and Temkin adsorption isotherms. Surface studies ascertain that a protective film was formed on the X70 carbon steel surface. The results have clearly shown that glimepiride has the inhibiting capacity for reducing the corrosion of X70 carbon steel in HCl solution. &nbsp

Culturally Responsive Teaching with Visual Art in the Social Studies

This article explores high school students’ perceptions of visual arts integration in the social studies. In an all-boys, public school in a major metropolis in the Midwest, lessons on art by African American and Mexican artists were introduced in a social studies classroom. To assess the impact of the program, the students’ anonymous responses to two surveys and their work on a collaborative, digital portfolio were analyzed. The findings of this study suggest that arts integration in the social studies increases students’ interest in learning, appreciation of culture, and understanding of history

Detection and phenotypic characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from clinical and community samples in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Objective: The objective of this study was to isolate and phenotypically characterize methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)from clinical and community samples in Abakaliki, Nigeria.Methods: A total of 709 clinical (303) and community samples (406) samples were obtained for this study. MRSA isolates were detected using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method with the inclusion of 1 μg oxacillin and cefoxitin antibiotic disc. The isolates were screened for the β-lactamase production using nitrocefin sticks.Results: A total of 44 MRSA isolates were obtained from the samples with prevalence frequency of 22.6 % and 20.8 % from clinical and community samples respectively. The clinical isolates were completely resistant (100 %) to ceftazidime, tetracycline and penicillin. Gentamicin and ciprofloxacin were the most effective antibiotics against the clinical and community isolates respectively with a susceptibility frequency of 63.2 % and 80 %. Exactly 38.1 % and 24.2 % of the clinical and community S. aureus isolates were positive for beta-lactamase production respectively. The HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA isolates had MARI valueswithin the range of 0.3 to 1.0.Conclusion: This present findings of multi-drug resistance MRSA is very worrisome as it further highlights the pressing need to keep a strict watch on MRSA emerging from this study area.Keywords: MRSA, beta-lactamase, antibiotics, multidrug resistance, clinical samples, community samples

Flawed Institutional Structures: Project Managers Underutilized in Nigeria’s Construction Industry

Many studies have been conducted on the poor performance of the construction industry. Nigeria’s construction industry has been linked to project delays and cost overruns, leading to many abandoned construction projects throughout the country. These issues are largely attributed to inadequate project management practices and the underutilization of project managers. To address these challenges, an institutional analysis was conducted to examine the factors, within the institutional framework of the Nigerian construction industry, that hinder the effective utilization of project managers and the implementation of project management practices. Data were collected from the previous literature and were supported by data collected through semi-structured interviews in Nigeria. The collected data were coded into a four-level framework for institutional analysis. This method was employed to analyze the interrelationships between the identified embedded factors, institutional laws and regulations, and construction organizations, and to understand how their influence results in the underutilization of project managers. Deviation analysis was conducted as an additional method to categorize the impacts of the embedded factors at each institutional level and to determine how these impacts contribute to the underutilization of project managers in the Nigerian construction industry (NCI). It was found that the system of the underutilization of project managers consists of two subsystems: underutilization and lowering commitment. For the former subsystem, corruption, political influence, religious and tribal discrimination, and organizational culture were found to adversely influence the institutional structure of the construction industry in Nigeria. These factors weaken the governance mechanisms within the industry, leading project managers to prioritize corrupt practices over project needs. The ineffectiveness of existing laws and regulations exacerbates the situation, supporting unfair working conditions and contributing to the underperformance of project managers. This result leads to development at the top of the latter subsystem, with minimal incentives and limited opportunities for career growth within construction organizations. The findings hold significant potential for addressing systemic issues in the Nigerian construction industry, particularly the underutilization of project managers and organizational support measures to improve project management practices and mitigate the adverse effects of corruption