Vocational training of Nigeria unemployed youths in Northeast Nigeria as fish farmers: a means of ensuring food security

Vocational training for unemployed youths as fish farmers plays an important role in meeting fish protein need of Nigeria, contributing immensely to the national economy by providing nutritious food for the populace, creating jobs and enhancing national health and wealth. Youths are the leaders of tomorrow thereby their contribution towards food security is important. The study considered their opinion on the training based on skills acquired during a-6-week intensive vocational training. Results show that most trainees (97.03%) are within the economically active age group of 20-39years. Most trainees were confident that the programme will ensure food abundance and have a great impact on national economy. They also considered the training helpful and not only to their immediate families but also to the country at large. Skills were acquired in 8 various enterprises of fisheries but most trainees (43.56%) show greatest interest in fish fingerlings production through induced breeding, a situation that could boost aquaculture in Nigeria in few years to come. According to the trainees, the programme is laudable, and came at the right time when Nigeria is agitating to be put among the economically developed nations. However, youths exercise fear over inconsistency that could impede the progress of the programme. Recommendations are made on how to ensure better food security through a laudable programme of this nature

Efficiency of vocational training of Nigeria unemployed youths in Northeast Nigeria as fish farmers

Vocational training for unemployed youths plays an important role in solving the problem of unemployment in Nigeria, assisting the teeming unemployed youths to find their footing in society as responsible citizens and for wealth building and creation. Youths as participants are the major actors in appraising the vocational training. The study probed into the activities of these youths during their six weeks stay at the Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, Baga. Result shows that most trainees (81.19%) were within the age range of 20-29 years. 94.06% were males while 5.94% were females. Desires for self employment made these youths to participate in vocational training as many of them (51.49%) are in total unemployment while the rest are involving in menial jobs. Skills were acquired in 8 different fisheries enterprises and these include Fish production, fish processing technology, fish feed production technology, boat construction, aquarium construction, fish marketing, extension methods and fishing gear construction and maintenance. Most trainees (43.56%) preferred and show enthusiasm for fingerlings production through induced breeding. Trainees were from 41 local government areas in 7 states in the North-east Nigeria. Virtually all participants performed above average, a result that is encouraging if aquaculture must develop and solve unemployment problem. Vocational training has distortions that impede its efficiency

Growth and production of fingerlings of Dutch Clarias gariepinus in indoor tanks in arid zone, Nigeria

Study on the growth and percentage survival of seasonal induced breeding was carried out at the Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology Baga. About 40,414 fingerlings were produced with percentage survival of 81.1 % at water temperature of 28degrees C between April and May, 2009. The average weight of fingerlings produced was 1.54 g with average standard and total length of 3.0 cm and 3.5 cm respectively. However, environmental factors that could hinder mass production of Dutch Clarias fry/fingerlings stocked at low and high stocking densities were monitored for eight weeks at 3.6 m2 indoor concrete tanks with water aeration using flow-through system. The percentage survival of 83.5% and 92.5% were obtained after the period of 8 weeks. The fry/fingerlings were fed with Artemia mixed with powdered feed of 35 % crude protein. The study shows that for Dutch Clarias fry/fingerlings production and management, smaller concrete tanks with flow-through mechanism are required and 3.6 m2 should not be stocked with more than 3,500 fingerlings per tank in the first 8 weeks before transferring them to production ponds. It was observed that apart from efficient water aeration, constant feeding and sampling of fingerlings will increase growth rate, increase resistance to disease and uniformity in size of the Dutch Clarias. The mean water temperature measured in this study ranged from 27.5degrees C in April and 28.5degrees C in May while pH ranged between 7.5 and 7.3 in April and May, respectively

Immobilization of cellulase and yeast for the hydrolysis and fermentation of pre-treated bagasse for ethanol production

Lignocellulose ethanol promises to be the cheapest form of fuel, however, the drawback in the production is in the pretreatment process to remove lignin and the efficient hydrolysis of free cellulose. This research work is designed to delignify sugarcane bagasse, hydrolyze and ferment it with immobilized cellulase from the snail gut isolates and yeast respectively. The biomass were pretreated with Ca(OH)2 and then placed in the water-bath with temperature of 200C, 400C, 600C, 800C,1000C and 1200C. The pretreated biomass was hydrolysed with free and immobilized cellulase at 500C for 5-48hrs. The activity, optimum pH, optimum temperature, substrate concentration profile and kinetic parameters, Vmax and Km of cellulase were also determined. The optimum pH for free and immobilized cellulase ranged from 4.0-5.5 and optimum temperature was recorded at 450C and 550Cfor free and immobilized cellulase respectively. The effect of temperature on both free and immobilized cellulases showed that immobilized cellulase has higher resistance to temperature than the free cellulase. Also the yield of glucose (40mg/ml) was higher with immobilized enzyme after 24hrs. The results obtained has also shown that immobilized cellulase has a higher Km when compared with free cellulase The maximum reaction rate (Vmax) obtained from Michaelis Menten plots was lower for immobilized cellulase than for the free enzyme. Higher value of Vmax for free enzyme indicated that the enzyme converted more substrate to product per unit time upon saturation with substrate. The biomass was fermented for 48hrs with immobilized Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the results showed the ethanol yield of 31.75% at 24hrs and 70.84% at 48hrs. The initial glucose concentration was 40mg/ml and this significantly reduced to 6.21mg/ml after 24hrs and 1.25mg/ml after 48hrs of the fermentation process. These results showed a proportional increase in ethanol yield against a depleting concentration of glucose which is being used up in the fermentation reaction revealing the maximum efficiency of the immobilized yeast cells. In this study, it has shown that the entrapped cellulase cells produced high levels of reducing sugars in hydrolysis compared with their native counterparts and immobilized yeast cells also gave a high yield of ethanol. The immobilization process therefore obtained more thermostable biocatalysts with increased productivity which is more economical for biofuel production.Keywords: Immobilization, Cellulase, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, biocatalysts, delignificatio

Some water quality parameters and zooplankton periodicity of the Baga in-take channel of Lake Chad

Assessment of some water quality parameters and zooplankton periodicity of the Baga in-take channel of Lake Chad was reviewed. Seven different species of zooplankton were identified at the two sampling stations of the channel. Each identified zooplankton species were grouped according to its major group of Copepods, Cladocera and Rotifera. The copepods dominated the total population with the highest number of occurrence as Cyc1opoids species. There was a mark evidence of organic manure nutrient on total zooplankton population. Surface water temperature in station 1 ranged from 22.8-28. 1degreesC the pH ranged from 6.10 - 7.12 while D.O ranges from 4.00mg/1 -6.20 mg/I. At station 2, temp ranged from 22.0-28.1 OdegreesC, pH ranged 7.1 - 8.6 while D.O. ranged from 4.00mg/1 - 6.20mg/1

The Dynamics of Land Use Land Cover Change: Using Geospatial Techniques to Promote Sustainable Urban Development in Ilorin Metropolis, Nigeria

Land change dynamics was studied and analyzed across the plains of Metropolitan Ilorin between 1986 and 2010. A statistical sampling design, Landsat satellite data and Geographical Information System tools were used to efficiently identify patterns of land conversion. Variability of change ranged from approximately 2 percent to greater than 50 percent, and progressed at an uneven pace. Indicative of the changes is a sequence of agricultural expansion before 1986 followed by widespread conversion to built up area by 2000 and beyond. Pattern and magnitude of conversions influenced by contextual conditions of land quality, population increase, plus economic and policy drivers. The sporadic expansion of settlements, especially the built up areas in and around the study area, resulted in rapid diminishing and conversion of other land cover types to more built up environment and thus aaccentuating urban agglomeration of Ilorin. It is recommended that various Government regulatory authorities embark on careful urban planning by strickly allocating land for various designated purposes and ensure continous monitoring of physical developments so as to safeguard distortions to the urban environment of Ilorin

The Proximate and Elemental Analysis of some Leafy Vegetables Grown in Minna and Environs

Four different leafy vegetables grown and commonly consumed in Minna and it’s environ was analysed with a view to determine the nutrient content of these vegetables. The vegetables are water leaf ( Talinum triangulare ), fluted pumpkin ( Telferia occidentalis ), bitter leaf ( Vernonia amygdalina ) and drumstick ( Moringa oleifera ).Among the four leafy vegetables, Talinum triangulare contains the highest amount moisture (91.6%), Vernonia had the highest ash and lipid content (2.5%) and (0.7%) respectively. Moringa had the highest amount of protein (2.9%). It is also the richest source of sodium while Telfeiria had the highest K+ ion value. The results obtained in this work clearly indicates that the four leafy vegetables are cheap and readily available source of the nutrients. @ JASE