Impact of off-farm income on food security and nutrition in Nigeria

While the poverty implications of off-farm income have been analyzed in different developing countries, much less is known about the impact of off-farm income on household food security and nutrition. Here, this research gap is addressed by using farm survey data from Nigeria. Econometric analyses are employed to examine the mechanisms through which off-farm income affects household calorie and micronutrient supply, dietary quality, and child anthropometry. We find that off-farm income has a positive net effect on food security and nutrition. The prevalence of child stunting, underweight, and wasting is lower in households with off-farm income than in households without. Using a structural model, we also show that off-farm income contributes to higher food production and farm income by easing capital constraints, thus improving household welfare in multiple ways. --Farm households,Food security,Micronutrients,Off-farm income

Impact of Off-farm Income on Food Security and Nutrition in Nigeria

Reducing food insecurity in the developing world continues to be a major public policy challenge, and one that is complicated by the lack of a generalized comprehensive strategy for dealing with it. Around 854 million people are undernourished worldwide, many more suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, and the absolute numbers tend to increase further, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Recent food price hikes have contributed to greater public awareness of hunger related problems, also resulting in new international commitments to invest in developing country agriculture. Whereas agriculture-led growth played an important role in reducing food insecurity and transforming the economies of many Asian and Latin American countries, the same has not yet occurred in Africa. Most countries in Africa have not yet met the criteria for a successful agricultural revolution, and factor productivity lags far behind the rest of the world. This has led to growing skepticism in the international development discourse about the relevance of agriculture to food security in the region. As a result, the promotion of off-farm activities as a pathway out of food insecurity has gained widespread support among development agencies and non-governmental organizations. So far, relatively little policy efforts have been made to promote the off-farm sector in a pro-poor way and overcome potential constraints in countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. One reason is probably the dearth of solid and up-to-date information about the impact of off-farm income on food security and nutrition in specific context. While the poverty implications of off-farm income have been analyzed in different developing countries, much less is known about the impact of off-farm income on household food security and nutrition. 2 This paper analyzes the role of off-farm income in enhancing food security and nutrition for households in rural Nigeria. The analysis builds on a survey of 220 households in Kwara State, which was conducted in 2006. Food consumption data were elicited through a 7-day recall, covering 105 food items. The food consumption data are supplemented by anthropometric measurements that we took from pre-school children up to 60 months of age. In the 220 sample households, we obtained weight and height data from 127 children. Different Econometric analyses are employed to examine the mechanisms by which off-farm income affects household calorie and micronutrient supply, dietary quality, and child anthropometry. We hypothesize that off-farm income contributes to better nutrition in terms of calorie and micronutrient supply and child anthropometry. Issues of endogeneity are taken into account by using instrumental variable approaches. Both descriptive analyses and econometric approaches showed that off-farm income contributes to improved calorie supply at the household level. We find that off-farm income has a positive net effect on food security and nutrition, which is in the same magnitude as the effect of farm income. We also show that the prevalence of stunting and underweight is remarkably lower among children in households with off-farm income. Accordingly, improving poor households’ access to the off-farm sector can contribute to reducing problems of rural malnutrition. Our results demonstrate that both farm and off-farm activities can equally contribute to better food security and nutrition. Yet, while investing into agricultural growth is currently featuring high on the development policy agenda, promoting the rural off-farm sector receives much less attention. This should be rectified, especially in regions where agricultural resources are becoming increasingly scarce. Using a structural model, we also show that off-farm income contributes to higher food production and farm income by easing capital constraints, thus improving household welfare in multiple ways. Off-farm income diversification is already an extensive phenomenon 3 among rural households in developing countries. But without a clear policy strategy on how to support this process in a pro-poor way, outcomes might socially undesirable, because of unequal household access to certain off-farm activities.Farm households, food security, micronutrients, child anthropometry, off-farm income, Food Security and Poverty,

A Limited Information Bayesian Forecasting Model of the Cattle SubSector

The first step towards forecasting the price and output of the cattle industry is understanding the dynamics of the livestock production process. This study follows up on the Weimar and Stillman (1990) paper by using data from 1970 to 2005 to estimate the parameters that characterizes the cattle output supply. The model is then used to estimate forecast values for the periods 2006 and 2007. Bayesian limited information likelihood method is used to estimate the parameters when endogeneity exists between these variables. The forecasting ability of the model for a two-step ahead forecast for majority of the variables are relatively good and test statistic of the forecast are reported.Cattle, Bayesian, forecasting, Inventory, Slaughter, Agribusiness, Agricultural Finance, Financial Economics, Livestock Production/Industries, Marketing, Production Economics, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,

Value of Single Source and Backgrounded Cattle as Measured by Health and Feedlot Profitability

Commingling cattle in the feedlot increases the odds of cattle getting sick. However, backgrounded cattle are less susceptible to diseases which allow the generalizing statements like "backgrounding is just like single source". Using data from over 15,000 cattle fed in 12 Iowa feedlots, we show that although backgrounded cattle do better than preconditioned cattle commingled in the feedlot, they have poorer carcass quality, health, and performance than single source cattle. Backgrounded cattle should be discounted $8.24/head relative to single source, and only received a small premium over multi-source preconditioned cattle though not significantly different.Livestock Production/Industries,

Multiple myeloma/hypercalcemia

Multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells, is associated with excessive tumor-induced, osteoclast-mediated bone destruction. Hypercalcemia remains the most frequent metabolic complication of myeloma in patients, and excessive osteolysis plays a major contributory role in its pathogenesis. The clinical presentation of hypercalcemia in patients varies depending on the level of ionized calcium; it can be life threatening, as in the case of hypercalcemic crisis, requiring immediate medical treatment to prevent death. During the past few years there have been exciting developments in our understanding of the pathogenesis of myeloma bone disease; in particular, key mediators of the osteoclastic bone resorption in myeloma have been identified, including receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) and macrophage inflammatory protein-1α. There is also increasing evidence that Dickkopf 1, which has been shown to be over-expressed in myeloma patients, is also a potent stimulator of osteoclast formation and activity. Importantly, the available data suggest that RANKL is the final common mediator of osteoclastic bone resorption, irrespective of the upstream initiator molecule. This brief review presents an overview of the roles played by these mediators in inducing osteolysis in myeloma bone disease, and it discusses targeting RANKL as a potential new treatment strategy in myeloma bone disease and myeloma-associated hypercalcemia

Global Solar Radiation Annual Profile, Causes and Seasonal Effects, at Ilorin, Nigeria

The data of short-wave global (total) solar radiation of 4 years (1995-1998) at Ilorin (8˚ 34′ N, 4˚ 34′ E), Nigeria was used to study the characteristic behavior of SW- global solar radiation in the tropics. To do this, its weekly average was plotted and analyzed with respect to the atmospheric constituents responsible for the behavior. On the profile obtained, two “Wells” of unequal size and depth were identified; a “hill” and a “plateau” representing the potentials of the radiation were also identified in a 52 - week year. These features were associated with seasons of the year and the radiation potentials obtainable in the region. The size of the Wells indicates the time prevalence of the atmospheric constituents causing the Wells and the length of the respective season, while the depth indicates the amount and severity of the constituents. The “Wells” and the “Plateau” constitute 3 seasons in a 52- week year

Evaluation of the mechanism and principles of management of temporomandibular joint dislocation. Systematic review of literature and a proposed new classification of temporomandibular joint dislocation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Virtually all the articles in literature addressed only a specific type of dislocation. The aim of this review was to project a comprehensive understanding of the pathologic processes and management of all types of dislodgement of the head of the mandibular condyle from its normal position in the glenoid fossa. In addition, a new classification of temporomandibular joint dislocation was also proposed.</p> <p>Method and materials</p> <p>A thorough computer literature search was done using the Medline, Cochrane library and Embase database. Key words like <it>temporo-mandibular joint dislocation </it>were used for the search. Additional manual search was done by going through published home-based and foreign articles. Case reports/series, and original articles that documented the type of dislocation, number of cases treated in the series and original articles. Treatment done and outcome of treatment were included in the study.</p> <p>Result</p> <p>A total of 128 articles were reviewed out which 79 were found relevant. Of these, 26 were case reports, 17 were case series and 36 were original articles. 79 cases were acute dislocations, 35 cases were chronic protracted TMJ dislocations and 311 cases were chronic recurrent TMJ dislocations. Etiology was predominantly trauma in 60% of cases and other causes contributed about 40%. Of all the cases reviewed, only 4 were unilateral dislocation. Various treatment modalities are outlined in this report as indicated for each type of dislocation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The more complex and invasive method of treatment may not necessarily offer the best option and outcome of treatment, therefore conservative approaches should be exhausted and utilized appropriately before adopting the more invasive surgical techniques.</p