Gender Constraints in Small-Holder Cocoyam Production in Enugu North Agricultural Zone of Enugu State Nigeria

The study presents the results of analysis of data collected on 120 cocoyam farmers (60 females and 60 males) across the two Agricultural blocks in Enugu North Agricultural Zone using the multi-stage randomized sampling technique. Descriptive statistical tool (percentages) was used in analyzing farmer’s production problems. The survey reviewed that most of the farmers (males and females) encountered problems of root rot disease as a result of storage and lack of storage facilities. Both farmers encountered the problem of limited land, labour unavailability lack of credit facilities, distance from farm to market, pest and diseases etc. These constraints constitute serious impediments to cocoyam production and need to be addressed adequately through policy advocacy.Gender, Cocoyam and Small-Holder Farmers

Technical Efficiency of Small-Holder Cocoyam Farmers in Anambra State, Nigeria: Implications for Agricultural Extension Policy

This study employed the Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production function to measure the level of technical efficiency in small-holder cocoyam production in Anambra state, Nigeria. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 120 cocoyam farmers in the state in 2005 and from them input-output data were obtained using the cost-route approach. The parameters of the stochastic frontier production function were estimated using the maximum likelihood method. The result of the analysis shows that individual farm level technical efficiency was about 95%. The study found education and farming experience to be positively and significantly related to technical efficiency at 1% while practice index, fertilizer use and membership of cooperative societies also had a direct relationship with technical efficiency and were significant at 5% level. Age and farm size had an indirect relationship with technical efficiency and was significant at 1% and 5% level respectively. There were no significant relationship between technical efficiency and knowledge index, credit access and family size. Expected increases in agriculture require increase in agricultural productivity. In other words, agricultural productivity very much depends on the efficiency of the production process. Hence, policies designed to educate people through proper agricultural extension services will have a great impact in increasing the level of efficiency and hence agricultural productivity of these farmers.Technical Efficiency, Stochastic Frontier Production Function and Extension Service.

Prospects and problems of rice-fish culture in Nigeria

This paper examines fish demand and supply and looks at on-going research works in rice-cum-fish culture in Nigeria. It examines all the pre-requisites for adopting this farming system. Economic and Financial analysis were made using experimental plots at two ecological zones of Nigeria. This farming system, which has reached advanced stage in most of Asian countries, could well be practiced in Nigeria to assist farmers to harvest both protein (from fish) and carbohydrate from rice and thereby to improve their standards of liv

Quality characteristics of complementary foods formulated from sorghum, African yam bean and crayfish flours

Low-cost, nutritive and ready-to-eat complementary foods formulated from blends of sorghum, African yam bean and crayfish flour were evaluated for proximate, vitamin and pasting properties. The protein, ash, fat and crude fibre contents of the samples increased significantly (p<0.05) with increase in substitution with African yam bean and crayfish flours from 13.56±0.29–23.88±0.82%, 2.77±0.02-3.67±0.02%, 1.85±0.01-3.64±0.01% and 1.46±0.06-2.15±0.02%, respectively, while the carbohydrate and energy contents decreased. The control sample without substitution with African yam bean and crayfish flours (100% malted sorghum flour) had the highest carbohydrate (72.36±0.21%) and energy (364.33±0.35KJ/100g) contents. The vitamin content of the samples showed that the ascorbic acid, niacin, thiamine, vitamin A and folic acid contents of the blends increased with increase in substitution with African yam bean and crayfish flours from 1.27+0.02–2.66+0.06mg/100g, 0.64+0.00–0.88+0.00mg/100g, 0.36+0.00 – 0.53+0.00mg/100g,2.54+0.08–4.15+0.04mg/100g and 0.24+0.01–0.36+0.03mg/100g, respectively, while the riboflavin content decreased. The control sample had the highest riboflavin (3.17±0.02mg/100g) content. The pasting properties of the samples showed that the control had the highest values for final, breakdown and setback viscosities as well as peak time and pasting temperature, respectively compared to the formulated samples. The sample substituted with 30% African yam bean and 20% crayfish flours recorded the highest values for peak viscosity (113.77RVA) and trough (57.42RVA), respectively. However, the study showed that the nutrient contents and pasting properties of sorghum-based complementary foods could be drastically improved by supplementing sorghum flour with African yam bean and crayfish flours in the preparation of home-made nutrient dense complementary foods that would be used for feeding of infants and young children during complementary feeding period in Nigeria and other developing countries of the world

Gender Constraints in Small-Holder Cocoyam Production in Enugu North Agricultural Zone of Enugu State Nigeria

The study presents the results of analysis of data collected on 120 cocoyam farmers (60 females and 60 males) across the two Agricultural blocks in Enugu North Agricultural Zone using the multi-stage randomized sampling technique. Descriptive statistical tool (percentages) was used in analyzing farmer’s production problems. The survey reviewed that most of the farmers (males and females) encountered problems of root rot disease as a result of storage and lack of storage facilities. Both farmers encountered the problem of limited land, labour unavailability lack of credit facilities, distance from farm to market, pest and diseases etc. These constraints constitute serious impediments to cocoyam production and need to be addressed adequately through policy advocacy

Technical Efficiency of Small-Holder Cocoyam Farmers in Anambra State, Nigeria: Implications for Agricultural Extension Policy

This study employed the Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production function to measure the level of technical efficiency in small-holder cocoyam production in Anambra state, Nigeria. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 120 cocoyam farmers in the state in 2005 and from them input-output data were obtained using the cost-route approach. The parameters of the stochastic frontier production function were estimated using the maximum likelihood method. The result of the analysis shows that individual farm level technical efficiency was about 95%. The study found education and farming experience to be positively and significantly related to technical efficiency at 1% while practice index, fertilizer use and membership of cooperative societies also had a direct relationship with technical efficiency and were significant at 5% level. Age and farm size had an indirect relationship with technical efficiency and was significant at 1% and 5% level respectively. There were no significant relationship between technical efficiency and knowledge index, credit access and family size. Expected increases in agriculture require increase in agricultural productivity. In other words, agricultural productivity very much depends on the efficiency of the production process. Hence, policies designed to educate people through proper agricultural extension services will have a great impact in increasing the level of efficiency and hence agricultural productivity of these farmers

Technical Efficiency of Small-Holder Cocoyam Farmers in Anambra State, Nigeria: Implications for Agricultural Extension Policy

This study employed the Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production function to measure the level of technical efficiency in small-holder cocoyam production in Anambra state, Nigeria. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 120 cocoyam farmers in the state in 2005 and from them input-output data were obtained using the cost-route approach. The parameters of the stochastic frontier production function were estimated using the maximum likelihood method. The result of the analysis shows that individual farm level technical efficiency was about 95%. The study found education and farming experience to be positively and significantly related to technical efficiency at 1% while practice index, fertilizer use and membership of cooperative societies also had a direct relationship with technical efficiency and were significant at 5% level. Age and farm size had an indirect relationship with technical efficiency and was significant at 1% and 5% level respectively. There were no significant relationship between technical efficiency and knowledge index, credit access and family size. Expected increases in agriculture require increase in agricultural productivity. In other words, agricultural productivity very much depends on the efficiency of the production process. Hence, policies designed to educate people through proper agricultural extension services will have a great impact in increasing the level of efficiency and hence agricultural productivity of these farmers

Medical law: Exploring doctors' knowledge on the laws regulating clinical and medical laboratories in Nigeria

No Abstract

Determinants of Gender Productivity among Small- Holder Cocoyam Farmers’ in Nsukka Agricultural Zone of Enugu State, Nigeria

The study used the log-linear model derived from the Cobb-Douglas functional form for explaining determinants of productivity among male and female cocoyam farmers in Nsukka Agricultural Zone of Enugu State. The study involved a multi-stage random sampling technique of 120 farmers, consisting of 60 males and 60 females. For the male farmers, the coefficients for capital, cocoyam setts, labour and education were directly related to productivity and significant at 5% level. The coefficients for age and farm size were negative and significant at 5%level. The coefficients for fertilizer, manure, and extension contact were positive but not significant. The coefficients for household size and farming experience were negative but not significant. For the female farmers, all the coefficients were highly significant at 1% level except manure. The coefficients for capital, cocoyam setts, fertilizer, labour, household size, education, farming experience and number of extension contacts were directly related to productivity. The coefficients for farm size and age were negatively related to productivity. The results calls for policies aimed at increasing capital inputs and planting materials for cocoyam production. Encouraging the youths to cultivate cocoyam and accessibility to productive resources targeted at the small scale cocoyam enterprise. Given the inverse productivity-farm size relationship in agriculture, what is needed for increased productivity in cocoyam production is land redistribution supported by technical and financial assistance for farmers. There is need, also, for policies aimed at encouraging the experienced cocoyam farmers to remain in production, increase their extension contacts and increased use of fertilizer

Determinants of Gender Productivity among Small- Holder Cocoyam Farmers’ in Nsukka Agricultural Zone of Enugu State, Nigeria

The study used the log-linear model derived from the Cobb-Douglas functional form for explaining determinants of productivity among male and female cocoyam farmers in Nsukka Agricultural Zone of Enugu State. The study involved a multi-stage random sampling technique of 120 farmers, consisting of 60 males and 60 females. For the male farmers, the coefficients for capital, cocoyam setts, labour and education were directly related to productivity and significant at 5% level. The coefficients for age and farm size were negative and significant at 5%level. The coefficients for fertilizer, manure, and extension contact were positive but not significant. The coefficients for household size and farming experience were negative but not significant. For the female farmers, all the coefficients were highly significant at 1% level except manure. The coefficients for capital, cocoyam setts, fertilizer, labour, household size, education, farming experience and number of extension contacts were directly related to productivity. The coefficients for farm size and age were negatively related to productivity. The results calls for policies aimed at increasing capital inputs and planting materials for cocoyam production. Encouraging the youths to cultivate cocoyam and accessibility to productive resources targeted at the small scale cocoyam enterprise. Given the inverse productivity-farm size relationship in agriculture, what is needed for increased productivity in cocoyam production is land redistribution supported by technical and financial assistance for farmers. There is need, also, for policies aimed at encouraging the experienced cocoyam farmers to remain in production, increase their extension contacts and increased use of fertilizer