Constraints Associated With Cultivation and Utilization of Soyabean by Farmers in Ogun State, Nigeria

This study identified the constraints associated with the cultivation and utilization of soyabeans by farmers in Ogun State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 120 respondents for the study. Primary data were obtained with interview guide. Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Chi-Square were used to analyze the data collected. Results showed that the mean age of the respondents was 54.8years and majority (75.0%) were male. Majority (64.2%) were married while 65.0% were literate. Thirty five percent (35.0%) had been in farming for about 20 years while majority (65.8%) cultivated between 1-3 hectares of land. Most (80.8%) of the farmers were aware of soyabean cultivation with 56.7% having extension agents as their source of information. Other sources of information include the media (radio and television), fellow farmers and friends. Lack of market for soyabean was the foremost constraint against farmers’cultivation of soyabeans while lack of knowledge of soyabean processing was ranked first among the constraints militating against farmers’ utilization of soyabeans. More than half (59.2%) of the farmers utilize soyabean only in the form of soya milk. Chi-square analysis showed a significant relationship between farmers’ cultivation of soyabean and sex (c2=8.34, p<0.05) and educational status (c2=31.43, p<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that farmers’ cultivation of soyabean is significantly related to age (r=0.96, p<0.05), farm size (r=0.78, p<0.05) and years of farming (r=0.68, p<0.05) while age is significantly related to farmers’ utilization of soyabean (r=0.04, p<0.05). It was concluded that age, sex, educational status, farm size and years of farming played significant roles in farmers’ cultivation of soyabean while age determined the utilization of soyabean by the farmers. It was recommended that extension services targeted on soyabean cultivation and utilization should be more vigorously pursued. Keywords: Soyabean, Cultivation, Utilization, Innovation, Constraint

Implications of Deceptive Practices of Poultry Input Suppliers on Poultry Production in Kwara State, Nigeria

Deceptive practices of poultry input suppliers are partly responsible for inability to meet the consumption of recommended animal protein (35g/person/day). The study examined the prevailing deceptive practices and effects on poultry production in Nigeria. Proportionate random sampling technique was used to select 70 small scale poultry farmers used as respondents. Data were analyzed using percentages and means. The respondents (68.6%) had a minimum of secondary school education and spent averagely 15.7 years in poultry production. The findings showed that deceptive practices include adulteration of feed ingredients, marketing of under‑weighed feeds, lack of proximate analysis of nutrient composition of feeds and use of old bags for packaging. The respondents (81.3%) agreed that deceptive practices delayed the start of growing period of the fowls. Similarly, 79.5% and 61% experienced low meat and egg production, respectively, resulting in expensive animal protein, increased production overheads (83.4%), lowered returns on investment (90.1%). The result of hypothesis indicated a positive significant relationship between the level of educational attainment of respondents and ability to identify deceptive practices in poultry production (R = 0.214, P ≤ 0.05) among respondents. Nigerian Institute of Animal Science and other relevant regulatory agencies should have a structure to regulate and award penalties to culpable individuals in these deceptive practices. Extension organizations should educate poultry producers on the concept of deceptive practices and its consequences. Keywords: adulteration; poultry feeds; egg production; poultry meat production

Livelihood diversification amongst pastoralists and conflict with arable crop farmers: empirical evidence from Kwara State, Nigeria

The study identified causes of conflicts, settlement pattern of pastoral farmers and analyzed the influence of livelihood diversification on conflicts between pastoralists and indigenous crop farmers. Using multistage sampling procedure to select 280 respondents, data were collected by means of structured interview schedule and analyzed by frequency distribution, Pearson Correlation and one-way ANOVA. Results show that high pressure on land (WMS = 4.87) and unfavourable land tenure system (4.56) mainly caused the conflicts. Crop and pastoral farmers had an average farm size of 2.9ha and 1.7ha, respectively. Majority (75.5%) of pastoralists were engaged in crop production, while only 12.1% of crop farmers were involved in livestock rearing. Also, 57.9% and 32.9% amongst crop farmers and 14.2% and 15.0% amongst pastoral farmers were involved in trading and commercial (vehicular) transport business, respectively. Furthermore, 16.4% and 7.9% of the pastoralists lived in mud and block- walled houses with corrugated iron sheets, respectively. Transformational approach was identified as most acceptable solution of conflict resolution by both crop and pastoral farmers. There was a significant difference between farm size (F=9.33) and educational level (F=8.93) of crop and pastoral farmers. There was also a significant relationship between cause of conflicts and pastoralists’ livelihood diversification (r=0.74) and number of years’ of pastoralists in settlement (r=0.29). The study concluded that increasing involvement of the pastoralists in crop production, involvement in other employment opportunities and erection of permanent building structure ignited unhealthy rivalry between the two groups

EFFECTS OF SPECIAL RICE PROJECT ON RICE PRODUCTION IN KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

The study was carried out to evaluate the impact of the Special Rice Project (SRP) on rice production in Kwara state, Nigeria. Specifically, Edu and Patigi Local Government Areas of Kwara State were purposively selected because of the predominance of rice farming activities in the two local governments in the study area. A stratified random sampling technique of 204 rice farmers was used, where 140 farmers were selected from 6 circles in Patigi LGA comprising 70 participating SRP farmers and another 70 non-participating SRP. Also in Edu LGA, another 64 rice farmers were similarly selected from three extension circle comprising 32 SRP participating farmers and 32 non-participating SRP farmers. The data analyses reveals that SRP participating farmers accessed major rice production inputs at a relatively subsidized price while; non-participating SRP farmers accessed these inputs at higher prices. The result also shows that participating farmers in SRP cultivated on the average, more farm size, recorded higher yields/hectare and had higher average income/annnum than non-participating SRP farmers. The result of t-test analysis indicates a significant difference in the cost of farm inputs used by participating and non-participating farmers in SRP (t=4.537, p<0.05). Also Pearson Correlation result shows significant relationship between farm inputs used and socio-economic status of rice farmers (r=0.223, P<0.05). This study concludes that SRP significantly reduced the cost of farm operation, increased the yield and income of participating farmers. It subsequently recommends the expansion of SRP to cover all categories of rice farmers in the study area. Keywords: Rice farmers, Farm Inputs and Productio