Determinants of Youth’s Participation in Agricultural Enterprises in Rural Communities of Ogun State, Nigeria

Agriculture is a source of livelihoods for most rural people, but majority of the rural populace face many hurdles such as lack of access to credit and other resources necessary to earn a livelihood. However, despite the opportunities available in agriculture, unemployment rate and rural-urban migration is still high and on the increase. This study was designed to identify the determinants of youth participation in agricultural enterprises in Ogun State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 125 farmers (youths) for the study. A well-structured questionnaire was used in collecting the data and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results show that many (30.4%) were between 30-34 years of age, majority (59.2%) of the respondent recorded household size 1-3 persons. Majority (52.0%) of the respondents are into farming as their primary occupation, 83.2% strongly agree that agricultural enterprise reduced dependency on government and the community, 83.2% noted subsidy on fertilizer is not available, 96.8% indicated highly benefited on increase in self-worth, 79.2% encountered poor returns to investment as the severe constraint, 96.0% were fully involved in cassava production, while 95.2% participated in maize production. These youths are confronted with different challenges constraining their participation in agricultural enterprises. Hence, access to credit facilities, increase in farm size will enable youths to participate in the available enterprises, thereby, increasing youth participation in agricultural enterprises and assist them to attain the efficient point on the production frontier

Use of Social Media for Marketing of Agricultural Commodities in Selected Markets in Ibadan metropolis, Oyo State, Nigeria

This study examined the use of social media for marketing agricultural commodities in Nigeria particularly in Ibadan metropolis. Descriptive survey design was used to carry out the study, while 100 questionnaires were used to obtain data from the market traders of Agricultural products in Ibadan. Data was analyzed using descriptive (mean, frequency, standard deviation, percentages) statistics. The result shows that majority of the respondents were female (61%), married (36%) and within the age range of 30-35 years. The findings also revealed that Instagram, Facebook and Youtube are the most used social media App among the respondents and almost all the respondents (96%) spend more than 1 hour daily on social media for advertising their products. The study further revealed that Facebook and Instagram were the most preferred social media tools for product marketing by the respondents. The study therefore shows that social media was used to a very high extent to enhance customer relationship and increase sales due to its mode of operation in marketing agricultural commodities. It’s recommended that agricultural commodities sellers should learn more on how to effectively use social media for agricultural commodity marketing

Contribution of palm oil processing enterprise to household welfare in Odigbo Local Government Area Ondo State Nigeria

This study was carried out in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo state to assess the contribution of palm oil processing enterprise to household welfare. A multistage sampling procedure was used for sample selection with a 30% purposive selection of wards from 11 wards in Odigbo LGA. Random sampling wasused to select 50% of palm oil processors from 240 processors from 10 communities in the 3 selected wards respectively making a total of 120 respondents. A well-structured questionnaire was used for data collection and data was analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of the study revealed that most of the respondents (66.7%) were male, majority of respondents (38.3%) within the age range of 31 and 40, and 82.5% were married. Based on the findings, the result revealed that respondents’ involvement in palm oil enterprise does not correlate with household welfare (r = 0.390, p>0.05). The result further revealed that other livelihood activities have correlation with household welfare (r = 0.263, p<0.05). In conclusion, most of the respondents diversified into other livelihood activities which are invariably responsible for their household welfare. Also paucity of funds and credit facility were major challenges encountered by the processors. Therefore, the input of extension services is needed to motivate and encourage the palm oil entrepreneurs to visit relevant research institutes for latest innovation on processing methods and they should also be assisted in sourcing credits facility from relevant agencies to improve their production for better welfare system.Keywords: Contribution, Palm-oil, Enterprise, Household, Welfar

Thermal and Exergy Analysis of Brayton Cycle under Varying Temperature and Pressure Ratio

Following increasing demand in energy consumption, there is a need to continue to study energy generation systems with a view to determining a system that will have better performance at low cost. In this study, a computer-based model was developed to analyze the thermal (first law) and exergy (second law) efficiencies of Brayton cycle. The operating parameters that were considered pressure ratio (6-16), compressor inlet temperature (270 – 340 °C) and turbine inlet temperature (1200 – 1550°C). Brayton cycle under ideal condition and conditions with a regenerator, reheater and intercooler were separately examined. The thermal efficiency of the cycle approaches 30% and the second law efficiency of the actual cycle approaches 65% as compressor inlet temperature decreases, turbine inlet temperature increases and pressure ratio approaches 10. Through the introduction of regenerator with the conditions stated earlier constant except pressure ratio approaches 6, thermal efficiency and second law efficiency was observed to approach 40% and 100% respectively. With further addition of intercooler and reheater to the system, the range of variation of the thermal efficiency and the second law efficiency was reduced while the upper limit was still kept at 40% and 100% respectively. The study concluded that it is imperative for new and improved materials to be developed to withstand high temperatures in the turbine in order to increase the thermal and exergy efficiency of the system

Haemogram and serum biochemical values of four indigenous species of monkeys in south west Nigeria

Summary: Haematological and serum biochemical values are useful guides and biomarkers in health and diseases for reaching a diagnosis, estimating disease prognosis and monitoring treatment progress, in mammals. Reference ranges for some parameters differ among species of mammals and between sexes within a species. There is dearth of information on standard reference value for blood parameters for Nigerian indigenous monkeys. Whole blood and serum samples obtained from 50 apparently healthy adult monkeys in both captivity and from the wild in southwest Nigeria were subjected to haematology and serum biochemistry to obtain preliminary reference values for haematological and serum biochemical analytes for Cercocebus sebaeus (Green monkey), Cercopithecus mona (Mona monkey), Erythrocebus patas (Patas monkey) and Papio anubis (Anubis baboon). Numerical data were summarized as mean and standard deviation and subjected to statistical analysis; Student t test and analysis of variance, to compare values of blood parameters obtained between species and gender. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. The hematocrit of male animals were significantly higher than that of females (P=0.01) in all the 4 species studied but there was no significant difference in other blood parameters such as total white blood cell and the differential counts, platelet count, serum aspartate transferase, alanine transferase, alkaline phosphatase, total plasma protein, albumin, and globulin concentrations between the sexes. Generally, there was no significant difference between total white blood cell and the differential counts, hematocrit, red cell count, haemoglobin concentration, platelet count, serum aspartate transferase, alanine transferase, alkaline phosphatase, total plasma protein, albumin, and globulin concentrations among the monkey species.Keywords: Haematology, Monkeys, Reference data, Serum biochemistr

Effect of Mucuna prurienson ovo-testis histology of giant African land snail (Archachatina marginata)

A study was conducted to evaluate effect of Mucunapruriens on ovo testis histology of giant African land snail  (Archachatinamarginata). Thirty (30) snails with weight range of 100- 150g were used for the study. Ten (10) snails were assigned to each of the three dietary treatments which include: Concentrate (CON), mixture of concentrate and Mucuna seed powder (CON + MSP) and Mucuna seed powder (MSP) only. At the end of eight (8) weeks, three (3) snails each per treatment were selected and dissected. Ovo testis was harvested from each treatment and  processed for histology. Parameters monitored were: ova and spermatozoa formation in ovo testis. Results showed that snails fed with mixture of Mucuna seed powder and concentrate had well formed ova but scanty spermatozoa, while those fed with Mucuna seed powder only had severe diffuse vacuolar degeneration and necrosis of the spermatozoa. Similarly, those snails fed with concentrate alone followed the same trend with those fed with mucuna only. It wasconcluded that MSP contain substances that couldaffect spermatozoa formation but support and ova production in right quantity in giant African land snail (Archachatinamarginata). It was recommended that MSP be processed to further evaluate its potential for spermatogenic activities as professed by different authors.Keywords: Mucuna,Ovo-testis, Snail, Archachatinamarginat

Effect of Mucuna prurienson ovo-testis histology of giant African land snail (Archachatina marginata)

A study was conducted to evaluate effect of Mucunapruriens on ovo testis histology of giant African land snail  (Archachatinamarginata). Thirty (30) snails with weight range of 100- 150g were used for the study. Ten (10) snails were assigned to each of the three dietary treatments which include: Concentrate (CON), mixture of concentrate and Mucuna seed powder (CON + MSP) and Mucuna seed powder (MSP) only. At the end of eight (8) weeks, three (3) snails each per treatment were selected and dissected. Ovo testis was harvested from each treatment and  processed for histology. Parameters monitored were: ova and spermatozoa formation in ovo testis. Results showed that snails fed with mixture of Mucuna seed powder and concentrate had well formed ova but scanty spermatozoa, while those fed with Mucuna seed powder only had severe diffuse vacuolar degeneration and necrosis of the spermatozoa. Similarly, those snails fed with concentrate alone followed the same trend with those fed with mucuna only. It wasconcluded that MSP contain substances that couldaffect spermatozoa formation but support and ova production in right quantity in giant African land snail (Archachatinamarginata). It was recommended that MSP be processed to further evaluate its potential for spermatogenic activities as professed by different authors.Keywords: Mucuna,Ovo-testis, Snail, Archachatinamarginat