Contributions of financial sector reforms and credit supply to Nigerian agricultural sector (1978-2009)

This study analyzed the trends and pattern of institutional credit supply to agriculture during pre- and post-financial reforms along with their determinants. It then compared the effects of reform policies on access to institutional credits in Nigerian agricultural sector before and after the reforms (1978 - 1985; and 1986 -2009). Relying mainly on time series data from CBN and NBS, it used ordinary least squares method (linear, semi-log and double log) to model the determinants of banking sector lending to the agricultural sector during the review period. The models were subjected to several econometric tests before accepting one. Chow test was used to verify the presence of structural change in the selected equation before and after the reforms. Results indicated an exponentially increasing trend of agricultural credit supply in the economy after the reform began. Econometric analysis shows that stock market capitalization, interest rate and immediate past volume of credit guaranteed by ACGSF significantly influenced the quantity of institutional credit supplied to the agricultural sector over the period in review. There was a significant difference between the credit supply function during the pre-reform and post reform periods. It was recommended that government must consider interest rate regulation as a veritable tool for making credit accessible to farmers at affordable levels; increase fund allocation to ACGSF; boost monitoring capacity of CBN on banks generally and strengthen the microfinance banks to be more responsive to agricultural credit needs

Morphometric Observations of the tongue of the domestic duck (Anas platyrhynchos domestica).

A Biometric study was conducted on the tongue of twenty-five (25) adult domestic duck collected from the Sokoto metropolitan poultry and fish modern market, over a period of seven days . A pair of scissors, a scalpel and a blade was used to incise, excise, separate or debride various parts of the oral cavity to expose the organ for research. Results showed that the tongue is characterized by an elongated triangular format. At a point, approximately 2/3 the length of the lingual corpus there is a distinct depression, separating the caudal one-third of the lingual corpus from its rostral two-third. On the dorsal surface of the apex and body of the tongue, a median groove is found. A unique feature of the tongue in domestic Duck is the presence of many fine overlapping needle-shaped processes at both lateral sides of the caudal lingual apex. A single row of large conical papillae is observed symmetrically in the marginal region between the body and root of the tongue. Biometrically the mean dimensio

The Influence of Biostimulator in the Remediation of Petroleum Sludge Polluted Clay Soil: The Concept of Moringa Application

The Bioremediation of Petroleum Sludge (PS) in a clay soil environment of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria using Moringa Seed oil extract (MO) as a Biostimulator (BS) has been investigated, with a view to studying the mitigation impact on the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) content of the petroleum sludge. Two Bioreactors labeled R1 (with MO treatment) and R2 (control: No treatment) containing 3.0kg of clay soils were polluted with 300ml of petroleum sludge. 50ml of MO was added to R1 as a biostimulator. R2 received no form of treatment. Bioremediation extent monitoring was carried out bi-weekly by sampling of the bioreactors contents and analyzing for the individual petroleum hydrocarbon using a gas chromatography (GC). Analysis of the samples at two weeks intervals for a period of 12 weeks reveals that bioremediation occurred in the treatment reactor and the control reactor to which no biostimulator was added. Most of the Hydrocarbon degradation occurred within the first four weeks of the experiment. It was found that moringa seed oil extract was very effective and suitable for remediation of petroleum sludge polluted clay soils due to the high degradation rates of the individual hydrocarbons recorded in the biostimulated reactor against the low degradation rates of those of the control reactor with no form of bio-treatment

Impact of Agricultural Waste on Sustainable Environment and Health of Rural Women

The study worked on the impact of agricultural waste on sustainable environment and health of rural women.  Three specific objectives were formulated for the study and included to identify the constituents of agricultural waste, to determine the environmental and health impact of agricultural waste and to determine the effective management techniques of agricultural wastes. Three research questions and three null hypotheses were also formulated in line with the specific objectives. Survey research design was adopted for the study. Population for the study was 3970 representing 450 registered livestock farmers, 3270 rural women and 250 environmental health workers in Anambra State.  Proportionate random sampling technique was used to draw a sample of 350 respondents representing 40 registered livestock farmers, 286 rural women and 24 environmental health workers. Questionnaire developed by the researchers was used to collect data. The instrument was face validated by three experts and reliability was tested using cronbach alpha method which yielded a coefficient of 0.86. Data were collected with the help of fifteen research assistants and 325 instruments were retrieved representing 81% return rate. Mean and Standard Deviation were used to answer the research questions while ANOVA was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance and at the appropriate degrees of freedom. Any null hypothesis whose p-value was greater than 0.05 level of significance at the appropriate degrees of freedom was upheld while a null hypothesis was rejected when the p-value was less than 0.05 level of significance at the appropriate degrees of freedom. The findings of the study indicated that animal faeces, urine, used litter, beddings, animal carcass, dairy parlor washings, waste milk, wasted feed, feedlot run-off, paunch waste, abattoir waste water, animal viscera, horns, feather, bones, blood, fur, placenta, birth tissues, fetal membranes, aborted fetus among others are the materials that constitute agricultural waste. It was also found that that air pollution from burning of agricultural wastes, air pollution from cesspools, dioxins from burning agricultural wastes, dirty environment from heaps of agricultural wastes, stench/odour from decaying agricultural waste, defacing of the environment, eutrophication of water bodies, aquatic life destruction, spontaneous abortion, blue-baby syndrome, prolonged mensuration and early menopause, among others are the environmental and health impact of agricultural waste on rural women. It was recommended among others that Extension workers should properly educate farmers on the dangers of agricultural wastes and sensitize them on proper disposal methods. Keywords: agricultural waste, environment, health, rural women, pollution

Gross embryonic diffrentiation of the one humped camel(Camelus dromedarius) stomach

An embryonic gross differentiation study was conducted on the stomach of 35 foetuses of the one-humped camel collected from the Sokoto metropolitan abattoir, over a period of five months at different gestational ages. The approximate age of the foetuses was estimated from the crown vertebral rump length (CVRL) and samples were categorised into first, second and third trimester. The mean body weight of the foetus at first, second third trimester ranged from 1.40 ± 0.06 kg, 6.10 ± 0.05 kg and 17.87 ± 0.6 kg respectively. The mean weights of the entire digestive system at first, second and third trimester were 0.80 ± 0.07 kg, 2.13 ± 0.04 kg and 4.86 ± 0.08 kg respectively. The mean weights of the digestive tract at first, second and third trimester were 0.53 ± 0.07 kg, 1.03 ± 0.05 and 2.43 ± 0.07 kg respectively. Camels’ stomach was observed to comprise of the voluminous smooth compartment rumen, a relatively small beans shape reticulum and a tubular abomasum at first trimester. At second and third trimester the stomach was found to comprise of a voluminous compartment I (rumen) which is subdivided by a strong muscular pillar into a dorsal smooth part and a ventral coarse part, a relatively small compartment II (reticulum) and a tubiform compartment III (Abomasum). Based on the findings in the study, camels’ stomach had little/few similarities with true ruminant in terms of development

Gross and Morphometric Anatomy of the Male Reproductive System of Bats ( Eidolon helvum

The present study aimed at examining the gross and morphometry of the reproductive tract of the male bats (Eidolon helvum). Thirty male bats (adults n=17 and juveniles n=13) were captured using net, weighed, aged using relative ossification of the wing bone, and dissected for gross examination. Morphologically, the mean body weight and forearm length in both adults and juveniles were 235.31±6.30 g, 12.14±0.19 cm and 69.54±7.68 g, 7.77±0.29 cm, respectively. The testicles were completely descended in adults with the penis projected cranially. The epididymides were found at the median border of the testis and continues as vas deferens. No significant differences (P>0.05) were observed between right and left testicular weights in both adults and juveniles and also in lengths of different parts of the reproductive segments in both age groups assessed, respectively. This work has documented the gross anatomy of the male reproductive tract in bats. Ultrastructure and histochemistry are recommended for further insight into the reproductive biology