Perception of forest dwellers on threats to sustainable forest management in South Western Nigeria

This study examined the perception of forest dwellers on the factors influencing forest sustainability in South Western Nigeria, such as logging, failure to plant, overgrazing, and bush burning among others. Also the perception about whether forest population that is, resources, actually increasing, decreasing or remain constant was also investigated among forest dweller households. Of the 450 household heads proposed for the study, 430 were valid and used for the research analysis (from Ogun (272), Ondo (89) and Osun (69) states were randomly selected). The descriptive statistics was employed to show degree in percentage of perception to forest threats in the study area. The average age of household was 47.6 ± 11.6 years and household size was 7.0± 4.0 persons. Majority of the household heads were male (92.1%), married (89.5%) with 2.4 ± 5.0 years of education and 19.9 ± 14.9 years of residency in the forest area. The empirical research showed that logging (48.60%) and failures to replace trees (48.14) with other threats (78.8%) such as urbanization, agriculture, fetching of fuel wood, charcoal production and poaching were serious threats affecting sustainable forest management. About 76.74% of the respondents were of the opinion that forest resources was increasing, about 57.21% of the respondents perceived and observed that forest resources were declining while 42.79% observed that forest resources are not declining while 70.7% were of the opinion that forest resources remain constant. It is therefore recommended that government should embark on programs that will sustainably conserve the forest and prevent indiscriminate exploitation of forest resources. The study recommends also that sustainable forest management practices should be enforced to keep forest and its resources for posterity. Key words: Sustainable forest management, Forest population, Forest dwellers, Perceptio

A comprehensive review of swarm optimization algorithms

Many swarm optimization algorithms have been introduced since the early 60’s, Evolutionary Programming to the most recent, Grey Wolf Optimization. All of these algorithms have demonstrated their potential to solve many optimization problems. This paper provides an in-depth survey of well-known optimization algorithms. Selected algorithms are briefly explained, and compared with each other comprehensively through experiments conducted using thirty well-known benchmark functions. Their advantages and disadvantages are also discussed. A number of statistical tests are then carried out to determine the significant performances. The results indicate the overall advantage of Differential Evolution (DE) and is closely followed by Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), compared with other considered approaches

Marketing Of Bushmeat In Peri-Urban Areas Of Ibadan Metropolis Of Oyo State, Ibadan

The study assessed the marketing of bushmeat in peri-urban areas of Ibadan metropolis. Three major bushmeat markets (Moniya, Idi-Ayunre, and Omi- Ado) were selected for the study. Thirty-three respondents were randomly sampled for the research. The result shows that grasscutter, rabbit, antelope, bushpig, squirrel and bushfowl were available formarketing in the area, but antelope and grasscutter were the most preferred by consumers. The highest marketing efficiency was recorded for squirrel. The problems faced by bushmeat marketers in the studyarea include finance, transportation, processing, the near absence of storage facilities, imposition of outrageous tariffs and the government policy on hunting. For bushmeat marketing to be more effective andefficient,measures should be put in place to ensure that bushmeat, that is well processed to the taste and choices of the consumers is available all-year-round in the market. Government policies moderatinghunting should be fine tuned to encourage the availability of bushmeat.Attempts at domesticating wild games should also be encouraged to ensure this all-year-round availability.Marketers of bush meat should also come together and form bush meat marrketers associations to fully harness their collective strength

Determinants of Charcoal Production Efficiency in Ibarapa North Local Government of Oyo State, Nigeria.

Competition for other sources of biomass energy is a major constraint in the efficiency of charcoal production, hence little or no demand for its uses. Data were collected using 65 structural questionnaires and was accompanied by oral interview. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics (percentage and frequency and stochastic frontier production function. The study revealed that mean age of producers was 36 years; 96.9% were males and 3.1 were females. Majority of the producers (76.9%) had no formal training on how to produce charcoal, 30.8 has primary education, 38.5 has secondary education and 13.8% had post-secondary education. Most of the respondents (29.2%) had 6-10 years of experience. The frontier production function also revealed that variables identified accounted for 76 % (sigma square 0.76 of the variation observed in the producers margin per month. The mean efficiency of the producers was 85% which shows that they were highly efficient due to low cost on wood and water (P<=0.05). Thus, this study concludes that even though charcoal production will continue to have a negative impact on our environment due to deforestation. Government should think on how to make forest resources sustainable and to be a means of generating income, providing employment, reduce poverty and above all reduce global warming through a forestation.Key words: Biomass, Efficiency, Frontier, Production, Technical, Stochastic Renewable

Economic assessment of marketing and ethnoutilization Of Irvingia wombulu(var. exelsa) and Irvingia gabonensis (var.gabonensis) in Aniocha North and South local government areas of Delta State.

This study examined the marketing and ethno-utilization of Irvingia wombulu and Irvingia gabonensis in Aniocha North and Aniocha South Local Government Areas of Delta State. The data used were collected through the use of structured questionnaire administered to the Irvingia traders in selected markets in the study area. One hundred andfifty (150) questionnaires were administered, but only one hundred and thirty-five (135) were found useable. The rest were discarded due to incomplete and mismatched information. Communities from which the markets were selected are Issele-Uku (30), Idumuje-Ugboko (20), Idumu-Ogo (15), Ogwashi-Uku (30), Ubulu-Okiti (15), and Otulu (25).Data collected included demographic characteristics of Irvingia sellers, selling price, cost price and transportation cost. The results reveal that 90.3% of the respondents could read and write. It was also discovered that83% of the traders were Igbos while Non-Igbos accounted for 17%. The result also shows that 53.3% were married while 31.9% of the respondents were single. The major determinants of selling price of Irvingia kernels in the study area included cost price, and transportation cost because there was significant difference (

Prospective observational cohort study on grading the severity of postoperative complications in global surgery research

Background The Clavien–Dindo classification is perhaps the most widely used approach for reporting postoperative complications in clinical trials. This system classifies complication severity by the treatment provided. However, it is unclear whether the Clavien–Dindo system can be used internationally in studies across differing healthcare systems in high- (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods This was a secondary analysis of the International Surgical Outcomes Study (ISOS), a prospective observational cohort study of elective surgery in adults. Data collection occurred over a 7-day period. Severity of complications was graded using Clavien–Dindo and the simpler ISOS grading (mild, moderate or severe, based on guided investigator judgement). Severity grading was compared using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Data are presented as frequencies and ICC values (with 95 per cent c.i.). The analysis was stratified by income status of the country, comparing HICs with LMICs. Results A total of 44 814 patients were recruited from 474 hospitals in 27 countries (19 HICs and 8 LMICs). Some 7508 patients (16·8 per cent) experienced at least one postoperative complication, equivalent to 11 664 complications in total. Using the ISOS classification, 5504 of 11 664 complications (47·2 per cent) were graded as mild, 4244 (36·4 per cent) as moderate and 1916 (16·4 per cent) as severe. Using Clavien–Dindo, 6781 of 11 664 complications (58·1 per cent) were graded as I or II, 1740 (14·9 per cent) as III, 2408 (20·6 per cent) as IV and 735 (6·3 per cent) as V. Agreement between classification systems was poor overall (ICC 0·41, 95 per cent c.i. 0·20 to 0·55), and in LMICs (ICC 0·23, 0·05 to 0·38) and HICs (ICC 0·46, 0·25 to 0·59). Conclusion Caution is recommended when using a treatment approach to grade complications in global surgery studies, as this may introduce bias unintentionally