Empirical Assessment of Nigeria’s Agricultural Export and Economic Welfare

This paper assessed empirically Nigeria’s agricultural export and economic welfare. Data used for the study were obtained from secondary sources, bulk of which was collected from institutional and national databases over 1990-2005 and were analyzed using multiple regression and growth rate analysis. The results showed that agricultural output, inflation, subsidy, exchange rate, food import and export were statistically significant at various risk levels and have major implications on the economic welfare of Nigeria. Economic welfare was found to have grown at rate of 2.9% over the period and would be expected to reach N20, 480.64 million in 2010. The study suggested that Nigerian government should adopt appropriate monetary policies to ensure stability in the foreign exchange market in view of the bizarre implications of fluctuations on economic welfare.economic, agricultural exports, welfare, empirical, assessment

Helminth infections, atopy, asthma and allergic diseases: protocol for a systematic review of observational studies worldwide.

INTRODUCTION: Childhood infections, particularly those caused by helminths are considered to be important environmental exposures influencing the development of allergic diseases. However, epidemiological studies focusing on the relationship between helminth infections and risk of allergic diseases, performed worldwide, show inconsistent findings. Previous systematic reviews of observational studies published 10 or more years ago showed conflicting findings for effects of helminths on allergic diseases. Over the past 10 years there has been growing literature addressing this research area and these need to be considered in order to appreciate the most contemporary evidence. The objective of the current systematic review will be to provide an up-to-date synthesis of findings of observational studies investigating the influence of helminth infections on atopy, and allergic diseases. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This systematic review protocol was registered at PROSPERO. We will search Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, ISI Web of Science, WHO Global Health Library, Scielo, IndMed, PakMediNet, KoreaMed, Ichushi for published studies from 1970 to January 2020. Bibliographies of all eligible studies will be reviewed to identify additional studies. Unpublished and ongoing research will also be searched in key databases. There will be no language or geographical restrictions regarding publications. Critical Appraisal Skills Programme quality assessment tool will be used to appraise methodological quality of included studies. A descriptive summary with data tables will be constructed, and if adequate, meta-analysis using random-effects will be performed. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist will be followed for reporting of the systematic review. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Since this systematic review will be only based on published and retrievable literature, no ethics approval will be sought. The multidisciplinary team performing this systematic review will participate in relevant dissemination activities. Findings will be presented at scientific meetings and publish the systematic review in international, peer-reviewed, open-access journals. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020167249

Seed Germination, Foliar Vestiture and Stem Anatomical Features of Urena lobata L. (Malvaceae): An Ethnobotanical and/or Ethnomedicinal Plant Genetic Resource in Nigeria

The seed germination enhancement, foliar vestiture studies and stem anatomical features of Urena lobata L. were investigated against the backdrop of its ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal applications. Results show that the plant branches profusely thus yielding much of the vegetative parts used for various purposes. Germination of the seeds was enhanced by mechanical scarification and sulphuric acid treatments and the acid treatment elicited greater effects than the mechanical scarification. Leaf morphology especially the type and depth of lobes varied within the species while stellate and sharply pointed trichomes were observed on the abaxial and adaxial foliar surfaces. The possible roles of the glandular trichomes as secretory receptors of the active ingredients that impart medicinal efficacy to the plant were highlighted. Anatomical investigations of the stem showed that while the petiole is glabrous, the stem was covered with sharply pointed trichomes

Estimation of farm level technical efficiency and its determinants among male and female sweet potato farmers in Imo State, Nigeria

With the difficulties encountered by the farmers in adopting improved technologies, increasing resource use efficiency has become a very significant factor in increasing productivity. Therefore, this study was designed to estimate the farm level technical efficiency and its determinants among male and female sweet potato farmers. Primary data collected from a random sample of 120 sweet potato farmers (64 females and 56 males) were subjected to production function analysis. The result showed that fertilizer and farm size positively affected output for both farmer groups. Labour and capital positively affected output for the females while quantity of sweet potato vine affected the output of the male farmers positively. The mean technical efficiency for the female farmers was higher (92%) than that of their male (85%) counterparts. Farming experience and access to credit were positive and significantly related to technical efficiency for both farmer groups, while no significant relationship was found between technical efficiency and level of education, co‐operative membership and age for both farmer groups. Therefore, policies for improving farmers’ access to credit, land and extension contact would enhance efficiency and productivity.Keywords: male and female farmers, sweet potato, technical efficiencyEthiopian Journal of Economics vol 20 (1) 201

Determinants of agricultural intensification among crop farmers in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria

This study was designed to examine the determinants of agricultural intensification among crop farmers in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State of Nigeria. Primary data, collected from a random sample of 70 crop farmers with structured questionnaire, were analysed by simple statistical tools and the multiple regression model. Results showed that farm output, number of soil management practices, farming experience, and years of education positively influenced agricultural intensification; while household size negatively influenced it. Farmers in the study area applied at least six soil management practices with bush fallowing, which has a mean of 5.15 years, taking the lead. Farm size was small, with a mean of 1.40 ha; while household size was large, with at least six persons. It was recommended that the farmers should be encouraged to use appropriate soil management practices,while appropriate educational facilities should be provided to further enhance human capacity building and skills acquisition by the farmers. Policies and programmes for counselling farm households on family planning, birth control measures, and soil conservation techniques were recommended

Differentials in Performance among Ginger Marketers in South-East, Nigeria

The study analysed the performance of ginger marketers in South-East, Nigeria, using a multi-stage sampling procedure in the selection of hundred sixty eight (168) respondents for the study. A well-structured questionnaire was used in collecting data from the respondents and the data collected analyzed using simple statistical tools like frequency tables, percentages and cost and return analysis. The result revealed that majority (62%) of the ginger marketers were females, mean age of about 44 years and 62.50% married. Majority had little or no contact with extension (1.36), had large households (6persons) and non-members of cooperative society (56.48%). The results of the performance indicators shows the net return as N24,089.66 per week. This suggests that the business was profitable and capable of continuing in both the short and long run. However, higher margin implies a higher profit. It is therefore recommended for policies that will encourage new entrants into the business since is profitable and those already in it to scale up. Awareness campaigns should made to popularize the crop and it benefits, this is expected to increase their livelihoods

Differentials in adoption stages of improved cassava production technologies among small-holder farmers in Anambra State: A gender situation analyses

This study was designed to estimate and compare the stages of adoption of cassava production technologies by gender. A multi-Stage random sampling technique was used in selecting the respondents. Primary data was collected from a sample of equal proportion of male (60) and female (60) farmers and analyzed by the use of descriptive statistics (mean, frequency and percentage), and Z-test. The socioeconomic results showed that the mean age of male farmers was 49 years while that of females was 48 years. About 38.33% of males attained primary while 43.33% of females attained secondary school. Male farmers had a mean farming experience of 20 years while female had mean farming experience of 23 years. The Z statistics showed a significant difference in the mean adoption stages between male and female farmers. The result showed that Female farmers had high level of trial and adoption while male farmers had higher level at evaluation stage. The result is an indication that male farmers were late adopters while female farmers were early adopters. Male farmers had high cost of inputs and lack of access to processing machines as the most constraints affecting the adoption of innovative technologies while poor road network, lack of access to processing machines and lack of extension agent visitation were the major constraints affecting the adoption of technological innovation by female farmers. The results call for policies that would aim at encouraging farmers to adopt innovative technologies introduced to them and access to extension for efficient dissemination of improved technologies.Keywords: Stages, Adoption, Cassava technologies and Gende

Measuring the Degree of Market Power in the Export Demand for Nigerian Cocoa: An Analysis of Dutch Market

The study examined the degree of market power in the export demand for Nigerian Cocoa with focus on the Dutch Market. The study covered the periods of 1961–2007 and data comprised published national aggregates on specific trade and macroeconomic variables from reputable sources. Two Stage Least Squares (2 SLS) approach was used in the estimation after instrumenting for simultaneity and establishing stationarity alongside cointegration relationship. Findings, on the demand side, showed that the demand for cocoa increases as income of Netherlands (importing country) increases. Total production of the non– participating countries traced out a positive relationship with demand for cocoa by the importing country while the coefficient of price of Coffee (substitute crop) possessed a negative sign. On the supply relation side, the demand for the export crop has a negative sign, indicating decreasing marginal output with respect to cost while the proxy for ocean freight rate with its negative sign, imply increasing export cost. The result further showed that there is relative competitiveness in the Dutch market on the strength of a market power coefficient -0.712 with a Lerner index of 0.122. Based on the findings, the study calls for government intervention in the agricultural export subsector with the aim to revitalize the country’s agricultural export capacity and enhance her market power via increased market shares. These interventions could be in the form of input/production subsidies, targeted export promotion programs, farm settlement, expanded export processing zones to mention but a few

Optimum resource allocation among selected smallholder root and tuber crops farmers in Abia State, Nigeria

This study examined optimum cropping patterns for selected root and tuber crop based production and resource allocation of smallholder farmers in Abia State, Nigeria, using the linear programming approach. The objective function was to maximize gross revenue from the production of selected root and tuber crop based production activities subject to land, labour and minimum subsistence family staple food consumption. Cost route approach was used to collect data from a random sample of 60 smallholder farmers in the state using the multistage stratified technique for location. The activities incorporated in the LP model include crop production activities, labour activities and product selling activities. Crop production activities comprise sole crops and crop mixtures. Existing selected crop activities were compared with their optimum counterparts. Resource allocation was compared between farm land owners and tenants with the aim of investigating their relative competitiveness in major root crop based production combination. Results showed that the sampled farmers were not optimal in their resource allocation. There was gross misallocation of labour for both land owners and tenant farmer. For the selected root and tuber crops, yam, cocoyam and cassava crop activities were found in their soles in the existing plan whereas crop mixtures were dominance in the optimal plan except cocoyam for the tenants’ category. However, optimal farm plans favoured fewer crops than in the existing plan. Cassava/melon, yam/maize and cocoyam/melon were the crop activities prescribed for an average land owner to maximize gross margin of N231,119.40K as against N190,265.00K in the existing plan (an increase of 21.48%) while for the farm tenants N190,671.30K was prescribed as optimal gross margin as against N184,600.00K (an increase of 3.29%). Yam/melon and Cassava/cocoyam/maize had the least tendency to depress farm income if forced into the plan for the land owners and farm tenants respectively. Farmers’ purchasing power would be enhanced given optimal crop production activity combination and land resource allocation.Keywords: Optimum, activities, crops, smallholder farmer