13 pages, This study uses structural equation modelling (SEM) and path diagram techniques to examine challenges faced by women in the agricultural sector cooperatives in Southeast Nigeria. The data are from a cross-section survey of randomly selected women cooperative members. Results suggest that women with poor economic status are less likely to have access to improved technology, labour, off-farm employment, and improved infrastructure. The authors also found that cultural factors increase women’s failure to own land, farm inputs, and agricultural credit. Additionally, the results show that compared to men, institutional factors increase women’s unequal access to extension training as well as their domestic workload. This study also found that older women face fewer challenges in the agricultural sector cooperatives than younger ones while more educated ones face more challenges. This study provides useful policy insights to mitigate the challenges women face in agricultural cooperatives. Most importantly, they argue that economic freedom among women in cooperatives may not be achieved unless they are emancipated from existing cultural, economic, institutional, and management constraints.
8 pahes, The poultry sector is large and expanding in the global South, playing a central role in providing increased protein to a rapidly growing base of consumers. The sector includes small backyard farms, small commercial operations, and very large, complex enterprises. Although there is substantial literature on climate adaptation by crop farmers and large livestock farmers, such information is limited for poultry. This study focuses on the effects of higher temperatures on commercial poultry farms in southwest Nigeria and their adaptation strategies. We use a rich set of in-depth interviews to describe how poultry farmers are adapting to higher temperatures and their reasons for adopting particular practices. In general, interviewees are aware that temperatures have increased over time and that heat stress reduces poultry productivity in terms of weight gain and laying capacity. They are knowledgeable and are not passively enduring the adverse effects of higher temperatures as they have adopted a range of adaptation practices. This study identified three main adaptation strategies: (i) keeping drinking water cool, (ii) keeping the building cool and increasing ventilation, and (iii) giving birds medicines and supplements that help them cope with increased heat. Small farms tend to adopt simple and low-cost practices, and large farms tend to adopt more sophisticated and expensive approaches, in line with the nature of their respective operations. The paper’s findings can help address gaps in strategies aiming to help this critically important sector of the food system be robust to future environmental change.
8 pages, This perspective paper reviews the existing research directions on agricultural extension programmes in Nigeria and highlights how they are incapable of diffusing enough knowledge to facilitate the adoption of 21st-century agricultural innovations and enhance sustainable practices among rural farmers. A key idea of this paper is to suggest a new direction of research that is oriented towards the quality, skills, and strategies of effective and efficient communication that the extension agents possess, and a two-way communication delivery, and accentuate how it is a panacea for effective diffusion of knowledge and adoption of agricultural innovations among rural farmers. The methodology was to review and compare bodies of literature from countries with the best agricultural extension and rural advisory services, particularly some countries in Asia, and show how insights from those countries can inform a new research direction in effectively communicating agricultural innovations to Nigerian rural farmers. Drawing on experiences from those countries, it was confirmed that Nigeria's extension system is not effective and efficient in communicating innovations in global agricultural practices to farmers in the rural areas, and research efforts in extension services in the country are still fixated on the role of extension agents as teachers to farmer-pupils and one-way communication delivery from research through extension to farmers, and the availability and ability to use communication channels. Based on the current challenges in farming and agriculture at large, there is a need to rethink the concept of extension in Nigeria, emphasize training of agents, acquisition of communication skills and adoption of a two-way communication delivery that recognises farmers as autonomous agents and co-designers of agricultural innovations and not just passive receivers. The value of this paper is that it is arguably the first attempt to chart a new perspective and communication delivery methods for research and practice in agricultural extension programmes in Nigeria.
18 pages., The economic challenges in Nigeria make it to suffer from food insecurity which is due to low agricultural production and productivity. Specific initiatives by the Federal Government on pro-poor rural agricultural food growth to achieve SDGs to end hunger have been established. Similar structures have also been established in all the 36 States of the Federation and, in some cases, at Local Government Area level. The government is also with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and a wide array of stakeholders. Use of pro-poor rural agricultural food growth through rural public library services to achieve the goal 1 and goal 2 targets of SDGs (end poverty and hunger) is particularly the focus of this study. This paper submits that public libraries have a great role to play in the implementation of SDGs by using emerging technology, collaborating on capacity building and going into partnership with critical stakeholders to make information available to poor rural farmers. Hence, materials from the key partners of the government on information about production forecasts, increased agricultural productivity, soil composition, markets for different crops, dairy and poultry farming, farm mechanics, land use, preservation of soil, rainfall and cultivation of different types of crops, effective extension service delivery and feedback on situation for improved research and policy implementation on agriculture should be acquired by public libraries, organized, preserved and made available to rural poor to facilitate pro-poor rural agricultural food growth for the attainment of SDGs in Nigeria.
18 pages, Agricultural Land-Use Change (ALUC) is a major driver of global environmental change, not least via its direct impact on the sustainability and resilience of the rural economy. Its drivers are complex and have remained contentious, necessitating further empirical study. This study aims to derive context-specific evidence on the driving factors and effects of ALUC from different stakeholders’ perceptions. We carried out household surveys and participatory rural appraisal across Benue State, Nigeria. ALUC has economic, social, ecological, and institutional implications for farmers and on agricultural productivity. Farmers perceived that the main factors driving ALUC were land conflict, government land-use policies and infrastructural development. Stakeholders’ perceptions revealed that although the factors driving ALUC are diverse in nature, they are somewhat embedded within the broader issue of land-use conflict, which has led to cropland abandonment, clearing of forest vegetation, soil degradation, changes from large scale to subsistence farming, and farmers’ eventual loss of interest in agriculture. This suggest that the drivers and implications of ALUC go beyond simple changes to the extent of land used for agriculture, but also incorporates other regional socio-ecological changes. Our study highlights the importance of stakeholders’ perceptions in understanding complex socio-ecological issues if we are to provide clear direction into areas where policy interventions are most needed.
Online from UI Library subscription., Report of research about use of participatory communication in development projects involving agriculture, natural resources, and other topics at community levels. Findings emphasized need to give priority to it when carrying out community projects.
