Entrepreneurial Orientation of Agricultural Undergraduates: An Assessment of Selected Universities in Nigeria

Agriculture has the enormous potential to serve as a source of livelihood opportunities and generate sustainable income. However, there is not enough proof to establish whether entrepreneurship training in agriculture is being adequately pursued in the Nigerian Universities. Therefore, the study examined entrepreneurial orientation of agricultural undergraduates in selected public and private universities. University of Ibadan (UI) and Landmark University (LU) were purposively selected the former, being the model public University for Agriculture, and the latter, the only agriculture-oriented private University. A total of 105 and 70 students were surveyed, respectively. Data were analysed using percentages, mean, and t-test. The mean age of the respondents in LU and UI was 19 and 23 years, respectively. The overall exposure to facilities was significantly higher in LU (194.51±66.57) than UI (162.73±60.92). Agricultural programs were also perceived to be significantly more adequate in LU (21.60±8.80) compared to UI (17.92±9.25). Components of entrepreneurial orientation like innovativeness (LU = 19.27±3.54 and UI = 15.78±4.51) and overall entrepreneurial orientation (LU = 92.24±13.26 and UI = 84.04±16.02) were significantly higher in LU than in UI, respectively. The study concludes that students of Landmark University are better oriented towards agricultural entrepreneurship than their counterparts in the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. The study recommends an establishment by the country’s regulatory institutions, of standard requirement for agricultural training facilities in both public and private agricultural institutions, and used as criterion for accreditation of agricultural programmes

Stressors and resilience within the cassava value chain in Nigeria: preferred cassava variety traits and response strategies of men and women to inform breeding

Open Access JournalThis study investigated the trait preferences for cassava in the context of climate change and conflict stressors among value-chain actors in Nigeria to strengthen social inclusion and the community-resilience outcomes from breeding programs. Multi-stage sampling procedures were used to select and interview male and female value-chain participants in the Osun, Benue and Abia States. The results indicated that farmers preferred cassava traits such as drought tolerance, early bulking, multiple-product use and in-ground storability to strengthen resilience. Climate change and challenges related to social change shaped the response strategies from both genders, and influenced trait preferences, including the early re-emergence of cassava leaves, stems that had ratooning potential, and especially the root milking that was important among female respondents. The major response strategies employed by men included frequent farm visits to prevent theft and engaging in non-agricultural livelihoods. Those employed by women included backyard farming, early harvesting, having preferences for food with fewer processing steps, and depending on remittances. The resilience capacity was higher for men than for women due to their better access to assets, as well as their abilities to relocate their farms and out-migrate in search of other livelihoods. Considering gendered cassava traits, and enhancing their resilience and response strategies, can complement efforts to make breeding more socially inclusive, resilient, and anticipatory to future challenges created by climate and related social changes

Perceived nutritional and medicinal values of date palm (phienix dactylifera) among rural dwellers of Katsina State, Nigeria

The study investigated perceived nutritional and medicinal values of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) among rural dwellers of Kastina State, Nigeria. A total of 90 rural households were sampled in the state. Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Study reveals that respondents’ average age was 36.0±16.1 years as 34.4% were aged between 31 and 40 years. Majority (93.3%) were Muslims, while 64.4% were married with an average household size of 11 members. About 50% had Quranic education. A large number had consumed date palm before in both fresh (91.1%) and dry forms (64.4%). This may be due to high level of awareness of the various functional values of date palm as majority were aware of the various functional values. Overall levels of awareness of both nutritional (71.1%) and medicinal (53.3%) values of date palm were also high among majority. Also, 56.7% and 64.4% of the respondents had favourable perception towards medicinal and nutritional potentials respectively of date palm. Level of exposure to information (r=0.410 and 0.578) and level of awareness (r=0.504 and 0.409) had significant relationship with respondents’ perceived nutritional and medicinal values of date palm respectively. The study concludes that information and awareness were proven sine qua non for favourable perception of functional values of date palm among rural dwellers in Kastina state

Use of endogenous knowledge in treating pests and diseases of small ruminants in Obokun government area of Osun State

This paper examined the use of endogenous knowledge in treating pests and diseases of goats and sheep in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State. Multi stage sampling technique was used to select one hundred and twenty rearers of small ruminants in the study area. Data were collected through a structured interview schedule and analysed using frequency counts and chi-square. Majority (88.3%) of the respondents were female, while 60.0% had one form of education or the other. The mean age was 50.7±16.5years. The most used method in treating pests of small ruminants were adding shea butter oil and salt in treating mange̅ 1.23 ± 0.67 , hand picking of tick ̅ 1.08 ± 0.76 and rubbing the body of animal with palm kernel oil and salt for lice 0.45 ± 0.77 , while those of diseases include treating helminthiasis with lime orange and grinded pawpaw seed ̅ 1.51 ± 0.63 , using solution of charcoal and bitter leaf for diarrhoea̅ 1.30 ± 0.64 , and treating catarrh with tobacco snuff and pepper ̅ 1.26 ± 0.63 . Larger proportion (71.7%) of the respondents were categorized as high level users of endogenous methods. Educational level, marital status and sex do not significantly affect the level of use of endogenous knowledge. Endogenous knowledge is still relevant in managing common pest and diseases of small ruminants in the rural areas. It is therefore recommended that the knowledge be documented and incorporated in preventive and curative medicine for ease of passage from generation to generation so as to prevent it from extinction