COTTON FARMERS’ PERCEPTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Climate change has been a major threat to agriculture in Nigeria. This study was carried out in Imeko Afon Local Government Area. Purposive selection of all practicing cotton farmers (54) at the time of survey was made from the study area. The mean age of respondents is 56years. The household size is 7persons and the average annual income is N9, 972.00k. The mean score of famers’ perception about the climate change and its effects on cotton production is 2.62. Farmers’ stated that there is an increase temperature due to change in climatic condition (Ẍ= 3.45, S.D ± 1.152), and fluctuation in rainfall pattern (Ẍ= 4.04, S.D ± 0.999). Adopted coping strategies to cushion effects of climate change include; increase use of agro-chemicals (Ẍ = 3.35, S.D ± 0.677), integrated weed pest management (Ẍ = 3.44, S.D ± 0.839) and application of fertilizer to improve the depleted soil nutrients (Ẍ = 3.19, S.D ± 0.646). Results indicates a significant relationship between respondents perceived effects on climate change and coping strategies (r =0.890**, P< 0.05). The study recommends that government agricultural and meteorological agencies should provide timely information to farmers on the climate and means of ameliorating the effects of climate change.     &nbsp

PIPELINE VANDALISATION AND FARMERS’ SITUATION: EXPOSITION FROM OBAFEMI OWODE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

The study assessed the effects of pipeline vandalisation on the socio-economic life and activities of farmers in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 80 farmers from the affected villages in the Local Govern- ment Area. Primary data were obtained with interview guide. Chi-Square was used to analyze the data collected. The mean age of the farmers was 43.37 years and 78.7% were male. Majority (76.3%) were married while 61.2% were Christians. More than half (57.5%) had no formal education and they cultivated an average of 4.94 hectares of land. Most (92.0%) of the farmers operated on full time basis. Nearly all the farmers (97.5%) were aware of the incidents of pipeline vandalisation in their area. Efforts of the farmers at reducing the menace included warning messages through town criers, reporting cases to the law enforcement agents, threat of killing the vandals and the use of “charms†to scare the vandals. Majority (52.5%) claimed that the efforts made by the farmers and the government had no effect on the incident of pipeline vandalisation. Farmers’ perceived effect of pipeline vandalisa- tion on their activities and livelihood included non-availability of labor due to the youths’ involvement in the practice (82.5%), destruction of farmlands (76.25%) and pollution of rivers and atmosphere (65.0%). Farmers were constrained by corrupt law enforcement agents in charge of surveillance, un- cooperative attitude of fellow farmers, non-challant attitude of the government and lack of fund to or- ganize campaigns against pipeline vandalisation. Chi-square analysis showed a significant association between pipeline vandalisation and farmers’ agricultural production. It was concluded that pipeline vandalisation was a regular occurrence in the study area and that it constituted a health hazard and posed a problem to the environment as well as the agricultural activities of the farmers.Â

Constraints Associated With Cultivation and Utilization of Soyabean by Farmers in Ogun State, Nigeria

This study identified the constraints associated with the cultivation and utilization of soyabeans by farmers in Ogun State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 120 respondents for the study. Primary data were obtained with interview guide. Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Chi-Square were used to analyze the data collected. Results showed that the mean age of the respondents was 54.8years and majority (75.0%) were male. Majority (64.2%) were married while 65.0% were literate. Thirty five percent (35.0%) had been in farming for about 20 years while majority (65.8%) cultivated between 1-3 hectares of land. Most (80.8%) of the farmers were aware of soyabean cultivation with 56.7% having extension agents as their source of information. Other sources of information include the media (radio and television), fellow farmers and friends. Lack of market for soyabean was the foremost constraint against farmers’cultivation of soyabeans while lack of knowledge of soyabean processing was ranked first among the constraints militating against farmers’ utilization of soyabeans. More than half (59.2%) of the farmers utilize soyabean only in the form of soya milk. Chi-square analysis showed a significant relationship between farmers’ cultivation of soyabean and sex (c2=8.34, p<0.05) and educational status (c2=31.43, p<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that farmers’ cultivation of soyabean is significantly related to age (r=0.96, p<0.05), farm size (r=0.78, p<0.05) and years of farming (r=0.68, p<0.05) while age is significantly related to farmers’ utilization of soyabean (r=0.04, p<0.05). It was concluded that age, sex, educational status, farm size and years of farming played significant roles in farmers’ cultivation of soyabean while age determined the utilization of soyabean by the farmers. It was recommended that extension services targeted on soyabean cultivation and utilization should be more vigorously pursued. Keywords: Soyabean, Cultivation, Utilization, Innovation, Constraint

Conversion of lignocellulose from palm (Elaeis guineensis) fruit fibre and physic (Jatropha curcas) nut shell into bio-oil

Harmful gases are released into the atmosphere through burning of residues which is commonly practiced in Nigeria and can be attributed to climate change issues. Agricultural residues have the potentials to be used as energy and chemical source and meet its deficit in the country. This paper focuses on utilization of lignocellulosic materials obtained from two agricultural residues through renewable technology to produce bio-energy and chemical feedstock. The lignocellulosic materials were extracted from palm fruit (Elaeis guineensis) fibre and physic nut (Jatropha curcas) shell, and pyrolyzed under low temperature and pressure at various particle sizes. The main properties of solid (lignocellulosic) materials were tested and the bio-oil produced was analyzed using GC-MS. Results show proximate analyses (volatile, ash and fixed carbon contents) and ultimate analysis (carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc). The pH value of the bio-oil from both residues increased with increase in temperatures. The density, viscosity and calorific value of the palm and physic residue oil are 831.99 and 947.5 kg/m3, 0.695 and 1.58 cPa at room temperature, 22.33 and 14.169 kJ/g, respectively. Aromatics and other compounds are major dominant compounds in the palm fruit fibre oil which is characterized for bio-fuel production. Physic nut shell oil contains aromatic ethers, cyclic ethers, secondary amides and organic halogen compound which are important chemical feedstock. Conversion of these residues to useful products will alleviate the energy supply deficit, improve social and economic development, promote clean and healthy atmosphere of the nation and significantly contribute to global climate change mitigation

Terrorism catastrophising and hazardous alcohol use among students of a tertiary institution in Jos, Nigeria

Background: Being a maladaptive means of coping with stress, alcohol abuse may be associated with level of terrorism in a community. Jos has had a number of terrorists’ attacks which have had devastating effects on the city and its environs. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of terrorism catastrophizing, hazardous alcohol use as well as the relationship between terrorism catastrophizing and hazardous alcohol use among students of the Plateau State Polytechnic, Jos Campus.Methods: A cross sectional study of 230 students in the departments of accountancy, business administration and management who completed self-administered questionnaires during one of their classes following a random cluster sampling of departments.Results: The TCS showed that 43.5% of the participants had terrorism catastrophizing. Pearson correlation showed a high significant positive correlation (p<0.05) across the three dimensions of terrorism catastrophizing: rumination, r=0.807; magnification, r=0.726; and helplessness, r=0.754. However, no significant correlation exists between terrorism catastrophising (rumination, magnification and helplessness), alcohol use disorder, r = -0.016, p = 0.817 (AUDITc), and problem drinking behavior, r= -0.157, p=0.06.Conclusions: There was no positive correlation between terrorism catastrophizing and hazardous alcohol drinking

Influencing factors of unmet needs for child spacing among selected countries experiencing high maternal-mortality in sub-Saharan Africa

Background: Maternal complication and death have implicated unintended pregnancy. The indicator for measuring the risk of unintended pregnancy is unmet need for family planning (FP). It is necessary to explore the current situation of unmet need for child spacing (UNCS) as well as its influencing factors among countries that are experiencing high maternal mortality ratio. We aimed to unveil the prevalence of UNCS and its associated factors in Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone.Methods: We analysed the data from DHS phase VII survey, a cross- sectional study conducted from year 2017 to 2018 across several countries. Total records of 25,539, 5,553, and 10,050 were extracted for Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone respectively. Explored variables were UNCS, demographic characteristics and husband’s partners profile. Data was analysed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics, test of association (chi-square) and binary logistic regression were used during the data analysis (α0.05).Results: UNCS was high in Nigeria (15.9%), Liberia (22.5%) and Sierra Leone (21.9%). In Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone, 40%, 37% and 49.1% were uneducated respectively. The proportion of married women were 89% in Nigeria, 32% in Liberia and 70.2% in Sierra Leone. Also, female headship of household (OR: 1.29, 95%CI: 1.09-1.54) was associated with UNCS relative to male headship of household.Conclusions: UNCS was high in the three countries. Factors like educational status of women, age, as well as women as head of the households should be given much attention in the efforts to reduce UNCS as identified in this study

SEASONAL VARIATIONS IN THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GRASSES HARVESTED FROM THE NATURAL PASTURE IN OGUN STATE SOUTH-WESTERN NIGERIA

The research was carried was carried out to evaluate the chemical composition of the dominant grasses harvested from the natural pasture in selected villages in Ogun State, South-western Nigeria at different seasons. The study was carried out using a 4 × 6 factorial arrangement comprising four seasons (early rain, late rain, early dry and late dry) at six locations (Afami, Atokun, Ibooro, Ileniku, Ipaaya, and Okerori). Results showed that the crude protein (CP) content significantly (p&lt;0.05) varied from 5.56 % for Okerori to 7.34 % for Ibooro and the grasses harvested at Afami had the highest (72.75 %) neutral detergent fibre (NDF) values with the least (68.75 %) value recorded for Okerori, while the acid detergent fibre (ADF) values ranged from 41.00 % for Atokun to 48.25 % for Okerori. Also, CP value as affected by the season ranged from 4.23 % for late rainy to 9.44 % for the early rainy season and NDF values from 67.33% for late dry to 72.33 % for late rainy season while the early dry season had the highest value (48.00 %) for ADF with the least value (40.33 %) was recorded for the early rainy season. The phosphorus (P) value was highest at Ipaaya (2.99 g/kg) with the least value observed at Okerori (1.62 g/kg). The value for calcium ranged from 2.55 g/kg at Afami to 6.59 g/kg at Okerori. The P value of grasses as affected by seasons ranged from 1.46 g/kg for early dry to 2.66 g/kg for early rainy seasons. &nbsp; &nbsp

Influence of manure application during cultivation on in vitro gas and post incubation parameters of nine Pennisetum purpureum varieties

Forages are generally available in the tropics yet the issue related with their utilization is low efficiency and nutritional contents whereby seasonal variations in pasture productivity were the significant constraint to their availability for use throughout the year. This research was carried out to evaluate the Influence of manure application during cultivation on in vitro gas production and post-incubation parameters of nine (9) different Pennisetum purpureum varieties. The experiment was a 9 x 3 factorial arrangement in split plot design which comprises of nine (9) P. purpureum varieties (Abeokuta 1, Abeokuta 2, F1 Hybrid, Green Local, Purple Local, Sugarcane, South Africa, S13 and S15) and three (3) manure types (control, swine and cattle). Results showed that the in vitro gas production of different P. purpureum varieties as affected by manure type were significant (p &lt; 0.05). Unfertilized varieties had the highest volume of gas produced (17.14ml/200mgDM) at the end of the 48 hours incubation periods and the green local variety recorded the gas volume of 18.33ml/200mgDM at the end of the 48hours incubation. The post incubation parameters showed that manure type (p&gt;0.05) had no effect on the short chain fatty acid (SCFA) and Metabolizable energy (ME) in the varieties of P. purpureum while the values for organic matter digestibility (OMD) was significantly (p &lt; 0.05) ranged from 33.68% in unfertilized varieties to 35.72% when swine manure was applied. It is concluded that green variety of P. purpureum will be the best for ruminant feeding in this study

Evaluation of Morphogenesis and Yield of Three \u3ci\u3ePennisetum purpureum\u3c/i\u3e Varieties in South-West, Nigeria

This experiment, conducted at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria evaluated the morphogenesis of three varieties of Pennisetum purpureum used in this study, which were the local, purple, and FI variety at different stages of growth. The plants were established through vegetative plant parts (stems) sourced from a previously established plot and planted using 1 m × 1 m spacing on plots measuring 4 m × 5 m. The plants were fertilized with split doses of poultry manure at 4 t/ha (equivalent to 120 kg N/ha). The experiment was laid out as a Randomized Complete Block Design. Data on the morphogenic traits and dry matter yield were collected at bi-weekly from the 4th week for a period of twelve weeks. Results showed that the morphogenic plant traits differed significantly (p\u3c 0.05) between the varieties, except the tiller appearance rate (p\u3e 0.05) which was not significantly (p\u3e 0.05) different when the varieties were compared. The purple variety had the least plant elongation and leaf appearance rate values, however, for both traits, the F1 hybrid and local variety had similar trait values. The F1 variety had the least (p\u3c 0.05) leaf elongation rate value and the highest leaf (p\u3c 0.05) expansion rate value. On the other hand, the local and purple variety had comparably higher leaf elongation rate and leaf expansion rate values. The purple variety had higher (p\u3c 0.05) dry matter yield at the 6th and 8th week, but at the 10th and 12th week, the local variety produced the highest dry matter yield. In conclusion, the varieties had distinct morphogenic traits. Also, while the purple variety produced higher dry matter yield at the early stages of growth, dry matter production was higher for the local variety at more advanced stages of growth (10 and 12 weeks)