The breeding performance of wild Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris galeata Pallas) in the Waza National Park, North Cameroon

La réussite de la reproduction de la Pintade commune sauvage (Numida meleagris galeata Pallas 1767) a été étudiée pendant trois années consécutives, de 1992 à 1994. Les résultats révèlent que la ponte débute en août. La durée de la saison de reproduction est de deux mois. Le nombre moyen d'oeufs par nid pour une excellente couvée est compris entre 11.6 et 13.1. L'abandon des nids, la prédation, le piétinement par les éléphants et les inondations se sont avérés être les causes principales de perte des nids. L'intensité de ces facteurs est fonction du stade de la reproduction et de l'année. Toutefois, une ponte de remplacement compense la majeure partie des oeufs perdus si les pertes subies ont eu lieu au cours de la ponte ou du début de l'incubation. L'âge des femelles reproductrices influence aussi la réussite de la reproduction : les vieilles femelles sont plus aptes que les jeunes se reproduisant pour la première fois. La survie des oeufs d'un nid varie avec le stade de la reproduction et la pluviométrie : elle est la plus élevée à tous les stades en année de pluviométrie élevée (1994) et la plus faible en année de faible pluviométrie (1993). La réussite totale de la reproduction au seuil de 95 % de limite de confiance fut de 29 ± 0.03 % en 1992, 15.6 ± 0.03 % en 1993 et 40.2 ± 0.03 % en 1994. La saison de reproduction commençait chaque année environ un mois après que le nombre d'insectes ait atteint le maximum annuel

Analysis of the impact of reproductive health outcome on women labour force participation and earnings in Nigeria

This study undertakes an empirical economic analysis of women reproductive health and labour force participation in Nigeria.  Specifically, the study analyzed the impact of reproductive health outcome on women labour force participation and earnings in  Nigeria. The study used mixed research methodology to study the research problem across the entire country. First, it uses a national representative quantitative data from the National Demographic Health Survey reports for 2003, 2008 and 2013 respectively. Secondly, cross-sectional micro- data were also collected from two study areas comprising one urban and one rural to test the validity of the hypothesis raised in this study. A questionnaire design, focus group discussions and key-informants interview were used to elicit information from respondents. The study used multi-stage sampling technique to select 400 women of reproductive age in the study areas. Various analytical tools such as chi-square, crosstabulations, and logistic regression were used to analyze the data collected. The study found that women’s reproductive health outcomes such as total fertility rate, child spacing and contraceptive prevalence rate have negatively impacted women’s labour force participation and earnings in the study areas. Hence, the negative reproductive health outcome has not given women the ample opportunity to develop the necessary capacities to engage in labour force  participation. From the cross sectional survey, it was found that only 6.54% of the respondents practice family planning which is below the national benchmark of 64.34%. About 92.92% of the respondents had birth interval of less than two years which is against the government’s policy of two years child spacing. About 95.58% of the respondents married at less than 18 years which is against the  government policy of 18 years age of marriage for women. Meanwhile, about 85% of the respondents have between 7 to 10 children and above per woman which is against the government’s policy of 4 children per woman. In addition, only 25.47% of the respondents have formal education while 30.86% are in active formal employment which is 100% against government’s policy of women literacy and formal employment rates in Nigeria. Therefore, the study concludes that reproductive health outcome does not have significant impact on women labour force participation and earnings in Nigeria. To this end, this study recommends that, there is need for government, key stakeholders in the private sector and non-governmental organizations to organize sensitization workshops for all religious leaders and household heads on the economic and health benefits of family planning and child spacing, in order to regulate the reproductive health behaviour’s of women so as to ensure their labour force participation in order to increase their lifetime earnings. Keywords: reproductive health outcome, women labour force participation and earnings, logistic regression mode

The biology and management of wild helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris galeata Pallas) in the Waza region of North Cameroon

Criticisms have arisen with respect to the way protected areas in Africa are being managed in a top-down fashion, with the state as the sole owner. Such an approach has failed in a number of protected areas because of encroachment (mainly poaching and habitat destruction), socioeconomic instability, and conflicts of interests with local communities. The long-term conservation of wildlife and the future of many protected areas in Africa today requires a review of present management strategies. In the general introduction (Chapter 1), some of the major problems of protected areas of Africa in general and of Cameroon in particular are discussed.One of the major problems facing the managers of protected areas is poaching of wildlife by both local communities and outsiders. 'Bushmeat' (meat from wild animals) is a major source of animal proteins in most parts of Africa. In the two Northern provinces of Cameroon, meat from wildlife is widely consumed. The North African Porcupine ( Hystrix cristata ) and the guineafowl ( Numida meleagris ) top the list among the wildlife species that are consumed (Chapter 2). Since wildlife utilisation by local communities cannot be completely stopped, it is important that some way be found to make such use sustainable. A good sustainable use scheme may also be a way of getting local communities involved in nature and wildlife conservation. Such a scheme could take the form of a regulated hunting arrangement for villages in the area adjacent to protected areas. However, if local communities are to be legally authorised to exploit any natural resources, the exploitation must be sustainable. For the exploitation to be sustainable, there must be a good management strategy based on sound ecological knowledge of the resources.The guineafowl was chosen as a species that could possibly be exploited by local communities around the Waza National Park of North Cameroon. The biology of this bird was investigated from 1991 to 1995 to establish an ecological basis for such exploitation. Censuses in and around the Waza National Park showed that the population density of guineafowl in this area could be up to 216±108 birds/km 2. This density varies with habitat type, year, and level of human activity (Chapter 3). Investigation of the diet of this bird from crop content analysis (Chapter 4) showed that it is omnivorous. It feeds on a widevariety of plant seeds, roots and insects, but especially on the rhizomes of Stylochiton lancifolius (a plant) and on termites (an insect). A study of the breeding performance of the guineafowl inside the National Park (Chapter 5) showed that the annual rainfall plays an important role in its annual breeding success. Nest abandonment, predation of both eggs and guineafowl hens, trampling by elephants and floods were found to be principal causes of nest losses, but play a lesser role in the total breeding success.An investigation of mortality and mortality factors (Chapter 6) showed that the annual mortality rate varied slightly with sex, age and year. A multifactorial analysis of population parameters showed that variations in annual breeding success resulting from variation in annual rainfall could explain most of the population density changes in the region. Hence annual rainfall can be used to estimate annual production and possible harvesting strategy for the Waza guineafowl population.Studies on the home range size, emigration, and social organisation (Chapter 7) showed that the home range size varied with season (rainy and dry season). Group size varied with month, being largest between March and April and smallest in August. Young birds and birds in large groups had a higher tendency to emigrate. Information from previous chapters is used to develop a model for predicting annual guineafowl productivity and assess the possible magnitude of harvesting quota for the Waza region (Chapter 8). In the last chapter (Chapter 9), information from a socioeconomic survey in the Waza region and those from other chapters are used to propose a hunting zone for the management of hunting of guineafowl by villagers. A possible set-up of an organisation for running this hunting zone is also proposed

Deficit financing, private sector saving and investment in Nigeria

The study set out to investigate the relationship between public sector borrowing and deficit financing on the one hand, and private sector saving and investment on the other, in the Nigerian economy.Statistics on these variables were sourced from appropriate Nigerian data banks. Econometric approaches were enlisted for data analysis and results formed basis forconclusion

The breeding performance of wild Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris galeata Pallas) in the Waza National Park, North Cameroon

The breeding success of wild Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris galeata Pallas 1767) was investigated for three consecutive years, from 1992 to 1994. The results show that egg laying starts in August. The breeding season usually lasted for about two months. Average clutch size for successful nests over 3 years was between 11.6 and 13.1 eggs. Nest abandonment, predation, trampling by elephants and flood were found to be the main causes of nest loss. The intensity of these factors varied with breeding stage and year. However, re-nesting compensated for most of the lost nests if the losses took place during the laying or early incubation stage. The age of the breeding hens also influences breeding success with older birds being more successful than first-time breeders. Nest survival was found to vary with breeding stage and rainfall, being highest (for all stages) in the year with the highest annual rainfall (1994) and lowest in the year with the lowest annual rainfall (1993). The overall breeding success plus or minus 95% confidence limit was 29.0 ±0.03% in 1992, 15.6 ±0.03% in 1993 and 40.2 ± 0.03 % in 1994. The breeding season each year started about a month after insect number had reached its yearly peak.La réussite de la reproduction de la Pintade commune sauvage (Numida meleagris galeata Pallas 1767) a été étudiée pendant trois années consécutives, de 1992 à 1994. Les résultats révèlent que la ponte débute en août. La durée de la saison de reproduction est de deux mois. Le nombre moyen d’oeufs par nid pour une excellente couvée est compris entre 11.6 et 13.1. L’abandon des nids, la prédation, le piétinement par les éléphants et les inondations se sont avérés être les causes principales de perte des nids. L’intensité de ces facteurs est fonction du stade de la reproduction et de l’année. Toutefois, une ponte de remplacement compense la majeure partie des œufs perdus si les pertes subies ont eu heu au cours de la ponte ou du début de l’incubation. L’âge des femelles reproductrices influence aussi la réussite de la reproduction : les vieilles femelles sont plus aptes que les jeunes se reproduisant pour la première fois. La survie des oeufs d’un nid varie avec le stade de la reproduction et la pluviométrie : elle est la plus élevée à tous les stades en année de pluviométrie élevée (1994) et la plus faible en année de faible pluviométrie (1993). La réussite totale de la reproduction au seuil de 95 % de limite de confiance fut de 29 ± 0.03 % en 1992, 15.6 ± 0.03 % en 1993 et 40.2 ± 0.03 % en 1994. La saison de reproduction commençait chaque année environ un mois après que le nombre d’insectes ait atteint le maximum annuel.Njiforti Hanson Langmia. The breeding performance of wild Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris galeata Pallas) in the Waza National Park, North Cameroon. In: Revue d'Écologie (La Terre et La Vie), tome 52, n°2, 1997. pp. 173-186

Willingness to Pay for Weather Index Crop Insurance: Evidence from Daura and Mai’adua, Katsina State-Nigeria

As climate change takes hold globally, weather related risk threaten the livelihood of farmers with negative implications for food and nutrition security. The continued dependence on rain-fed crop production by farmers in Katsina state increases their vulnerability to weather related risk. This paper assessed the major risk faced by farmers, the main coping strategies adopted, the effectiveness of the strategies adopted and the willingness to pay for weather index crop insurance. Primary data was collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed by frequency distribution and percentages. The findings of the study revealed that drought was the major weather related risk experienced, as stated by 97.1% of the farmers. Also, intercropping is the major mitigation and coping strategy, as stated by 57.3% of the respondents. In addition, 72.5% of respondents stated that the strategies adopted were not effective in coping with the adverse effect of weather risk. About 78.9% were willing to subscribe to weather crop index insurance policy and pay N6, 208as premium per annum. The study recommends that weather crop index insurance policy should be implemented fully or as a pilot.&nbsp

Impact of Credit Risk Pricing on Commercial Banks’ Loan Performance in Nigeria

The impact of credit risk pricing on commercial banks’ loan performance was investigated to find out whether credit risk pricing of commercial banks can be used to achieve stability of loan performance in Nigeria. Variables like interest rate (maximum and prime lending rates), total loan and advances (TL/A), the ratio of loan and advances to total deposit (LA/TD), non-performing loan ratio (NPLR), risk premium (RP), gross domestic product (GDP), inflation rate (INFR) proxy by consumer price index, and exchange rate (EXR), were estimated using VAR model with lag one period as the optimum lag length. Generally, the result for cointegration shows the existence of a long-run relationship between the variables. The VECM was also estimated for short run analysis and the result shows that the past values of RP and FXR have positive and significant impact in explaining the current/future path of NPLR in the short run in Nigeria while the past value of MLR have negative and significant impact in explaining NPLR in the current period at 5% level of significance. However, the VAR model result for bank specific factors show that only the past period NPLR is positive and statistically significant in explaining the current/future path of commercial banks’ loan performance proxy by NPLR at the 10% level of significance. Whereas for macroeconomic factors, the result of the VAR model shows that the value of FXR is negative and that of NPLR is positive and statistically significant in the past periods in explaining the current/future path of NPLR in Nigeria at 5% and 10% level of significance respectively. This may perhaps imply that commercial banks in Nigeria at the time of lending to their clients play down on these variables in building up their price for credit (interest rate). This may be as a result of the existence of relationship banking and compliance failure by banks in performing their astute functions. Hence, the variables can be used to determine the impact of credit risk pricing on commercial banks’ loan performance in Nigeria. The paper recommends that the risk premium should not be made only to capture market expectations but also the volatility and asymmetry involved in their hidden activities of relationship banking which have taken a central stage in Nigeria’s banking business. The CBN should also develop a more robust and practical risk pricing model peculiar to the Nigerian environment aside the template existing