Food Insecurity and the Rising Urbanisation in Africa: Can ICT Revolution Bridge the GAP?

The task of reducing food insecurity in Africa is very challenging. This is because of the changing conditions such as adverse climate change impacts. This study examined food insecurity, urbanisation and ICT in Africa.  The paper employed a combination of both secondary and historical information obtained from different sources (UNHCR, FAO, Mo Ibrahim Foundation etc). Analytical method used include descriptive statistics such as charts. Food security indices in Africa is alarming and disturbing. One in four people in Africa do not have access to food in adequate quantities and one in five African children are underweight. African agriculture is rendered unattractive by low productivity hence the exodus of labour from rural to urban areas. Africa is the most rapidly urbanising continent in the world with enabling factors comprising of infrastructure deficits in rural areas, dearth of employment opportunities and glamour of city life. However, Africa’s urban centres are not immune to the challenges inducing rural-urban migration in the first place. In fact, youth unemployment in Africa is 6 times higher in urban areas than in rural areas. About 72percent of urban dwellers live in slums with the most of them having no access to basic amenities. These culminated in what is regarded in literature as ‘urbanisation of poverty’. Migrants are generally scapegoated as the causes of crimes, violence and even unemployment in urban areas. Therefore, they are subjected to sub-human living conditions. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is particularly critical to the achievement of food security in Africa. This is because of the huge gap between markets and farmers which it is capable of filling. The paper therefore recommends increased but monitored investments in infrastructure in Africa in order to make rural areas more attractive and discourage rural-urban migration. There is also the need to provide favourable micro and macro-environment for businesses to grow especially in rural Africa.&nbsp

Determinants of Access to Education and ICT in Nigeria

The world where development is driven by advancement in education and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is fast emerging. This study therefore examined the determinants of access to education and ICT in Nigeria. The study used information from 4,508 households from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) General Household Survey (GHS) Data. Probit regression model and descriptive statistical tools were used to analyze relevant data. Analysis of the data showed that average household size was fairly large consisting of 7 members with majority (85.1percent) of the households headed by men. Average age of the household heads was 52 years while average years of education was 4 years. Also, 82.0percent and 61.2percent of the households in urban and rural Nigeria respectively had access to education. Therefore, inequality in access to education exists based on location. The factors influencing access to education in Nigeria were found to include age, gender, marital status and household size. The results also revealed age, years of education, marital status, gender and household size as determinants of access to ICT. Analysis of different ICT devices used in Nigeria showed that Radio (88.1percent), Mobile Phones (86.4percent) and Television (55.1percent) were the most widely used. Meanwhile, a significant difference exist in the factors influencing access to education and ICT in rural and urban Nigeria. The study therefore recommended increased investment in education and infrastructure. Government and private organizations should encourage gender equality in access to ICT through gender sensitive interventions

A Critical Review of Distribution Substation System Reliability Evaluations

The significance of a reliable distribution system is hinged on the fact that even if the generation and transmission of a power system are highly reliable, an unreliable distribution system will mean that there will be poor supply of energy to the consumers. Therefore, there must be ways of measuring the reliability of power distribution systems according to given standards in order to help inform the system engineers on the causes of interruptions. This will in turn help in proffering methods of accomplishing a more reliable distribution system. There are established basic methods of assessing the reliability of this system and different researchers engage the one best suited for the analysis they intend to carry out. Moreover, going through previous published works on distribution system reliability evaluation, insight is given into why a distribution behaves below standard and how it could be possibly improved. This paper presents an overview of the basic methods used in reliability assessment with the frequently used reliability indices and a critical review of published works by authors in carrying out the reliability evaluation of different power distribution systems based on these various methods

Reliability Analysis of Secondary Distribution System in Nigeria: A Case Study of Ayetoro 1 Substation, Lagos State.

A power system is set up basically to meet the demands of the customers. However, interruptions which are largely unavoidable contribute to the unavailability of power and thus prevent power system from achieving this. In most cases, it is the sustained interruptions that greatly affect both the utility company and its customers. Hence, it is necessary to find means of determining which component failure contributes most to the unavailability of the distribution system, and how this unavailability actually affects the customers. This is to enable system planners and designers to seek better ways of improving the reliability of a typical secondary distribution substation system having a single-end fed radial configuration. By using analytical method and network reduction technique, the substation reliability was analyzed based on the outage data gotten from the utility company. The conclusion from this work shows that transformer failure followed by fuse failure contributes most to the substation’s unavailability. The overall system availability shows that the system’s performance is poor

Assessing Risk of Influenza Infection on a College Campus: An Emphasis on Housing Arrangement

Graduate Applie

Powering Rural Healthcare With Sustainable Energy: A Global Review Of Solar Solutions

Access to reliable healthcare and sustainable energy remains a global challenge, particularly in rural and underserved communities. This review paper explores the integration of solar energy solutions in rural healthcare settings, shedding light on the transformative impact of this innovative approach. This paper also explores the multifaceted benefits, challenges, and future directions of solar-powered healthcare through a comprehensive examination of the literature. Solar energy solutions in rural healthcare provide reliable power for medical equipment, extend operating hours, and improve lighting, leading to enhanced healthcare services and more accurate diagnoses. Moreover, solar-powered vaccine refrigeration ensures the potency and safety of vaccines, contributing to improved public health outcomes. Financial sustainability is bolstered as solar solutions reduce healthcare costs and offer financial independence to facilities. Environmental sustainability is achieved through reduced carbon footprints and responsible resource use. Beyond healthcare services, solar initiatives empower local communities by creating employment opportunities and enhancing resilience in emergencies. Challenges such as initial costs, maintenance, adverse weather conditions, scalability, and policy hurdles are addressed through innovative financing models, capacity building, climate-resilient solutions, standardized monitoring systems, advocacy, and technological advancements. As the world seeks to achieve universal healthcare and sustainable development, solar-powered healthcare exemplifies the potential of renewable energy to drive positive change. This review paper emphasizes that we can improve healthcare access, quality, and sustainability by harnessing the sun's energy, ultimately illuminating the path toward brighter, healthier, and more equitable rural communities

Land Acquisition and Use in Nigeria: Implications for Sustainable Food and Livelihood Security

Land acquisition and use remain a critical issue of great policy relevance in developing countries such as Nigeria. This study therefore examined land acquisition and use in Nigeria within the context of food and livelihood security. The chapter used secondary data obtained from the World Bank website, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and other sources. It was found that there are gender, location and income-group considerations in the allocation of land in Nigeria. While the urban land market is relatively more formal, the rural land market is informal and the transactions were not documented in most cases. The study found that bureaucratic bottlenecks, high cost of registering land and long registration procedures, and inconsistent policy regimes impede the development of land market in Nigeria. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that the government should reduce and make the processes to be completed in registering lands in Nigeria easier. The Land Use Act 1978 should be amended to capture the prevailing realities around customary laws and informal markets. The government should reduce the cost of land registration in Nigeria. Multilateral organisations and government should co-create and co-finance innovative interventions to improve activities in the land market

Effects of Medium of Instruction (Yoruba Language) On Secondary School Students’ Performance in Mathematics

Mathematics is one of the core subjects in secondary education and a good performance in the subject is a key to gaining admission into higher institution of learning In any mathematical educational setting the role of language cannot be deemphasized as it is a major tool that often determines the learning outcome of learners in the subject To this end the medium of instruction in mathematics classroom should be one that the learners can easily decipher This study therefore investigated the effects of mother tongue as supplementary medium of instruction on junior secondary school students performance in Mathematics in Ekiti State Nigeria The purpose was to examine the effectiveness of mother tongue as a supplementary medium of instruction The study adopted a three group pre-test post-test quasi experimental research design The sample for the study consisted of 194 junior secondary school one students selected from three secondary schools in Ekiti State through multistage sampling procedure One research instrument tagged Mathematics Performance Test was used for data collection in the stud

Agricultural experiences as correlates of secondary school students’ achievement and career decisions in agricultural science

This study examined agricultural experiences as correlates of secondary school students’ achievement and career decisions in agricultural science. The study adopted a survey research design. Simple random sampling technique was employed in selecting six hundred (600) senior secondary schools (SS II) Agricultural Science Students. Instruments used were Career Decision Questionnaire, Agricultural Experience Questionnaire and Students Achievement Test in Agriculture. Four research questions were raised to guide the study. Data was analysed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Multiple regression. The results revealed that poultry, fishery and cashew farming had significant correlation with students’ achievement (r=-0.093, -0.127 and -0.127) and career decision (r=-0.155, -0.136 and -.132) in Agricultural Science respectively. The findings showed that there were significant joint contributions of agricultural experiences to students’ achievement (F(3,600) = 3.992; P < 0.05) and career decision (F(3,600)= 22.807; P < 0.05) in Agricultural Science. The findings further revealed that fishery (β= -0.79) was the greatest predictor of students’ achievement in agriculture while poultry (β = -0.333) mostly predicted students career decision in Agricultural Science. It was recommended that curriculum planners should systematically introduce agricultural science experiences (poultry, fishery and cashew farming) into the curriculum content of all the Secondary School Students and it should not be streamlined to only science students alone because of its educational value and it relevance to the needs of the learner and society as a whole.Keywords: Agricultural experiences, achievement, career decision in Agricultural Scienc