Attitude of crop farmers towards e-wallet platform of the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme for input delivery in Oke-Ogun area of Oyo state

E-wallet-powered Growth Enhancement Support Scheme was designed by the Nigerian Government to facilitate and improve farmers’ prompt access to agricultural information and input services. An assessment of the pilot phase of the scheme becomes necessary for an effective implementation. The study therefore assessed the attitude of crop farmers towards the e-wallet platform of the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme. A total of 120 crop farmers across the study area were sampled through a simple random sampling method. Data were collected through a well-structured interview schedule, and analysed using percentages, PPMC and Chi-square. Farmers’ mean age was 47 years. Majority were males, married and have an average of 15 years farming experience. Maize and cassava were the most grown crops. Majority indicated non commitment of the ADP and long distance to redemption centre as major constraints to use of e-wallet. More than half had favourable attitude towards the e-wallet platform of the Scheme. There is significant relationship between the years of farming and educational level with farmers’ attitude towards the e-wallet. Constraints faced also had negative influence on attitude to the scheme. Establishment of more redemption centres to stop the rigor of long queues and reduce long distance covered before accessing the centres will make prompt access to information targeted by e-wallet achieve desired end.</jats:p

THE IMPACT OF MACROECONOMIC POLICIES ON AGRICULTURE IN SWAZILAND: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS (1980-2012)

Policymakers in Swaziland view agriculture as an engine to foster economic growth, reduce poverty and eradicate inequality among the populace when the right policies are formulated and implemented within their rightful institutional framework. This study is an empirical investigation of the effect of macroeconomic policies on the agricultural sector in Swaziland using annual time-series data for the period 1980 to 2012. The study used the bound test approach to cointegration to analyse the data. The cointegration results revealed that there was long run relationship amongst the variables of agriculture GDP and export. The results also revealed that real money supply, real exchange rate, real GDP, and real government expenditure had a significant long run impact on agriculture GDP with elasticity coefficients of 0.07, 0.24, 0.88 and -0.3 respectively, while short run coefficients were -0.002,0.23,-0,94 and -0.4 respectively.  In the case of agriculture exports, the results further revealed that real money supply, real government expenditure, discount rate, real exchange rate and real GDP had a significant impact on the sector`s exports with long run elasticity coefficients of 0.13,-0.32,-0.01,0.5 and 2.53 respectively, while short run elasticities were 0.06,0.35,0.01,0.46 and -1.34 respectively.The Central Bank of Swaziland needs to adopt policies aimed at providing affordable credit to agriculture. In terms of the low response of the agricultural sector to macro-policy variables the study recommends that policymakers should intensify the promotion of finished or processed agriculture exports and create a disincentive to imports. Keywords: Agriculture, exports, prices, macroeconomic policy, cointegration, autoregressive distributed lag model (ARDL), Swaziland

Microcredit Effect on Agricultural Productivity: A Comparative Analysis of Rural Farmers in Ogun State, Nigeria

This study examines the effect of access to credit on the productivity of rural farming households in Ogun State, Nigeria. Data were collected, with the use of well structured questionnaire, from 240 small-scale rural farmers, who were categorized into users and non-users of micro-credit based on their statement, through multi-stage sampling technique. Descriptive statistics, budgetary technique and multiple regression analysis, involving the use of ordinary least square (OLS) method of estimation, were employed in analyzing data for this study. The results revealed that total cost per hectare of credit user farmers is higher (N41,632.53) than that of non-credit user farmers (N32,667.79), indicating misallocation of resources by credit-user farmers. Again, profit per hectare of credit users farmer is greater (N44,466.59) than that of non-credit users (N27,833.03), suggesting that, access to credit could lead to improved farmers' productivity and higher income in form of revenue and profit. Regression analysis showed that only fertilizer and farm size, both being positive, affect credit users farmer's output, whereas, planting material, agrochemical, farm size and fixed inputs affects non-credit users farmer's output. R2 values suggested that variation in output by the two categories of farmers is explained by 57 and 52 percent of explanatory variables in their production functions, respectively. F-value of 9.84 and 10.11 recorded for the two categories of farmers respectively, and being significant at 1 percent each, led to the rejection of the hypothesis of inputs having no significant effect on output. It is thus concluded that credit could bring about higher productivity and profit in agricultural production, hence, this study recommends that existing banks should be encouraged to have more rural outlets, while there should be federal government policy of empowering rural farmers to have access to more agricultural lands.Keywords: Micro-credit, Productivity; Rural-farmers; Ogun State, Nigeri

Analysis of optical filtering in waveguides with a high index modulation using the extended coupled mode theory by hybridization of a matrix method

International audienceIn this paper the authors present an hybrid approach for the analysis of the optical filtering function in corrugated waveguide filters with a high index modulation. This approach is based on the hybridization of the extended couple mode theory (CMT) with the transfer matrix approach. The authors chose to treat the case of high index corrugation because in this case the theory elaborated before is not rigorously applicable. The proposed approach allows the calculation of the reflection coefficient and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) for any index modulation scheme. The hybridization of both methods mentioned above explains the impact and effects of opto-geometric parameters on the reflection coefficient and the bandwidth at mid-height. The theoretical results are verified by experimental measurements realized on Ti:LiNbO3 waveguides with a high index modulation experimentally implemented by engraving using Focused Ion Beam (FIB) process

The Significance of Male Participation in Home Economics Programs in Public Schools

This investigation is to determine the extent of male participation in home economics courses in public schools. Related questionnaires were completed by participants and results tabulated. It was determined that the student's own interest, and their perception of how homemaking will help later are influencing factors for enrollment in homemaking classes. Food preparation, getting along with others, grooming, clothing selection and construction and using new equipment properly are areas of interest to male students. The belief that homemaking is for girls, and the lack of interest in the content and activities of homemaking classes account for the low male participation. Community understanding, friendly attitudes of counselors, a well equipped department, and practical homemaking courses could attract more male participation

Yoruba Contemporary Gele: A Stylistic Appraisal

Gele, pronounced gay-lay, is simply head covering, typified and rooted in feminine fashion of the Yoruba, home and abroad. It is the ultimate apparel adorned by the female folks of all age, class and status; giving acclaimed quintessential top notch appeal, deserving of a true Yoruba dress. In other words, clothing accessories conglomerating costume, footwear, makeup and hairstyle is incongruous without gele particularly in the Yoruba milieu. Gele congruity in female dressing is unequivocably material to recent proclivity and self expressions as observed in generation and regenerations of well over thirty stylish gele ideas and innovations. In view of the latter, this paper examines gele stylistic inclination; using Ibadan as its case in point, being the largest city state in modern Yoruba history. The methodology adopted was triangular approaches of participatory field investigation, online survey and artistic visualisation. Gele adherents and stylists of Ibadan metropolis were physically interviewed, figures sourced virtually and appraised artistically. Eight gele styles were shortlisted and stylistically visualised. Findings revealed dynamism in prevailing gele styles, with apparent classic and comely finesse on beholders. Consequently, this paper hopes it finding will help promotes gele styling among teeming youths locally and globally; provoking studies on the subject matter

Acute administration of co-artesiane induces oxidative stress in the testes of adult male Wistar rats

Co-artesiane is an artemether-lumefantrine combination therapy that is used in the treatment of malaria. In this work we studied the toxicological effect of this drug with reference to seminal and biochemical parameters of the male reproductive system of wistar rats. Twenty (20) adult male rats were divided into four groups of five rats per group. Group A was administered a single dose (4 mg/kg/bw) of Co-artesiane, Group B was administered double dose (8 mg/kg/bw) of Co-artesiane and Group C received 10 mg/kg/bw of the drug for a period of 3 days. Group D served as control and received physiologic saline. In each group body weight, testicular weight, sperm count, motility and viability as well as oxidative stress status were assessed by evaluating the activities of reduced glutathione, Glutathione S-transferase, catalase, super oxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA). The mean sperm count, motility and viability in rats treated with Co-artesiane were reduced when compared with controls. Biochemical analyses showed increase in the activities of oxidative stress markers in a dose-dependent manner. The results suggest that the graded dose of Co-artesiane® elicit depletion of antioxidant defense system and induced oxidative stress in the rats

Urban groundwater quality in sub-Saharan Africa: current status and implications for water security and public health

Groundwater resources are important sources of drinking water in Africa, and they are hugely important in sustaining urban livelihoods and supporting a diverse range of commercial and agricultural activities. Groundwater has an important role in improving health in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). An estimated 250 million people (40% of the total) live in urban centres across SSA. SSA has experienced a rapid expansion in urban populations since the 1950s, with increased population densities as well as expanding geographical coverage. Estimates suggest that the urban population in SSA will double between 2000 and 2030. The quality status of shallow urban groundwater resources is often very poor due to inadequate waste management and source protection, and poses a significant health risk to users, while deeper borehole sources often provide an important source of good quality drinking water. Given the growth in future demand from this finite resource, as well as potential changes in future climate in this region, a detailed understanding of both water quantity and quality is required to use this resource sustainably. This paper provides a comprehensive assessment of the water quality status, both microbial and chemical, of urban groundwater in SSA across a range of hydrogeological terrains and different groundwater point types. Lower storage basement terrains, which underlie a significant proportion of urban centres in SSA, are particularly vulnerable to contamination. The relationship between mean nitrate concentration and intrinsic aquifer pollution risk is assessed for urban centres across SSA. Current knowledge gaps are identified and future research needs highlighted

Response of Guinea Grass (\u3cem\u3ePanicum maximum\u3c/em\u3e Jacq) to Application of Cow Dung in South West Nigeria

The yield of forage species from the world\u27s grazing land is limited by poor soil and unproductive species (Jones & Wild, 1975; Cooke, 1982). The use of manure on pasture land not only represents a low cost disposal method but also a means of recycling nutrients for plant growth and counteracting the decreasing organic matter content in most agricultural soils. In agro-pastoral production systems, the interaction between crops and livestock is important. Manures are used mainly to complement inorganic fertiliser in the production of food crops. There is a dearth of information on the response of pasture grass to application of cow dung and so the response of two Panicum maximum ecotypes to cow dung was evaluate