ABSTRACT The negative effect of Climate Change (CC) on agriculture across Africa has been well established. This underscores its global policy interest. In Nigeria, crop farming is climate dependent and farmholders often employ measures that are sub-optimal against climate risk. This raises the vulnerability of farming to CC uncertainty. For a long time, knowledge of CC perception by farmholders dominated the existing literature. However, information on economic estimates of damages and resp...
ABSTRACT The Oban Division of the Cross River National Park, Nigeria, is a globally renowned biodiversity hotspot. The area is experiencing rapid land use changes and little efforts have been made to document the effects of the changes on biodiversity. The study investigated the effects of different land use types on flora composition, distribution and diversity in the area with a view to generating data that will support conservation decisions. The area was stratified into four: primary fore...
ABSTRACT A 12-week feeding trial was conducted in 27-cm3 circular plastic tanks (50 × 34 cm) to assess the performance of juvenile African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fed diets containing African yam bean meals (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) processed by different techniques. Five 35% crude protein diets were formulated containing no yam bean meal (control) or 34% fishmeal and 66% yam bean meal. The yam bean meals were processed in four manners: (a) ‘cooked’, sun-dried, and ground, (b) ‘to...
ABSTRACT T he s t u dy qu a nt it a t iv el y d et er min e t h e i mp a ct of p ol ic y cha n g es o n t ech n ica l eff ic i ency of s ma ll s ca l e fo o d cr op far mer s in O n do S t a t e, N ige r ia , us ing t h e s t ocha s t ic fr ont i er met h od o lo g y. G iv e n t h e s p eci fica t io ns of t h e C ob b -D ou gl a s S t ocha s t ic fr ont i er mod els , t h e r es u lt s s h o w t ha t t h e ela s t icit y of mea n va lu e of fa r m ou t p u t is a n incr ea s in g fu n ct io ...
ABSTRACT A study was carried out to determine the physico-chemical and heavy metal contents of the water and heavy sediments of Ekole River in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Water and sediment samples were collected in the dry (December/ January) and wet (June/July) seasons during 1003 and 7004. Surface water up to 15cm depth and sediments were sampled at nine locations: 100, 200,400.500m upstream; 0. l00,100, 300.400111 downstream of an oil flow station. The samples were analyzed for total suspende...
ABSTRACT In Nigeria several small scale farmers make use of organic materials such as compost and manure to maintain soil organic matter and as sources of nutrients. The advantages of organic farming could include increased productivity and enhanced biodiversity of the farm lands and surrounding environment. This paper examined the utilization of organic of practices and materials, with highlight on farmers' demographics, knowledge of organic farming, attitude and constraint to use of organic...
ABSTRACT Nigeria ranks fifth in world plantain production but has low export volume. The low export may be a result of activities along its value chain. However there is little information on the number of employment generated, comparative advantage, competitiveness and effects of policies on plantain. Therefore, the competitiveness of plantain along the value chain in southwestern Nigeria was investigated. A three stage sampling procedure was used. The ten high plantain producing Local Gov...
ABSTRACT The environmental conditions, composition of benthic macrofauna, and richness, diversity, as well as food habits and aspects of reproductive biology of fish species in the Kakum Estuary wetland (located 2 km west of Cape Coast, Ghana) were studied from July 2009 to February 2010 in an effort to broaden our knowledge of the biodiversity and ecological value of wetland ecosystems. Sampling was conducted on five pools in the wetland. Oligochaeta and Diptera (chironomid larvae) were the...
ABSTRACT The general objective of this study was to examine the performance of NGOs in extension service delivery in the Upper West Region of Ghana. The study therefore assessed the performance of 5 NGOs in 5 districts in agricultural extension delivery in the Upper West Region of Ghana. A descriptive survey design was used to collect data from 200 farmers and 30 staff of NGOs. Descriptive statistics and t-test analysis were used to summarise and compare the perception of farmers and staff o...
ABSTRACT The study sought to assess the determinants of household participation in the operation and maintenance of boreholes provided by World Vision Ghana (WVG) in the overseas area of the West Mamprusi District in the Northern Region. The study was carried out in three communities namely, Loagri No.1, Yagba and Kubori with populations ranging from 500 to 900 people, which have been provided with more than 4 boreholes since the inception of the project in the overseas area of the district ...
ABSTRACT This thesis evaluated the self-reported health effects of xenobiotics on electronic waste workers in Agbogbloshie, Accra, Ghana. In this occupational setting, many workers do not wear personal protective equipment (PPE), which exposes them to xenobiotics through inhalation, ingestion and dermal contact. The study was mainly quantitative consisting of measurements of concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including formaldehyde and methane, and particulate matter of size...
ABSTRACT The study set out to examine the effects of human encroachment on the Sakumo Ramsar Site. Descriptive and cross-sectional designs were employed to study 102 household heads from Lahibi, Sakumono, Klagon and Tema, as well as the Director of the Wildlife Department. Interview schedules were used to collect quantitative data from household heads, while interview guide was used to solicit qualitative data from the Director of the Wildlife Department. The quantitative data were analysed ...
ABSTRACT The phenological development, growth, yield and yield stability performance of eight cowpea varieties released in Ghana between 1990 and 2015 were evaluated in field experiments carried out at Mampong-Ashanti (forest-savannah transition zone) and Fumesua (forest zone) over two cropping seasons in 2015 and 2016. The experiments were arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. Asontem, Nhyira, Asetenapa, Hewale and Videza flowered and podded earlier (3...
ABSTRACT This study assessed rice farmers’ perception of climate change and adaptation strategies towards tackling the challenges climate change poses to the rice farmers in Ketu North District, Volta Region of Ghana. The multistage sampling technique was used to obtain a sample size of 340 rice farmers from six (6) farming sections and a structured questionnaire was used to elicit data from the respondents. The data collected from the rice farmers were analyzed using descriptive statistic...
ABSTRACT While remaining the most important sector of Ghana’s economy, agriculture in Ghana faces the challenge of making substantial progress in maintaining food security because average yields remain stagnant. This is attributable to limited use of modern inputs, such as fertilizer and improved seed, and due also to the rapid decline in Africa’s soil fertility status. Since its inception in 2008, that is six years to date, Ghana’s fertilizer subsidy programme has undergone a number of...