Endogenous pathways and dissemination of personal cleanliness and family hygiene to rural farmers in South Eastern Nigeria

The study investigated the effectiveness of endogenous channels in transferring messages on personal cleanliness and family hygiene to rural farmers. The study was carried out in Southeastern Agro-Ecological zone of Nigeria. Four research objectives were proposed to guide the study. Multi stage sampling technique was used to select respondents for the study. Four states were selected for the study; two states that participated in UNICEF promoted community dialogue and two that never participated. Two LGAs were sampled from each of the states and from each LGA, two autonomous communities. Twenty-five respondents were sampled from each of the communities. This gave a total of two hundred respondents from each group of rural farmers. A set of questionnaire was used to elicit information from the respondents. Frequency counts, percentages, mean as well as Z-Statistic were used to analyse the data collected from the study. Result of the analysis shows that respondents that participated in the community dialogue had better knowledge, attitude and behaviour towards the messages on personal cleanliness and family hygiene than the nonparticipants. Result of the Z-Statistic shows that at 1 per cent level of significance there are differences in the attitude and behaviour of participants and nonparticipants towards messages on personal cleanliness and family hygiene. Based on the result it was recommended that Non-Governmental Organisations, government agencies and media houses disseminating messages on sanitation and hygiene should use communication channels that are integrative and appeal to both the senses of the audience and their social status.Keywords: Message, Channel, Endogenous, Rural Transfer, and Communicatio

Sustainable Agricultural Production in Degraded Oil Producing and Conflict Prone Communities of Niger Delta, Nigeria

The rich alluvial soil of the delta coupled with copious web of fish and salt water bodies provide the necessary incentives for the people of Niger Delta of Nigeria, who are predominantly farmers and fishers. The ecological devastation occasioned by oil exploration has rendered farming and fishing which are the main occupations of the rural people of this region, useless. The paper seeks to highlight the extent of the environmental degradation in the Niger Delta region, determine the efforts of the Oil Companies in remediating the degraded farmlands, and make recommendations for a sustainable agricultural development in the Niger Delta. It identifies three (3) states, and 31 environments which are severely polluted with oil, noted the effects of oil production on agricultural production and attempt to describe some of the remediation activities carried out by some of the oil companies in this region and concludes that, to achieve sustainable agricultural production, continuous remediation of the degraded environment, Special agricultural intervention by the three tiers of government, youth education, encouragement and motivation and supply of subsidized inputs to the real farmers were necessary

Use of Modern Birth Control Methods Among

ABSTRACT This paper studied the extent of utilization of Modern Birth Control Methods (MBCM) among rural dwellers in Imo State Nigeria. Three hundred and sixty households were randomly selected and data were obtained from them with the use of questionnaires and Focus Group Discussion. The results showed that only 30% of the respondents used MBCM while 57% of them used the traditional birth control methods. The most popular modern method was the condom (24.2%). This was followed by the IUD, used by only 2.5% of the respondents. Some of the identified factors that hindered the use of MBCM included perceived negative health reaction, fear of the unknown effects, cost, spouse's disapproval, religious belief and inadequate information. For a better understanding and utilization of MBCM, it is recommended that adequate educational campaign should be mounted in the rural areas on the advantages of MBCM. This campaign should target the men the more because they make the major decisions on MBCM use. RÉSUMÉ L'utilisation des méthodes modernes de contrôle des naissances au sein des communautés rurales dans l'état d'Imo, Nigéria L'article a étudié l'ampleur de l'utilisation des méthodes modernes de contrôle des naissances (MMCN) au sein des villageois dans l'Etat d'Imo, Nigeria. Trois-cent-soixante familles ont été sélectionnées au hasard et des données ont été obtenues à l'aide des questionnaires et des Discussions en Groupes Cible. Les résultats ont montré que seuls 30% des gens interroges utilisaient les MMCN alors que 57% d'eux utilisaient les méthodes traditionnelles de contrôle des naissances. La méthode moderne la plus populaire était le préservatif (24,2%). Le DIU venait après, utilisé par seuls 2,5% des personnes interrogées. Quelques facteurs identifies qui ont entravé l'utilisation des MMCN ont compris une réaction médicale négative perçue, la crainte des effets inconnus, le coût, la désapprobation de l'époux, la croyance religieuse et l'information insuffisante. Pour une meilleure compréhension et utilisation des MMCN, nous proposons qu'une campagne éducative adéquate soit montée dans les régions rurales sur les avantages des MMCN. Cette campagne devrait avoir comme cibles les hommes plus que les femmes parce qu'ils prennent les décisions principales sur l'utilisation des MMCN. (Rev Af

L'utilisation des méthodes modernes de contrôle des naissances au sein des communautés rurales dans l'état d'Imo, Nigéria

This paper studied the extent of utilization of Modern Birth Control Methods (MBCM) among rural dwellers in Imo State Nigeria. Three hundred and sixty households were randomly selected and data were obtained from them with the use of questionnaires and Focus Group Discussion. The results showed that only 30% of the respondents used MBCM while 57% of them used the traditional birth control methods. The most popular modern method was the condom (24.2%). This was followed by the IUD, used by only 2.5% of the respondents. Some of the identified factors that hindered the use of MBCM included perceived negative health reaction, fear of the unknown effects, cost, spouse's disapproval, religious belief and inadequate information. For a better understanding and utilization of MBCM, it is recommended that adequate educational campaign should be mounted in the rural areas on the advantages of MBCM. This campaign should target the men the more because they make the major decisions on MBCM use.L'article a étudié l'ampleur de l'utilisation des méthodes modernes de contrôle des naissances (MMCN) au sein des villageois dans l'Etat d'Imo, Nigeria. Trois-cent-soixante familles ont été sélectionnées au hasard et des données ont été obtenues à l'aide des questionnaires et des Discussions en Groupes Cible. Les résultats ont montré que seuls 30% des gens interroges utilisaient les MMCN alors que 57% d'eux utilisaient les méthodes traditionnelles de contrôle des naissances. La méthode moderne la plus populaire était le préservatif (24,2%). Le DIU venait après, utilisé par seuls 2,5% des personnes interrogées. Quelques facteurs identifies qui ont entravé l'utilisation des MMCN ont compris une réaction médicale négative perçue, la crainte des effets inconnus, le coût, la désapprobation de l'époux, la croyance religieuse et l'information insuffisante. Pour une meilleure compréhension et utilisation des MMCN, nous proposons qu'une campagne éducative adéquate soit montée dans les régions rurales sur les avantages des MMCN. Cette campagne devrait avoir comme cibles les hommes plus que les femmes parce qu'ils prennent les décisions principales sur l'utilisation des MMCN

Regularity and publishing trends in 'The Nigerian Agricultural Journal': 1980-2000

The Nigerian Agricultural Journal (NAJ) has been in publication for more than three decades now. The objectives of this paper were: to determine the regularity of production, and analyze its publishing trends between 1980 and 2000. All the published editions were identified and analyzed. The results showed that NAJ has not been published regularly. Only 38% of the proposed issues were published. Content analysis of the published articles revealed that 55% of the articles were in crop sciences while 17% and 12% were in soil science and animal science respectively. There were little or no published articles in engineering, food science and processing, and fisheries. Based on the findings, recommendations were made to ensure the sustainability of NAJ. [Niger Agric. J. 33 (2002): 139-142

EVALUATION OF THE UTILIZATION OF A RICE PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY AMONG WOMEN FARMERS IN THE CENTRAL ZONE, NIGERIA

The National Cereals Research Institute developed and disseminated a rice processing technology more than a decade ago. To evaluate the utilization of the technology in the Central Zone, 223 rice processing women were randomly selected from four states for data collection, using an interview schedule. The results show that the level of utilization is low. Majority of the respondents are not aware of the technology. For those who are aware, only three out of the six practices are effectively utilized

EVALUATION OF THE UTILIZATION OF A RICE PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY AMONG WOMEN FARMERS IN THE CENTRAL ZONE, NIGERIA

The National Cereals Research Institute developed and disseminated a rice processing technology more than a decade ago. To evaluate the utilization of the technology in the Central Zone, 223 rice processing women were randomly selected from four states for data collection, using an interview schedule. The results show that the level of utilization is low. Majority of the respondents are not aware of the technology. For those who are aware, only three out of the six practices are effectively utilized

Rural Women’s Participation in the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme in Abia State Nigeria

This work assessed participation of rural women in Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) in Abia State. Multistage random sampling was used to select 120 farmers. Results indicated 35.3% of the registered women participated in the programme while 62.93% of them rated GESS as moderately effective. However, lack of electricity to power their phone (59.48%), delay in receiving SMS (57.75%) and inadequate quantity of inputs received (62.06%) were constraints to active participation of women in GESS. The Probit estimate of the relationship between the age, marital status, awareness, level of education, family size, extension contact, membership to social organization  and monthly income of the women and their level of participation in the Scheme showed that coefficient of awareness (0.205) was positive and significant while age (-1.105*) and monthly income (-1.915*) were negative and also significant. It is therefore recommended that the government improve on the technicalities of Sms delivery and the quantity of input through the scheme. Â

Rural Women’s Participation in the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme in Abia State Nigeria

This work assessed participation of rural women in Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) in Abia State. Multistage random sampling was used to select 120 farmers. Results indicated 35.3% of the registered women participated in the programme while 62.93% of them rated GESS as moderately effective. However, lack of electricity to power their phone (59.48%), delay in receiving SMS (57.75%) and inadequate quantity of inputs received (62.06%) were constraints to active participation of women in GESS. The Probit estimate of the relationship between the age, marital status, awareness, level of education, family size, extension contact, membership to social organization  and monthly income of the women and their level of participation in the Scheme showed that coefficient of awareness (0.205) was positive and significant while age (-1.105*) and monthly income (-1.915*) were negative and also significant. It is therefore recommended that the government improve on the technicalities of Sms delivery and the quantity of input through the scheme. Â