Factors driving the adoption of cooking banana processing and utilisation methods in Nigeria

As part of efforts in realising her aim of introducing cooking banana into Nigeria, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) mounted training and awareness campaigns on its utilisation in collaboration with Shell and Agip Oil companies between 1991 and 1997. This study looked into the adoption profile of the utilisation methods and the factors that may have influenced it. Data were collected from a random sample of 232 respondents from 24 villages in southeast Nigeria. Results showed an overall adoption level of 79.5%. The highest adoption levels were obtained for those utilisation methods similar to local and traditional methods of plantain consumption and lowest for nontraditionaluses. The extent or intensity of adoption by the respondents ranged from 1 processing method to 7, with an average of 3. As a proportion of the number of utilisation methods on which training was given, the intensity of adoption ranged from 12.5% to 100% with a mean of 52.2%, meaningthat the respondents have adopted more than 50% of the total number methods on which they received training. The major factors which have strongly influenced the adoption process were the level of educational attainment, social status, primary occupation, intensity of training received, availability of commercially-produced plantain products in the market/area, trialability as well as the number of desirable attributes of the utilisation methods

Agroeconomic evaluation of black Sigatoka resistant hybrid plantains under smallholder management systems

Plantain production in Sub-Saharan Africa has been seriously threatened by black Sigatoka disease since the early 1980s. The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture has succeeded in developing hybrids that are resistant to the disease, and out-yields the best landrace by about 100%. Beforeintroducing these hybrids to the farmers, their performance at the smallholder environment has to be established. This study was carried out to assess the performance of the hybrids under farmermanagedsystems, using PITA14 (a hybrid) and Agbagba (best landrace). Thirty-six farmers from nine villages were involved. Five suckers each of the varieties were planted in farmers' fields. Data were collected over a period of 22 months on the agronomy, economics, post harvest and marketing. Resultsshow that PITA14 had reduced cropping cycle compared to the landrace. Average black Sigatoka resistant index was 96% for PITA14 against Agbagba’s 48%. The mean bunch weight was 13.3kg for PITA14 and 7.0Kg for Agbagba. Eighty-three percent of the farmers harvested 124 bunches from 81 mats of PITA14, while 55% harvested 62 bunches from 52 mats of Agbagba. Each farmer obtained an equivalent of $8.62 from PITA14 and$4.33 from Agbagba. The post harvest technology attributes wereranked higher for the hybrid. The combination of disease resistance and increased yield by the hybrid is suggestive of its high adoption potential

Comparative economic analysis of snail production system in Owerri agricultural zone, Imo State, Nigeria

No Abstract.Animal Production Research Advances Vol. 3 (4) 2007: pp. 287-29

An Overview of Benefits of Organic Agriculture as a Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategy for Nigeria

Organic agriculture is a holistic production management which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It emphasis the use of management practices in preference to the use of off-farm inputs, taking into account conditions requiring locally adapted systems. Organic agriculture is not only a specific agricultural production system, it is also a systematic and encompassing approach to sustainable livelihoods in general, where due account is given to relevant factors of influence for sustainable development and vulnerability, be this on physical, economic or socio-cultural levels. Organic agriculture has a long tradition as a farming system and it has been adapted for many climatic zones and local conditions. Again, it is a recognized potential as a development strategy for rural communities. It reduces the vulnerability of the farmers to climate change and variability. Organic agriculture comprises highly diverse farming systems and this increases the diversity of income sources and the flexibility to cope with adverse effects of climate change and variability such as changed rainfall patterns. This lead to higher economic and ecological stability through optimized ecological balance and risk-spreading. Organic agriculture is an adaptation strategy that can be targeted at improving the livelihoods of rural populations and those parts of communities that are vulnerable to adverse effects of climate change and variability