Analysis of upland farm households’ vulnerability to climate variability in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

Analysis of upland farm households’ vulnerability - Gabriel, Edet, *Valerie, Glory, Godwin, Clement, Nkoyo, E. Bassey and Obot Analysis of upland farm households’ vulnerability to climate variability in the Niger Delta, Nigeria The study analysed the vulnerability of upland farm households to climate variability in the Niger Delta. Three states - Akwa Ibom, Ondo and Rivers were selected from the nine states that make up the Niger Delta region. A total of 120 respondents from upland communities of the Niger delta were used for analysis. Household questionnaire and vulnerability questionnaire using Cost Route method were the instruments used for data collection and analysed using Vulnerability Profile and Vulner-ability / Risk Framework. The results of the analysis show that both male and female headed house-holds in all the upland communities were vulnerable to flooding, windstorm, erosion and drying up of streams. Important factors that made households vulnerable to climate hazards were low agricultural output and income, non-availability of irrigation facilities, insufficient farm labour and lack of storage facilities. Technical capacities of household members were assessed using both science-based knowledge as well as indigenous knowledge of climate change as indicators to adaptation to climate variability. It was assumed that the adaptive capacity of households could be enhanced by the number of persons with either science-based knowledge or indigenous knowledge across the re-gion. Expenditure on carbohydrate was higher across the region during disaster time, followed by expenditure in protein, vitamin/minerals and fat and oil and other classes of food, implying that more carbohydrate food is consumed during disaster period than any other class of food. Certain geo-graphical factors such as distance to coastline and population have direct impact on climate variability in the Niger Delta Region. Recommendations include establishment of emergency evacuation systems, income opportunities and support programmes as well as capacity building on climate change knowledge, enterprise development and management. Key words: Farm households, Nigeria, poverty, rural areas, smallholder farmer

Effectiveness and tolerability of standardized milk based, standardized non-milk based and hospital-based formulations in the management of moderate acute malnutrition in under-five children: A randomized clinical trial

Introduction : Moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) is a leading cause of under-five morbidity and mortality globally. Supplementary feeding is a strategy recommended by WHO for managing the condition.Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of standardized milk-based formulation (SMBF), standardized non-milk based formulation (SNMBF) and hospital-based formulation (HBF) in under-fives with MAM.Method: This was an open label randomized clinical trial in which eligible children aged 6 – 59 months with MAM were assigned to receive the SMBF, SNMBF or HBF at 50% of their daily caloric requirement with their regular family diet for four months. Their baseline characteristics and anthropometric indices were noted. They were followed up on two weekly basis during which further assessments were performed. The analysis for effectiveness and tolerability of the formulations were based on “per protocol”.Results: A total of 687 children were screened and 188 enrolled. Seventy children received SMBF, 63 received SNMBF while 55 received HBF. There were 54/70 (77.1%), 57/64 (89.1%) and 46/55 (83.6%) evaluable participants in the SMBF, SNMBF and HBF group respectively. Recovery from MAM was 43/54 (79.6%), 40/57 (70.2%) and 32/46 (69.6%) in the SMBF, SNMBF and HBF group respectively. Normal nutritional status was attained by 13 (24.0%), 10 (17.6%) and 5 (10.9%) children in the SMBF, SNMBF and HBF group respectively. Diarrhea and skin rashes were the main features of poor tolerability.Conclusions: The formulations were effective in managing MAM in childhood but the SMBF was the most effective. Diarrhea and skin rashes were the main features of poor tolerability