Estimation of Cost of Treating Malaria among Arable Crop Farming Households in Niger State, Nigeria

This study estimated the economic cost of malaria and determined production and malaria related factors affecting farm revenue. A multi-stage random sampling method was used to select one hundred and twenty eight arable crop farming households from whom data were collected for the study. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, arithmetic indices, t-test of difference of two means and Ordinary Least square (OLS) regression method. The results revealed that an average household had nine members. About 6.5% of sampled households sought health care in the government hospitals, while 30.5 and 20% of the sampled households patronised patent medicines stores and traditional carers respectively. The sum of N7,415.41k was incurred as economic cost of malaria per household per annum in the study area. Farm size, hired labour, combined malaria treatment costs and days lost to malaria attack were significant factors affecting Farm Revenue. The study recommended priority attention to rural areas in malaria control programme; improvement in health care delivery system and incorporation of traditional medical practitioners in the health care system. &nbsp

Comparative Analysis of Production Efficiency of Government-Assisted and Unassisted Pig Farmers in Lagos State

This study comparatively examined the efficiency of pig production among government-assisted and non-assisted farmers in Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria. The study was based on primary data obtained in a cross-section survey of 120 pig farmers, 60 each drawn purposively from among the government-assisted (GAPF) and unassisted pig farmers (UAPF) in the state. The data were analysed by descriptive, budgetary and econometric (Stochastic Production Frontier) methods. The study revealed that, most of the pig farmers (67.7% of GAPF and 95.0% of UAPF) are men. Majority of the pig farmers (65.0% of GAPF and 55.0% of UAPF) are within 30 - 50 years age bracket; with as much as 83.3% of GAPF and 60.0% of UAPF, having no more than six years of experience in pig farming. However, most (95.0% of GAPF and 75.0% of UAPF) of the pig farmers had some tertiary education. Budgetary analysis revealed that an average GAPF incurred a total cost of N987,682 in producing N1,360,050 worth of pigs with a net farm income of N372,368 yielding 33.67% rate of returns on their investment during the 2008/2009 production season. His UAPF counterpart incurred a total cost of N727,860 in producing N938,000 worth of pigs with a net farm income of N210,140 yielding 31.73% rate of returns on during the same production season. The technical, allocative and overall economic efficiency estimates computed based on estimated Stochastic Production and Conditional Revenue Frontier models of the two categories of pig farmers revealed that GAPF are generally more efficient (with mean technical, allocative and overall economic efficiency index of 0.66, 0.68 and 0.48, respectively) than their UAPF counterparts (with mean technical, allocative and overall economic efficiency index of 0.53, 0.60 and 0.35, respectively). The differences in the production efficiency of the two categories of farms were found to be as a result of the institutional and infrastructural support received by GAPF which is not available to the UAPF. &nbsp

Application of mathematical modelling to inform national malaria intervention planning in Nigeria

Background For their 2021–2025 National Malaria Strategic Plan (NMSP), Nigeria’s National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), developed a targeted approach to intervention deployment at the local government area (LGA) level as part of the High Burden to High Impact response. Mathematical models of malaria transmission were used to predict the impact of proposed intervention strategies on malaria burden. Methods An agent-based model of Plasmodium falciparum transmission was used to simulate malaria morbidity and mortality in Nigeria’s 774 LGAs under four possible intervention strategies from 2020 to 2030. The scenarios represented the previously implemented plan (business-as-usual), the NMSP at an 80% or higher coverage level and two prioritized plans according to the resources available to Nigeria. LGAs were clustered into 22 epidemiological archetypes using monthly rainfall, temperature suitability index, vector abundance, pre-2010 parasite prevalence, and pre-2010 vector control coverage. Routine incidence data were used to parameterize seasonality in each archetype. Each LGA’s baseline malaria transmission intensity was calibrated to parasite prevalence in children under the age of five years measured in the 2010 Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS). Intervention coverage in the 2010–2019 period was obtained from the Demographic and Health Survey, MIS, the NMEP, and post-campaign surveys. Results Pursuing a business-as-usual strategy was projected to result in a 5% and 9% increase in malaria incidence in 2025 and 2030 compared with 2020, while deaths were projected to remain unchanged by 2030. The greatest intervention impact was associated with the NMSP scenario with 80% or greater coverage of standard interventions coupled with intermittent preventive treatment in infants and extension of seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) to 404 LGAs, compared to 80 LGAs in 2019. The budget-prioritized scenario with SMC expansion to 310 LGAs, high bed net coverage with new formulations, and increase in effective case management rate at the same pace as historical levels was adopted as an adequate alternative for the resources available. Conclusions Dynamical models can be applied for relative assessment of the impact of intervention scenarios but improved subnational data collection systems are required to allow increased confidence in predictions at sub-national level

Efficacy of Quasi Agro Binding Fibre on the Hybrid Composite Used in Advance Application

The choice for natural fibre obtained from agricultural products is on the rise due to its solution to eco-friendly, environmental and improved mechanical properties concerns. Its abundant availability, low cost, emission reduction and adaptability to base material for composite make it a prime material for selection. This review explores diverse perspectives to the future trend of agro fibre in terms of the thermo-mechanical properties as it applies to advanced application in building structures. It is important to investigate the ecofriendliness of the products of composites from fibres in agricultural wastes so as to achieve a green and sustainable environment. This will come to fore by the combined efforts of both researchers and feedback from building stakeholders

Socioeconomic factors affecting insecticide use in cowpea production in Kano State

Insecticide is an indispensable input in cowpea production and farmers do not, in most cases, use the recommended dilution and application rates to mix insecticide and these reduce potency of such insecticide. It is against this milieu that this study was carried out to determine the socioeconomic factors affecting insecticide use in cowpea production, using Kano state as the study area. Cross sectional data were collected from two of the three zones in the study area and two blocks in each zone. A total of 100 respondents were interviewed through a simple random. sampling procedure. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and OLS regression estimates. The study found out among others that the average age of cowpea farmers sampled was 44 years, all males, married with an average of 12 persons per household. The average farm size cultivated was 3.54 ha under an intercrop anangement with insecticide use at an average of three times per growing season. The socioeconomic factors affecting insecticide use was determined to be price of insecticide ( DC o.os), cowpea output ( oc o.os), farming experience ( DC o. 10), and formal edU;cation level ( DC 0.10); thus indicating the importance of these variables to cowpea production in the study area. The study recommended among others a price reduction policy to allow easy access of farmers to this input

Assessment of Gender Differentials in Economic and Technical Efficiency of Poultry Egg, a Case Study in Lagos State, Nigeria.

Gender has been seen as an important factor in the distribution and utilization of productive resources worldwide. In the agricultural sector, gender differential could influence the sourcing and efficient utilization of factors of production, particularly in the livestock sub-sector of the economy. This study assessed the gender differentials in economic and technical efficiency of poultry eggs production in Lagos State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was used to select respondent poultry farmers. The first and second stages were the purposive selection of five Local Government Areas (LGAs) reputed for poultry production and farm settlements in the state. The third stage involved a simple random sampling of 150 poultry farms consisting of 75 farms each managed by a male and a female Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA). The SFA revealed that for male management of poultry egg farms, labour input (p<0.01) and cost of medications (p<0.05) increased the poultry egg output. On the other hand, for female management, stock of birds (p<0.01), labour input (p<0.01) and feed cost (p<0.01) were the factors that increased poultry eggs output. The inefficiency model revealed that male farmers were more technically efficient (p<0.01) than female counterparts. Female managed poultry farms had less productivity (0.90) compared to males(1.22). However, 88.1% of male farms compared to 86.7% of female farms had economic efficiency ratios between 0.29 and 0.79. The study concluded that gender had impact on poultry farmers' efficiency in the study area. The study therefore recommended that training should be organised for female managed farms while male managed farms should utilize less of cost intensive capital input