Construction and operation of an active band reject filter

No Abstract.Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences Vol. 13 (2) 2007: pp. 249-25

Level of Farmers’ Participation In The International Institute Of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Improved Spear Grass (Imperata Cylindrica) Control Project In Benue State

This study examined the participation of farmers in the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) spear grass (Imperata cylindrica) control project, which used the participatory research and extension paradigm. A sample of 60 small-scale yam farmers from three districts of Tarka Local Government Area of Benue State who participated in the IITA spear grass control project were randomly selected and interviewed in this study. Descriptive statistics were employed in data analysis. The result of the study indicated that majority (80%) of the participants sourced herbicides from open markets, 98.3% perceived that the cost of herbicides was high, 75% could use herbicides, 73.3% were not visited by extension agents, 71.7% did not belong to any social organization, while all the participants had no access to credit. However, the farmers were satisfied with the operation of 6 out of 12 project activities. The study also revealed that involvement of participants in project activities was highest at the consultative level where key decisions were made by project officials and farmers only contributed their views. The study concluded that participation of farmers in IITA spear grass control project has not empowered them with the skills, knowledge and experiences to take greater responsibility of increasing yam production and productivity. The results call for strategies aimed at improving farmers’ participation in similar projects to enable them attain a level where they can continuously co-create innovations in order to cope, compete and survive. Key words: Participatory, Research, Extension, Spear grass, Technology

Entrepreneurship and SMEs’ productivity challenges in the sub-Saharan Africa

In sub-Saharan Africa, the majority of businesses operate in the form of a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME). SMEs play a significant role in the economic development of many nations. This paper considers the business environment and entrepreneurship activities in the Sub-Saharan countries of Nigeria, Kenya, Senegal, South Sudan and Tanzania. The review of literature explores issues such as doing business in Africa, size and informality, start-up survival and closure, the determinants of growth and gender issues in African entrepreneurship. Using data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey, it reflects on the factors affecting investment and productivity in Africa as follows: education of the labour force, access to infrastructure, access to finance, size of firms and other business climate variables. Finally, using data from the aforementioned survey, this paper draws pertinent conclusions on the business environment of the region in focus

From curiosity to commodity: a review of the evolution of sachet drinking water in West Africa

The private sector continues to play an important role in filling local drinking water supply gaps across the Global South. In West Africa, a perfect storm of rapid population growth, infrastructure mismanagement, and globalization of consumer markets has resulted in the advent of an entire new industry around packaged water, primarily ‘sachet water’ sold in mechanically sealed plastic sleeves. Most local governments and international development agencies have historically perceived sachet water as a passing trend, but it has quickly become a primary drinking water source for the majority of households in many urban areas and continues to spread throughout the region and world. Sachet water is now an important component of regional water security, although with attendant issues related to governance, quality control, environmental pollution, and social justice. This paper reviews the seminal literature on sachet water in West Africa, with particular emphasis on Ghana and Nigeria, where most studies have focused. This review synthesizes governance issues, consumer and industry trends, and the latest on product quality in the literature from 2011 to 2016, with 2010 approximating an inflection point for the modernization of the industry. The ability of many West African nations to achieve universal access to safe drinking water may depend on their willingness to understand and incorporate the sachet water industry into an integrated drinking water platform. WIREs Water 2017, 4:e1206. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1206 This article is categorized under: Engineering Water > Planning Water Engineering Water > Sustainable Engineering of Water Human Water > Water Governance A typical 500‐mL sachet of drinking water sold in Accra, Ghana