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Impact of Fertilizer Policy on Crop Production in Nigeria   Abstract This study examined the impact of fertilizer policy on crop production.  The various trends in fertilizer policy reform were explored.  Specifically, the fertilizer policy was studied under two policy regimes: the pre-liberalization and the liberalization periods.  The first period is between 1986 and 1996, which otherwise constituted the pre-liberalization era while the years between 1997 and 2006 make up the second period, otherwise called the liberalization era.  Secondary data on the distribution of fertilizer, usage-rate, fertilizer cost, yield of selected cereals, as well as the time series features of the variables, test for cointegration and the error correction mechanism were used in this research.  The descriptive analysis, students’ t-test and the...

Economics of Farm-gate Rice Marketing in Enugu State, Nigeria   ABSTRACT Rice has become a staple food, just like yam, garri and beans.  As a result, the marketing of rice has become very important due to increasing demand of the product.  The study examined the economics of farm-gate rice marketing in Enugu State, Nigeria.  Five objectives and one hypothesis guided the study.  The study covered all the communities in the local government areas in the three Agricultural Zones that produce rice in the study area.   The population of the study consisted of rice farmers/assemblers, rice wholesalers and retailers.  Purposive sampling technique was adopted in drawing the sample.  Data for the study were collected from both primary and secondary sources through the use of pre-tested structured questionnaire, oral interview,...

Economics of Soil Conservation Practices Among Small Scale Farmers in Enugu State   ABSTRACT The study investigated the economics of soil conservation practices among small-scale farmers in Enugu State. The study used multi-stage random probability sampling method and the primary data were collected form 120 farmers using structured questionnaire. Data on the socio-economic status of the farmers, forms of land/soil degradation in the study area, methods/ technologies used in combating them, intensity of adoption of selected soil conservation practices, costs and benefits of selected methods of conserving the soil and constraints to adoption of soil conservation practices were obtained. Data obtained were analyzed using percentages, cost-benefit analysis and multiple regression analysis. Based on the 2007/2008 cropping season, it was...

Economic Assessment of the National Fadama Development Programme in Kano State: a Comparative Study of Beneficiaries and Non-beneficiaries   ABSTRACT Fadama farming has contributed significantly to Nigeria’s agriculture in particular and the country in general, but the contributions have remained largely unmeasured.  As a result, this study examined the influence of the National Fadama Development Project on Fadama farmers in Kano State. Primary and secondary data were sought.  A set of questionnaires was developed and information was collected from 108 respondents who were randomly selected from the three agricultural zones in the study area. Multiple regression analysis and simple statistical tools, such as, means, frequency, range and percentages were used to realize the objectives of the study.  Analysis of the data revealed...

Economic Analysis of Rice Marketing Margin in Adani Uzo-uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria   ABSTRACT This study was carried out to analyses the marketing margin for rice among participants in  the marketing of rice in Adani Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area. A purposive sampling technique was used in the selection of respondents. The study identified and described the marketing of rice in the study area, the participants and their activities in the marketing of rice. It determined the cost of perfuming the physical functions of transportation, storage, processing and margin accruable to the participants (producers,   wholesales and retailers). Problems of agricultural marketing were also identified to include production conditions, transportation and communication, handling packaging and processing, storage and...

Resource Productivity in Ornamental Plants Production in Jos Metropolis, Nigeria   ABSTRACT This study was undertaken to analyze resource productivity in ornamental plants production within Jos metropolis of Nigeria. The study covered Jos North and Jos South local government areas. The specific objectives include: identifying the effect of socio-economic factors on resource productivity, determining costs and returns, and resource productivity in ornamental plants production. An extensive literature review was carried out to provide an in-depth knowledge of the study. The cluster sampling procedure was used because the nurseries are located in clusters. Data was collected from the nursery owners. Six respondents from each cluster and five clusters from each local government area were selected using the simple random sampling...

Economic Study of the Use of Organic Manure in Yellow Pepper (Capsicum Annuum L.) Production in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State   ABSTRACT Economic study of the use of organic manure in yellow pepper production in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State was carried out. The study was aimed at; describing the socio economic characteristics of yellow pepper farmers,  identifying factors that motivate the use of organic manure by yellow pepper farmers,  determining the yellow pepper farmers’ willingness to pay for processed biodegradable waste, determining and comparing the costs and returns from organic manure use only and users of both organic manure and mineral fertilizer.  Nsukka Local Government was purposively selected for the study because of their high level of involvement in the production of the crop from...

Economic Analysis of Artisanal Fishing Enterprises in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria   ABSTRACT Nigerian agriculture is currently characterized by low productivity, low level of technological adoption and use of inefficient production techniques. This has resulted to reduced food production. Fishery sector in Nigeria plays an important role in terms of national food security, employment, enterprise development and foreign exchange earning. Increasing efforts to raise the productivity of fishery can be an important measure to address the problem of food insecurity as well as reduced unemployment in the country. This study  examined the economics of artisanal fishing in  Guma Local Government Area of Benue State. Specifically, the objectives were to determine the profitability of artisanal fishing, evaluate the effect...

Economic Analysis of Financing and Sustainability of Irrigated Agriculture in the Lower Anambra and Lower Benue Irrigation Projects, Nigeria ABSTRACT Irrigated agriculture provides a very important part of national food security strategies as well as individuals’ and communities livelihoods at the local level.  Yet the performance of many irrigation and drainage systems in Nigeria is generally below potential due to a variety of shortcomings. The monopolistic nature of the sector and its social sensitivity has fostered extensive government intervention that has not always been conducive to financial sustainability. Insufficient cost recovery and lack of direct linkages between revenue and expenditure, and between the client and the service agency are the root of the problems resulting to lower performance. Globally, there is a consensus...

Patterns and Determinants of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Urban and Rural Areas of Enugu State, Nigeria   ABSTRACT The main objective of this study was to evaluate the patterns and determinants of fruit and vegetable consumption in urban and rural areas of Enugu State, Nigeria. The study was articulated based on the fact that despite the relatively cheap and abundant sources of micro nutrients found in fruits and vegetables, there abound wide spread cases of micro nutrient deficiencies. The data was collected from primary sources through a set of questionnaire administered to 240 respondents. The study employed both purposive and random sampling technique in the selection of the respondents. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, Working –Leser functional form of regression and z- test statistic....

Skill-based Competence and Competitiveness in the Garment-manufacturing Firms of Ghana. ABSTRACT   This study examines the skills competence of workers in the garment firms and skills- based competitiveness of the garment industries of Ghana. A total of 34 garment firms made up of 27 firms registered with the Association of Ghana Industries and seven firms registered with the Ghana Free Zones Board, as well as 205 workers of the garment industries were selected for the study. The Explanatory Sequential Mixed Method Approach was used for the study in which the quantitative process was first used, followed by the quantitative process. Data were gathered using questionnaires and followed by interviews of some selected workers and management of garment firms. The quantitative data was analysed using Pearson Product-Moment Correlation and Simple...

Consumers’ Evaluation of the Quality of Custom-made Garments Manufactured by Micro and Small Scale Enterprises in Sekondi/takoradi Metropolis, Ghana ABSTRACT   This study evaluated the quality of custom-made garments produced by Micro Small Enterprises (MSEs) in the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis of Ghana. Using the mixed method approach with multi-stage and convenience sampling techniques, 410 consumers and 36 manufacturers were sampled for the study. The data were collected using focus group discussions, a questionnaire and in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data from the focus group discussions and in-depth interviews while the Pearson‟s correlation coefficient was used to test the relationships between variables in the quantitative data obtained from the questionnaire. The results from the focus...