IOSR-JAVS   Volume-7 ~ Issue-11 ~ NOV-2014

ABSTRACT: The impact of macroeconomic policy on agricultural growth in Nigeria was estimated using time-series data and econometric analysis. Our results show that Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Credit Loan to Agriculture (CLA) and exchange rates are significant with positive influences. Income elasticity of agricultural growth was low at 0.939 percent indicating the income inelastic nature of agricultural commodities. There is a positive relationship between the dependent variable (Agricultural Output) and the independent variable (GDP). On the other hand, money supply has an inverse relationship (negative influence) on agricultural production which is contrary to expectations. The interest rate is positive but insignificant which can be explained by the restrictive monetary policies. Equally, a restrictive monetary policy can cause farm incomes to fall.

Keywords: Income Elasticity, Inverse, Monetary Policy

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[4]. Buren R (1998). Africa south of the Sahara, 27th (Ed.), (Europa Publication Ltd., New York)
[5]. CBN. (2008). Annual report and financial statements. Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Abuja

ABSTRACT: Variation in nutritional and anti-nutritional contents among six finger millet genotypes was determined. Improved finger millet genotypes Gulu-E and FMV-1 from Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, KNE-479 and KNE 1034 from International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and local landraces Ateso and Nyaikuro, were compared. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference in calcium (Ca), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) contents among the genotypes. Genotypes Ateso and Gulu-E had the highest crude fat contents while KNE-479 had the lowest. Genotypes KNE-479 and Nyaikuro had the highest crude protein content. Lowest crude protein contents were observed in genotypes Gulu-E and Ateso. Genotype Ateso followed by FMV-1 and Nyaikuro had high isoleusine, leusine, methionine, threonine and cysteine amino acid contents. High levels of phenylalanine were observed in genotypes Nyaikuro and Ateso. Ateso had the highest P-hydroxybenzoic, sinapic and syringic acids, while Nyaikuro had high ferulic and vanilic acids. Except for genotype KNE-479 with highest sinapic acid contents, the ICRISAT developed genotypes had the lowest anti-nutritional contents. Anti-nutrients tannins, vanilic acid and ferulic acid were negatively correlated to Fe and Zn contents. Therefore when selecting finger millet for Fe and Zn the levels of anti-nutritional contents need to be considered.

Key words; anti-nutritional contents, finger millet, genotypes, nutritionals factors

[1] S., Mbithi-Mwikya, J., Van-Camp, Y., Yiru and A., Huyghebaert, Nutrient and anti-nutritional changes in finger millet (Eleusine corocana) during sprouting, Lesbenson-Wiss.U. Technical 33, 2000, 9-14.

[2] M.M., Dida, S., Srinivasachary, J.L., Bennetzenn, M.D., Gale and K. M. Devos, Population structure and diversity in finger millet (Eleusine coracona) germplasm, Tropical plant Biology 1, 2008, 131-141.

[3] K., Lorenz, Tannins and phytate content in proso millets (Panicum miliaceum), Cereal Chem. 60. 1983, 424-426.

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[5] V., Kumar, A.K., Sinha, H.P.S., Makkar and K., Becker, Dietaty roles of phytate and phytase in human nutrition, Food chemistry, 120, 2003, 945-956.

[6] P. Singh, and R.S., Raghuvanshi, Finger millet for food and nutritional security, African Journal of Food Science, 6(4), 2012, 77-84.

ABSTRACT: This study aimed at determining the profitability and production efficiency of indigenous tomatoes cultivation among farmers in Osun State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used to select respondents for the study. The first stage involved a purposive selection of a local government based on the volume of total production of tomato from this area. The second stage involves random selection of six communities within the local government and this is followed by random selection of twenty respondents from each of the selected communities with the aid of structured questionnaire. Analysis of the data was based on 111questionnaire because 9 were discarded as a result of inconsistency. Based on the objective of the study, descriptive analysis, regression analysis and gross margin estimate were employed. The findings revealed that male dominated tomato farming in the study area and farming is the major occupation of the respondents. They were married and educated. They mainly derived the source of their funding from owners equity and obtained their land by rent, majority do not have extension contact and obtain from local market the seed used as planting material . The scale of operation is small and utilized both family and hired labour. The variables such as marital status, farming experience and transplanting of seedlings as methods of planting were statistically significant at 1% level. The net farm income was estimated to be #439,500 indicating that tomato production is profitable in the study area. Also the cost benefit ratio is found to be 1.84 and the rate of return was found to be 0.83 implying that for every one naira invested in tomato, a profit of 83 kobo is realizable. Finally, capital is the major constraint facing the farmers as reported by 65.8% of the respondents. Among the recommendations include that extension agents should be provided and be sent to assist farmers in bridging information gap between research stations and the farmers as regard new innovations on the farm and the farmers should be encouraged to form cooperatives to enhance their access to credit facilities.

Key words: Profitability, Production, Efficiency, Indigenous, tomato and farmers

[1]. Awudu, A. and Richard, E. (2001). Technical Efficiency During Economic Reforms inNicaragua: Evidence From Farm Holds Survey Data. Economic Systems 25: 113-125.
[2]. Ayinde, A.I., Akerele, D and Ojeniyi, O.T (2011). Resource use Efficiency and Profitability ofFluted Pumpkin Production under Tropical Conditions. International journal of vegetable science.17 (1):75-82
[3]. Ajibefun, I. A. (2002)."Analysis of Policy Issues in Technical Efficiency of Small Scale FarmersUsing the Stochastic Frontier Production Function".With Application to Nigerian Farmers". Paper Prepared for presentation at the international farm Management association congress, Wageningen, Netherland.
[4]. Ajibefun, I.A., Battese, G.E. and Daramola, A.G. (2002). Determinants of Technical Efficiency in Small Holder Crops Farming: Application of Stochastic Frontier Production Function: Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture 41(3): 225 – 240.
[5]. CBN Economic and Financial Review Vol. 37 No. 3 (The Complete Book) Published 9/30/1999. VOL. 37 NO. 3

ABSTRACT: The high susceptibility of poultry to disease outbreaks makes a comprehensive biosecurity technology a necessary practice in poultry farms to protect the farms from both intentional and unintentional threats from biological agents. Therefore this study evaluated the awareness and practice of biosecurity measures in small scale poultry production in Ekiti State, Nigeria. A total of 80 respondents were randomly selected for the study. Data were obtained with the aid of a pre tested structured questionnaire. The result shows that the most practiced biosecurity measures in the study area are the ones relating to regular clearing of the poultry environment, regular washing of the feeding and drinking troughs while the least observed one is the quarantine of the new birds. Also the result of the regression analysis shows that the level of education, farm size, formal training in poultry production and number of extension visits all have significant positive influence on the sampled farms' biosecurity control score while age, number of household labour, and distance from the nearest poultry farm shows significant negative influence on the farms' biosecurity control score. Equally, the result of the likert rating scale shows that the poultry farmers have a good knowledge of biosecurity measures with overall biosecurity knowledge index of 3.22. The study therefore recommends among other things the intensive sensitization of the poultry farmers through workshop and field days seminars by appropriate agents on the benefit of adhering strictly to biosecurity measures on their farms.

Key words: Awareness,Biological agents, Biosecurity measures, Disease outbreaks, Poultry,Practice.

[1]. J. Woodger,Poultry Biosecurity: .Farm Care International Ltd 24e Norwich StreetDereham, Norfolk England NR19 1BX2005
[2]. Sri HerySusilowati Muhammad Iqbal, and Ian Patrick :The relationship between biosecurity and farmer and farm characteristics. Biosecurity Workshop, June 7-8, 2010, Bogor, West Java
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[4]. Cardona C. J, and Douglas Kuney,( 2001): Biosecurity on Chicken Farms. Commercial Chicken Meat and Egg production. Fifth edition.Edited by Donald D. Bell and William D. Weaver.(Kluwer Academic Publishers, P.O. Box 322, 3300 AH Donrdrecht,2001)The Nethelands. Pg:543- 556.
[5]. J. P. Vaillancourt, How do you determine the cost-benefit of a biosecurity system? Zootecnica-International 24 2001, 20-27.
[6]. J. S., Jeffrey, Biosecurity rules for poultry flocks. Misset-World Poultry 13, 1997:101.