Categories: Academic Research

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...

Influence of Homemakers’ Spending Practices and Consumer Credit Use on Family Welfare at Sakumono Estates, Tema   ABSTRACT   This study was conducted to assess how the spending practices and consumer credit use among homemakers at Sakumono Estates in the Tema Municipality influenced family welfare. The specific objectives were to: examine the income and expenditure patterns of homemakers, investigate the management principles applied by homemakers in the use of money, investigate the perception and consumer credit use by homemakers and identify factors that influenced homemakers’ spending practices and credit use. Five null hypotheses were stated. Ho1: There is no relationship between homemakers’  demographic characteristics (age, educational level, marital status, occupation, income status) and spending practices. Ho2: There...

Characterisation of the Causal Agent of Mango Anthracnose Disease in Ghana ABSTRACT   This research work was carried out to update information on the nature, the identity of the causal agent and the importance of mango anthracnose disease in Ghana. It was also to determine the effect of the disease on the juice quality of fruits and come up with appropriate control measures in the country. A field survey was carried out in 12 administrative districts of Ghana in 2010 and 2011 to assess the disease incidence and severity. The effect of the disease on yield/fruit quality was assessed in a commercial farm by determining the percentage of fruits that dropped or could not be marketed due to the disease. The pathogen causing the disease was isolated from the diseased lesions and characterised using cultural, morphological, biochemical and...

Hectarage and Output Responses of Major Crops to Market Liberalisation and Price Risk in Nigeria   ABSTRACT Liberalization is part of the ongoing domestic market reforms and globalization policies that redefined government responsibility and actions, which affect agricultural development, and the welfare of farmers. This study examined hectarage and output responses of major crops to market liberalization, price risk and financial support. The objectives were to describe trends of output, hectarage and prices of these crops, as well as describe trends of non-price factors and estimate the effects of these factors on hectrage and output of selected crops. The study covered a period of 38 years from 1970 to 2007. Secondary data were obtained from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Statistics Data Base, Publications of Central...