46 research outputs found
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Barriers to climate change adaptation among farming households of southern Nigeria
Abstract
Climate change is perhaps the most serious environmental threat to the fight against hunger, malnutrition, disease and poverty in Africa, essentially because of its impact on agricultural productivity. The objective of this paper was to identify the major barriers to climate change adaptation among smallholder farmers of Southern Nigeria. The paper was based on primary data collected within the framework of the Development Partnership for Higher Education (DelPHE) Project from 360 farming households selected randomly from the region. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and factor analysis. The result of the analysis show that majority of the farmers were men (70%), relatively educated (average of 9 years in school) and practiced mixed farming (61%). The major factors constraining farmers from adapting to climate change impacts were – (a) land constraints which manifested itself in limited availability, high costs and poor ownership systems (tenure); (b) poor climate change information and agricultural extension service delivery; (c) high cost of farm inputs and processing facilities; (d) high cost of irrigation facilities and government irresponsiveness to climate change risk management, (e) credit constraints, (f) labour constraints, and (g) income constraints. The paper concludes with a recommendation that farmers need to be supported in order for them to effectively adapt to the climate change impacts that are already affecting their production and hence reduce hunger and poverty. These supports could come from governments, non-governmental organizations and even farmers’ unions themselves
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A framework for agricultural adaptation to climate change in Southern Nigeria
The agricultural sector which contributes between 20-50% of gross domestic product in Africa and employs about 60% of the population is greatly affected by climate change impacts. Agricultural productivity and food prices are expected to rise due to this impact thereby worsening the food insecurity and poor nutritional health conditions in the continent. Incidentally, the capacity in the continent to adapt is very low. Addressing these challenges will therefore require a holistic and integrated adaptation framework hence this study. A total of 360 respondents selected through a multi-stage random sampling technique participated in the study that took place in Southern Nigeria from 2008-2011. Results showed that majority of respondents (84%) were aware that some climate change characteristics such as uncertainties at the onset of farming season, extreme weather events including flooding and droughts, pests, diseases, weed infestation, and land degradation have all been on the increase. The most significant effects of climate change that manifested in the area were declining soil fertility and weed infestation. Some of the adaptation strategies adopted by farmers include increased weeding, changing the timing of farm operations, and processing of crops to reduce post-harvest losses. Although majority of respondents were aware of government policies aimed at protecting the environment, most of them agreed that these policies were not being effectively implemented. A mutually inclusive framework comprising of both indigenous and modern techniques, processes, practices and technologies was then developed from the study in order to guide farmers in adapting to climate change effects/impacts
Incidence of and socio-biologic risk factors for spontaneous preterm birth in HIV positive Nigerian women
BACKGROUND: Recent studies have identified HIV as a leading contributor to preterm delivery and its associated morbidity and mortality. However little or no information exists in our sub-region on this subject. Identifying the factors associated with preterm delivery in HIV positive women in our country and sub-region will not only prevent mother to child transmission of HIV virus but will also reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with prematurity and low birth weight. This study was designed to determine the incidence and risk factors for preterm delivery in HIV positive Nigerians. METHOD: The required data for this retrospective study was extracted from the data base of a cohort study of the outcome of prevention of mother to child transmission at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos. Only data of women that met the eligibility of spontaneous delivery after 20 weeks of gestation were included. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institution’s Ethical Review Board. RESULTS: 181 women out of the 1626 eligible for inclusion into the study had spontaneous preterm delivery (11.1%). The mean birth weight was 3.1 ± 0.4 kg, with 10.3% having LBW. Spontaneous preterm delivery was found to be significantly associated with unmarried status (cOR: 1.7;1.52-2.57), baseline CD4 count <200 cells/mm(3)(cOR: 1.8; 1.16-2.99), presence of opportunistic infection at delivery (cOR: 2.2;1.23-3.57), multiple pregnancy (cOR 10.4; 4.24 – 26.17), use of PI based triple ARV therapy (eOR 10.2; 5.52 – 18.8) in the first trimester (cOR 2.5; 1.77 – 3.52) on univariate analysis. However after multivariate analysis controlling for potential confounding variables including low birth weight, only multiple pregnancy (aOR: 8.6; CI: 6.73 – 12.9), presence of opportunistic infection at delivery (aOR: 1.9; CI: 1.1 – 5.7), and 1st trimester exposure to PI based triple therapy (aOR: 5.4; CI: 3.4 – 7.8) retained their significant association with preterm delivery. CONCLUSION: The spontaneous preterm delivery rate among our cohort was 11.1%. HIV positive women with multiple pregnancies, symptomatic HIV infection at delivery and first trimester fetal exposure to PI based triple therapy were found to be at risk of spontaneous preterm delivery. Early booking and non-use of PI based triple therapy in the first trimester will significantly reduce the risk of preterm delivery
Measurement of scintillation response of CsI[Na] to low-energy nuclear recoils by COHERENT
We present results of several measurements of CsI[Na] scintillation response
to 3-60 keV energy nuclear recoils performed by the COHERENT collaboration
using tagged neutron elastic scattering experiments and an endpoint technique.
Earlier results, used to estimate the coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus
scattering (CEvNS) event rate for the first observation of this process
achieved by COHERENT at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), have been
reassessed. We discuss corrections for the identified systematic effects and
update the respective uncertainty values. The impact of updated results on
future precision tests of CEvNS is estimated. We scrutinize potential
systematic effects that could affect each measurement. In particular we confirm
the response of the H11934-200 Hamamatsu photomultiplier tube (PMT) used for
the measurements presented in this study to be linear in the relevant signal
scale region.Comment: The version accepted by JINST. The changes made as a result of the
peer review process: 1. Section 8 "Global CsI[Na] QF data fit" is expanded.
The main fit result and its uncertainty is NOT CHANGED. An alternative fit is
now shown in Figure 14, Figure 15 is added to further validate the
assumptions in the main fit. 2. The Appendix B is restructured for clarit
Measurement of Pb(,X) production with a stopped-pion neutrino source
Using neutrinos produced at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge
National Laboratory (ORNL), the COHERENT collaboration has studied the
Pb(,X) process with a lead neutrino-induced-neutron (NIN) detector.
Data from this detector are fit jointly with previously collected COHERENT data
on this process. A combined analysis of the two datasets yields a cross section
that is times that predicted by the MARLEY event
generator using experimentally-measured Gamow-Teller strength distributions,
consistent with no NIN events at 1.8. This is the first inelastic
neutrino-nucleus process COHERENT has studied, among several planned exploiting
the high flux of low-energy neutrinos produced at the SNS.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures, version accepted by Phys. Rev.
Monitoring the SNS basement neutron background with the MARS detector
We present the analysis and results of the first dataset collected with the
MARS neutron detector deployed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Spallation
Neutron Source (SNS) for the purpose of monitoring and characterizing the
beam-related neutron (BRN) background for the COHERENT collaboration. MARS was
positioned next to the COH-CsI coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering
detector in the SNS basement corridor. This is the basement location of closest
proximity to the SNS target and thus, of highest neutrino flux, but it is also
well shielded from the BRN flux by infill concrete and gravel. These data show
the detector registered roughly one BRN per day. Using MARS' measured detection
efficiency, the incoming BRN flux is estimated to be
for neutron energies
above ~MeV and up to a few tens of MeV. We compare our results with
previous BRN measurements in the SNS basement corridor reported by other
neutron detectors.Comment: Submitted to JINS
COHERENT Collaboration data release from the measurements of CsI[Na] response to nuclear recoils
Description of the data release 10.13139/OLCF/1969085
(https://doi.ccs.ornl.gov/ui/doi/426) from the measurements of the CsI[Na]
response to low energy nuclear recoils by the COHERENT collaboration. The
release corresponds to the results published in "D. Akimov et al 2022 JINST 17
P10034". We share the data in the form of raw ADC waveforms, provide benchmark
values, and share plots to enhance the transparency and reproducibility of our
results. This document describes the contents of the data release as well as
guidance on the use of the data
First Probe of Sub-GeV Dark Matter Beyond the Cosmological Expectation with the COHERENT CsI Detector at the SNS
The COHERENT collaboration searched for scalar dark matter particles produced
at the Spallation Neutron Source with masses between 1 and 220~MeV/c using
a CsI[Na] scintillation detector sensitive to nuclear recoils above
9~keV. No evidence for dark matter is found and we thus place
limits on allowed parameter space. With this low-threshold detector, we are
sensitive to coherent elastic scattering between dark matter and nuclei. The
cross section for this process is orders of magnitude higher than for other
processes historically used for accelerator-based direct-detection searches so
that our small, 14.6~kg detector significantly improves on past constraints. At
peak sensitivity, we reject the flux consistent with the cosmologically
observed dark-matter concentration for all coupling constants ,
assuming a scalar dark-matter particle. We also calculate the sensitivity of
future COHERENT detectors to dark-matter signals which will ambitiously test
multiple dark-matter spin scenarios