Tomato farmers adoption level of postharvest value addition technology and its constraints in Surulere Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

The study examined tomato farmers’ adoption level of postharvest value addition technology and its constraints in Surulere Area of Oyo state. 160 tomato farmers were randomly selected and interviewed through structured interview schedule. Data obtained were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. Results revealed prevalent causes of tomato postharvest losses to include; unreliable means of transportation, lack of adequate storage facilities, limited alternative uses of produce, diseases/pest infestation and non-accessibility to improved varieties and quality seeds. Furthermore, postharvest value addition technologies at adoption level indicated by majority were ranked as follows; sun drying and peeled tomato preserves (88.1%) ranked first, fresh refrigerated (67.5%) ranked third, pureed and sealed with oil in jars (50.6%) ranked fourth, boiled, sealed and packed sealed (50.0%) ranked fifth, cold water bath (46.9%) ranked sixth. Only (3.1%) evaluated pickling, 0.6% trialled irradiation, 2.5% trialled pulping. Constraints faced by majority include; inadequate technological knowledge about value addition, inadequate of electricity supply, lack of cold storage facilities and lack of awareness about value addition technologies. Regression analysis shows significant relation between preventive initiatives adopted by tomato farmers and their level of education, agricultural cooperative membership and availability of electricity and extension agents’ visit. In the view of the findings, the study concludes that tomato farmers have adopted several preventive initiatives for tomato postharvest losses and were still with faced with challenges. It is therefore important improve educational knowledge of tomato farmers in the study area on improved skills to further minimise post-harvest losses.Keywords: tomato, postharvest losses, value addition, constraint

Correlates of Ill Health Conditions and Farmers’ Productivity in Ilorin East Area of Kwara State, Nigeria

The study examines the ill health conditions experienced and farmers’ productivity in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. Primary data were duly obtained using well-structured questionnaire which was administered on eighty farmers. Descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) analyses were employed. Results however revealed that majority 100%, 85%, 77.5% and 56.25% of respondents have experienced malaria, typhoid fever, diarrhea and stomach ache respectively. Results further indicated that majority 97.5% and 67.5% of respondents who have experienced malaria and typhoid fever patronize modern medical services but 62.5% and 37.5% who have experienced diarrhea and stomach ache access traditional medicine for healing. PPMC analyses showed the ill health experienced by respondent were significant related to their farm size. Results also showed that health care services available for farmers were not significant related to their productivity. The study therefore concludes that malaria and many others diseases and illnesses are ill-health conditions facing farmers in the study area. The study suggests the need for quick health care delivery that will meet the health care need of farmers in the study area, most especially preventive measures to control mosquito. Keywords: Ill-health: farmers: productivity: Ilorin East LGA: Kwara State

Outcome of Infertility Consultations in a tropical tertiary health institution in Nigeria

Aim: To examine the outcome of gynaecological consultations for infertility in a tropical Teaching Health facility.Material & Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of infertility cases seen at the Bowen University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso over a year (16 October, 2010 to 15 October, 2011). The patients were followed up for twelve months thereafter. Data collection was done using a designed profoma. All patients coming for gynaecological consultations because of infertility within the study period were included in the study after giving their informed consents. Patient information recorded in the profoma included age, parity, educational status, occupation, duration of infertility, investigations, modality of treatment and treatment outcome. Outcome was measured by the number of live births amongst treated patients.Results: A total of 195 patients presented for gynaecological consultations during the one year period; infertility was one of the commonest reasons for gynaecological consultation, accounting for 38.5% (75) of the cases. Tubal factor, 25(33.5%) was the commonest etiological cause. The treatment modality involved myomectomy (20, 26.6%), ovulation induction (20, 26.6%), laparoscopic adhesiolysis (8, 10.7%) and tubal surgery (5, 6.7%). Treatment of infertility resulted in 10 (13.3%) live births, with ovulation induction giving the highest percentage of live births (5, 50%).Conclusion: The outcome of treatment of infertility is poor. Therefore, establishing a standard assisted reproductive technology (ART) unit will be of immense value in improving the outcome.Keywords: Infertility, consultation, outcom

An assessment of farmers' knowledge of yam entrepreneurial skills in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract. This study assessed the farmers' knowledge of yam entrepreneurial skills in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Two-stage random sampling procedure was used to select 580 respondents. Questionnaire was used to collect data. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data collected. Findings show that the majority of the respondents had access to yam entrepreneurial business training/seminar (75.5%), sources of information through agricultural extension agents (86.2%), radio (83.3%) and fellow farmers (79.5%), non-member of any crop related enterprise group (66.2%). The overall farmers' knowledge of yam entrepreneurial skills was low among the majority (62.6%). Specifically, the knowledge level of respondents on cultivation skills (X=67.0) was high while managements skills (X=39.5), co-operation/networking (X=29.3), customer/marketing skills (X=27.1) and opportunity skills (X=21.3) of respondents were considered low. It was, therefore, concluded that farmers’ knowledge of yam entrepreneurial skills was low. Agri entrepreneurship training in management skills, opportunity skills, customer and marketing skills, cooperation and networking skills is recommended and encouraging the less educated yam- based entrepreneurs to participate in the agri-entrepreneurship capacity building training

Astudy on entrepreneurship skill practices among rural women in Kwara state, Nigeria

Abstract. The study examined the entrepreneurial skill practices of rural women in Kwara State, Nigeria. A total of 147 respondents were selected. Primary data were collected with the use of questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for the study. Mean age of respondents was 38.5 years. The average entrepreneurship experience was 11 years. The most prominent enterprises undertaken by respondents were garri processing (83.7%), corn milling (82.3%), soap making (82.3%), livestock production (81.6%), selling of provision/petty trade (80.3%), grinding pepper (78.2%), tailoring (76.9%), selling of pepper (71.4%), and poultry farming (64.6%). Commonly practiced entrepreneurial skills were communication skills (74.1%), creative thinking skills (72.8%), time management skills (70.1%), decision making and risk management skills (68.0%) and organizational management (61.2%). Most indicated constraints faced were high interest on loan (70.8%), poor road structure (67.3%), high cost of input (66.0%), lack of storage facilities (63.9), poor electricity supply (62.0%), lack of production materials (61.2%) and environmental factors (60.5%). Findings also show that age, marital status, household size and years of experience of respondents had positive significant influence on entrepreneurial skills practised at p<0.01 level of significance. The study concluded that communication skills, creative thinking skills, and time management skills were most practised by rural women entrepreneurs in Kwara State. The study recommends the need for rural women entrepreneurs to form strong credit cooperative society in other to empower themselves financially as well as easy procurement of inputs at cheaper rate

Goat farmers’ adaptation strategies to climate change in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria

This study examined the goat farmers’ adaptation strategies to climate change in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. About 105 goat farmers were selected for the study. Statistical tools such as frequency count, percentage, mean score and Pearson product moment correlation analysis were used to analyse data. The result revealed that about 61% of the respondents were males. The average age of the respondents was 57.7 years. About 48.6% of the respondents had primary education. The average years of experience in goat farming was 7 years and the average annual income of the respondents was ₦65,447.62. About 44.8% of the respondents indicated crop farming as the supportive occupation. The average number of Goats reared was 6 goats and about 58.1% of the respondents’ system of goats rearing was semi-intensive system. The main motive for goat production were for financial purpose (43.8%). More than half (56.2%) of the respondents indicated that they had no access to extension services on goat production. About 50.5% of the respondents acknowledged that climate change is occurring. The result revealed that about 52.4% of the respondents had high level of usage of adaptation strategies to climate change. The highest ranked perception statement was that there is increase in temperature (mean=3.45). The result of Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) showed that income (r=0.518), educational status (r=0.425), main motive (r=0.215) and knowledge of climate change (r=0.328) were positively significant to the adaptation strategies to climate change at 5 % level of significance. The study therefore recommends that there should be creation of more awareness on climate change and provision of extension services to goat farmers on adaptation strategies to climate change

Safety and efficacy of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce ileus after colorectal surgery

Background: Ileus is common after elective colorectal surgery, and is associated with increased adverse events and prolonged hospital stay. The aim was to assess the role of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for reducing ileus after surgery. Methods: A prospective multicentre cohort study was delivered by an international, student- and trainee-led collaborative group. Adult patients undergoing elective colorectal resection between January and April 2018 were included. The primary outcome was time to gastrointestinal recovery, measured using a composite measure of bowel function and tolerance to oral intake. The impact of NSAIDs was explored using Cox regression analyses, including the results of a centre-specific survey of compliance to enhanced recovery principles. Secondary safety outcomes included anastomotic leak rate and acute kidney injury. Results: A total of 4164 patients were included, with a median age of 68 (i.q.r. 57\u201375) years (54\ub79 per cent men). Some 1153 (27\ub77 per cent) received NSAIDs on postoperative days 1\u20133, of whom 1061 (92\ub70 per cent) received non-selective cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors. After adjustment for baseline differences, the mean time to gastrointestinal recovery did not differ significantly between patients who received NSAIDs and those who did not (4\ub76 versus 4\ub78 days; hazard ratio 1\ub704, 95 per cent c.i. 0\ub796 to 1\ub712; P = 0\ub7360). There were no significant differences in anastomotic leak rate (5\ub74 versus 4\ub76 per cent; P = 0\ub7349) or acute kidney injury (14\ub73 versus 13\ub78 per cent; P = 0\ub7666) between the groups. Significantly fewer patients receiving NSAIDs required strong opioid analgesia (35\ub73 versus 56\ub77 per cent; P &lt; 0\ub7001). Conclusion: NSAIDs did not reduce the time for gastrointestinal recovery after colorectal surgery, but they were safe and associated with reduced postoperative opioid requirement