An assessment of agricultural extension services in irrigation schemes under RBDAs’ control in Nigeria: The case of Kano River irrigation projec
January 2011
The National Irrigation Policy is based on boosting domestic agricultural production by using irrigation since rain fed production alone cannot meet demand. Achieving the goal of increasing agricultural production through harnessing of national irrigation potentials will depend on many factors; among which extension is likely to be one of the most important. For this purpose, this paper attempts to evaluate the...
Developing a modified delta N method for training needs assessment
December 2010
This paper briefly reviewed different methods/techniques for training needs assessment, particularly, Delta N method. It explained Delta N, its computation, highlighted its drawbacks and, more importantly, proposed a modified Delta N method. The paper, further, presented empirical findings of actual data gathered to assess training needs for extension personnel in the area of Information Communication Technology (ICT)...
Impact monitoring and evaluation system for farmer field schools in Kyrgyzstan: How to optimize resource allocation for higher impact
December 2010
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, Kyrgyz agriculture went through deep structural changes and the new small subsistence farmers were poorly prepared, lacking technical knowledge and entrepreneurship. Pilot activities demonstrated that integrated pest management (IPM) as a topic for Farmer Field Schools (FFS) could effectively fill the gap in extension services and enable farmers to become more efficient and...
Water conflicts on the Manjirenji-Mkwasine irrigation water supply canal, Masvingo province, Zimbabwe
December 2010
The case of the 45 km long Manjirenji-Mkwasine irrigation water supply canal in the south-eastern lowveld of Zimbabwe in Masvingo Province presents risks of conflicts among the different irrigator categories which this study investigated along with the questions on conceptual model, stakeholder participation and institutional arrangements through which the operation of the canal was mediated. Eighty percent of the...
Spatial relationship between human well-being and community capital in the Black Belt region of Alabama
November 2010
This paper examines the relationship between human well-being and forms of community capital in the eight Black Belt counties in the west-central region of Alabama. This region is one of the poorest in the United States with high proportion of African-American populations. Cross-sectional spatial regression models were estimated using the data from the U.S. Population and Economic Census, Geographic Information System,...
Is PLAR (Participatory learning and action research) a sufficient approach for the purpose of supporting transitions for sustainable agriculture? A case study from Sweden
November 2010
This article examines whether Participatory Learning and Action Research (PLAR) is a sufficient approach for the purpose of supporting transitions to improved sustainability in agriculture. Relevant outputs and outcomes are presented from a case study of Swedish organic greenhouse tomato growers researching their own views on what the concept ‘organic’ could comprise, and the sustainability of their...
Effects of farmer’s computer abilities and self-efficacy on their learning performance and adoption intention of the farming management information system
November 2010
This study explores how farmer’s self-efficacy influences their performance to use the farming management information system, FMIS. Six instruments were developed to evaluate computer ability, self-efficacy, performance, acceptance and attitude of 23 farmers who were enrolled in a two-day training workshop on FMIS. The results of this study have shown the training program improved farmer’s self-efficacy in...
Use of children and the issue of child labour in Ghanaian cocoa farm activities
November 2010
Cocoa cultivation is vital to the livelihood of thousands of farm families and their dependents in Ghana. The Government of Ghana has been concerned about recent media reports of the use of child labour in cocoa production in Ghana. It consequently set up the national programme for the elimination of worst forms of child labour in cocoa (NPECLC) at the ministry of manpower youth and employment. This paper presents...
Elitism in the farmer organization movement in post-colonial Malawi
October 2010
The rise of farmer organizations in Malawi has enhanced the rural livelihood economy and has changed the way in which the majority of the rural agrarian community view their farming enterprise. Farmer organization development in Malawi has, however, been retarded and has failed to meet the needs of its most disadvantaged members. This failure has been attributed to the rise of elitism and elite capture within the...
Decree on sustainable exploitation of inland fisheries in Lagos State, Nigeria
October 2010
To achieve sustainable and socially beneficial exploitation of the fishery resources led to the promulgation of the Inland Fisheries Decree 108 of 1992. The objective of this study was focused on whether the inland fisheries decree has significantly curbed the various threats to inland fishery stocks and the development of artisanal fishery Four communities (Ibeshe, Iyagbe, Agbowa-Ikosi and Ebute-Afuye) in Lagos State...
A stake-holder based approach to tsetse fly control in central Nigeria
October 2010
A 42 week community-based tsetse control project was undertaken in 3 riverine sub-ecosystems located in the Agaie Local Government area of Niger State, Nigeria to assess the effect of suppressing tsetse populations on the prevalence rate of trypanosomiasis in cattle. Baseline information on the vector and the disease was collected during the first 2 weeks of the 42-week period and suppression of the vector populations...
The evaluation of reclamation effects for the methods of covering soils in a coalmine reclamation area
September 2010
An experimental area has been established for studying the ecological reconstruction and reclamation in China's Fushun coalmine where coal resource in this mine is almost exhausted now and parts of the surrounding land have undergone subsidence. The experimental area is a large subsided area that has...
Sustainability of agricultural technologies in Southwest, Nigeria: The case of cassava farmers
September 2010
Sustainability of agricultural technologies requires an understanding of farmers socio-economic and farm characteristics, as well as the choice of technologies adopted by the farming households. The objective of this study is to investigate the farmers’ socio- economic, adoption level, socio- cultural and environmental characteristics as well as the contribution to the sustained use index of these and some other...
Efficacy of a botanical and biological method to control the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella L.) in cabbage (Brassica oleracea var capitata L.) under open field conditions at Anse Boileau, Seychelles
September 2010
Three field trials were conducted from August 2007 till December 2007, October 2007 till January 2008* and February 2008 till April 2008 at the Vegetable Research Station in Anse Boileau, Seychelles to evaluate the efficacy of one botanical and one biological method for controlling the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella L.) in cabbage (Brassica oleracea varcapitata L.) under open field conditions. The...
Analyses of development models of land consolidation in Kosovo and its perspectives
August 2010
Scope of ericulture in Assam: A micro-econometric analysis
August 2010
The paper analyses the scope of ericulture in Assam, India by theoretically and empirically examining its profitability and the excess capacity lies at the family farm level. Ericulture, is a traditional agro-based sericulture activity that has been playing a significant role in generating employment and income in a slowly progressing rural economy of Assam. Among all the major silk varieties, it occupies the prime...
Vegetable field workers provide insight for improving farm labor retention at the US-Mexican border
June 2010
A 60-question assessment was administered to 305 field workers during 2007 - 2009 to identify factors that could aid US southwest vegetable producers with retaining current field labor. The population surveyed included 38% females and 62% males with over 50% crossing the US/Mexican border daily. Age distribution of the survey participants was 0.9% (< 18 years old), 14.9% (18 - 24 years old), 10.3% (25 - 34 years...
Peri-urban development, livelihood change and household income: A case study of peri-urban Nyahururu, Kenya
June 2010
Peri-urban development has attracted increased attention in recent years particularly due to conflict/competition between new (urban) and traditional (rural) land uses as a result of peri-urban expansion. Much of the research in peri-urban development is concentrated in peri-urban concepts and definitions, environmental impacts and also impact on agriculture. Little attention is put in the assessment of the peri-urban...
Current status of bacterial -speck and -spot diseases of tomato in three tomato-growing regions of Tanzania
June 2010
Disease surveys were conducted in Arusha, Dodoma, Iringa and Morogoro regions in Tanzania in 2004 and 2005, to establish the current status of bacterial -speck and -spot diseases of tomato. The surveys also aimed at assessing the effect of cultural practices on the two diseases, with the aim of determining suitable management options. Information was also collected through oral interviews on the sanitary conditions of...
Farmers training effectiveness in terms of changes in knowledge and attitude: The case of Holeta, Melkassa and Debre zeit Agricultural Research Centres, Ethiopia
June 2010
Several agricultural technologies and high yielding varieties have been disseminated from the research centres operating under the umbrella of Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research such as: Holeta, Debre Zeit and Melkassa Agricultural Research centres. While the core functions of Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) are technology supply, popularization, national coordination and capacity...
The effect of Glomus mosseae and Trichoderma harzianum on proximate analysis of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill.) seed grown in sterilized and unsterilized soil
May 2010
Trichoderma harzianum as well as Glomus mosseae inoculum (separately and combined) were prepared, and soybean plants were treated by these inocula in a greenhouse to compare their proximate analyses in sterilized and unsterilized soils. Soybean plants grown on sterilized soil gave higher percentage of crude fiber (3.66%), carbohydrate (50.00%), ash (4.53%) as well as dry matter (90.41%) than those grown...
Effect of irrigation on consumptive use, water use efficiency and crop coefficient of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)
May 2010
Sesame was grown for two successive seasons (2001/2002 - 2002/2003) at Shambat, Sudan. The aim of the study was to investigate five irrigation water quantities on actual evapotranspiration as compared with estimated evapotranspiration using Penman-Monteith method, modified Penman formula and pan evaporation. Water use efficiency and crop factors were calculated and the best water use efficiency was obtained under...
Effects of planting density and pattern on physiological growth indices in maize (Zea mays L.) under nitrogenous fertilizer application
April 2010
Growth indices are useful for interpreting plant reaction to environmental factors. To evaluate the beneficial impact of planting density and pattern on induced maize (Zea mays L. cul. Single-cross 704) by nitrogenous fertilizer, this research was conducted at Iran and the experimental design was a split factorial on the basis of completely randomized block design...
Ants and Phragmanthera capitata (Sprengel), Balle (Loranthaceae) impacts on considerable damages caused on fruit trees of the Ndogbong (Douala, Cameroon) chieftaincy’s orchard
April 2010
Among the Loranthaceae, Phragmanthera capitata is better adapted to the conditions of the environment modified by man and to spontaneous or cultivated trees of Central Africa. The aim of this study is to inventory damages caused by Loranthaceae and ant trees on parasitized host trees (Citrus maxima, Psidium guajava and Theobroma cacao). Five main ant species are identified on three...
Effect of integrated pest management farmer field school (IPMFFS) on farmers’ knowledge, farmers groups’ ability, process of adoption and diffusion of IPM in Jember district
March 2010
This research aims to explore the effect of the integrated pest management farmer field School (IPMFFS) on farmers’ knowledge, farmers groups’ ability, and process of adoption and diffusion of IPM in Jember District. The population of the research was 556 groups of farmers, with 22.240 farmers who are engaged in the IPMFFS in Jember District. The sample of this research consisted of 400...
Effect of altitude and animal age on the prevalence of dictyocaulosis in cattle in the Northern Province of Rwanda
March 2010
This research was done in the North-western region of Rwanda and the aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of bovine dictyocaulosis and influences of altitude and age on infestation in the region. Dictyocaulosis is a parasitic disease caused by the presence and the development of parasite Dictyocaulus species in the lung. On a random sample of 1470 slaughtered animals, the study revealed 68 cases of...
Environmental and socio-economic aspects of possible development in renewable energy use
January 2010
The use of renewable energy sources is a fundamental factor for a possible energy policy in the future. Taking into account the sustainable character of the majority of renewable energy technologies, they are able to preserve resources and to provide security, diversity of energy supply and services, virtually without environmental impact. Sustainability has acquired great importance due to the negative impact of...
Allelopathic effect by aqueous extracts of different parts of Croton bonplandianum Baill. on some crop and weed plants
January 2010
The present study was conducted to investigate the allelopathic effects of Croton bonplandianum weed on seed germination and seedling growth of crop plants (Triticum aestivum L., Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L. and Brassica rapa L.) and weed plants (Melilotus alba Medik., Vicia sativa L. and Medicago hispida Gaertn). Root, stem and leaf...
Trends in agricultural extension services in Africa: Option for new approaches
December 2009
Many developing countries are now at various stages in the process of economic liberalization, privatization and decentralization. This implies that technical programming, personnel management and budget appropriations for extension delivery will no longer be the same as they used to be under centralized public extension service delivery. Liberalization has bred different actors in extension delivery...
Gross margin analysis of post harvest losses in Citrus spp in Ife ADP zone of Osun State, Nigeria
December 2009
Appraisal of privatisation of agricultural extension services in Cameroon
December 2009
This paper examines the significance and impact of privatisation on the management and organisation of agricultural extension services in Cameroon. The focus is on how government action to implement new policies in agriculture is perceived by, and has affected farmers. The issues explored are the pressures for privatisation, the implementation of privatisation, influence on agricultural extension...
An analysis of professional competencies of Agriculture Officers to cope with problem of weeds in North West Frontier Province-Pakistan
December 2009
Professionally competent Agriculture Officers (AOs) play an important role in increasing the agriculture production through communicating new findings about the damage caused by weed. It has been tried to find the professional competency of AOs to cope with the weed problem in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), Pakistan. This study was initiated during in January, 2007 where 112 questionnaires...
Development and performance of a laboratory-scale passive solar grain dryer in a tropical environment
November 2009
A laboratory-scale passive solar grain dryer was developed and its performance evaluated in Makurdi metropolis, Benue State, Nigeria. The dryer consist of a solar collector panel, a thermal storage unit and a drying chamber. The top of the collector is made of one layer of 4 mm thickness of colourless glass sheet as glazing. The absorber material used was corrugated 0.5 mm thick zinc roofing sheet...
Risk management strategies of cattle farmers in Namibia: Case study from Omaheke and Otjozondjupa
November 2009
A sample survey of 269 questionnaires was administered to commercial and communal cattle farmers in the two regions of Namibia, (Omaheke and Otjozondjupa) to identify factors which affect the adoption of livestock insurance. About 205 questionnaires were collected and the 64 questionnaires were regarded as irregular responses or not returned. A computer software programme was used to generate a logit...
Technological capability in plantain and banana innovation system in Nigeria
October 2009
The stakeholders were classified into five major groups according to their actions in the system; the groups include research agency, government agency, technology transfer a-gency, marketers and plantain and banana farmers. Four states which are zonal headquarters of Plantain Resource Training Centre, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Edo and Ogun states were selected and sampled for data collection. A total of 95...
Metals in biosolids-amended soils in Western Utah
October 2009
Land application of biosolids has been shown to benefit degraded rangeland; however, soil metal accumulation has been a concern. To date, nine heavy metals found in land applied biosolids are regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Concern increases when application rates exceed the agronomic rate. The objective of this study was to monitor changes in soil metal accumulation from a...
Determinants of sustainable development dimension among leaders of rural community: A case study of Malaysia
October 2009
Rural development researchers have identified a number of factors that affect sustainable development among the rural community. Nevertheless, mix results were reported in literature. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate on the constructs that affect sustainable development among members of Village Development and Security Committee (VDSC) under the Vision Village Movement (VVM). A total of 235...
Nitrogenous fertilizer influence on quantity and quality values of balm (Melissa officinalis L.)
October 2009
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