Agriculture

This study examined the economic analysis of modern beekeeping in Kogi State, Nigeria. The socio-economic characteristics, level of profitability, the factors affecting bee-keeping production and problems of modern bee keeping in the study area were analyzed. Data were collected through structured questionnaires from 70 bee farmers selected randomly in fifteen villages across the State. Analytical tools employed include Descriptive statistics; Net farm income Analysis and Production Function. Results of the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers reveals that majority (97.14%) of the farmers were males with a mean age of 43 years. And have an average family size of 8 persons. More than half (57.14%) of the farmers has been into beekeeping for more than 16 years and have a mean bee – keeping experience of 14 years. On the average the farmers employed 5 persons and have an average of 7 hives. Results revealed a net farm income of ?21, 000 per hives and profitability index of 0.76 indicating that modern bee keeping is profitable in the study area. Production function analysis showed that size of the bee hives, number of harvest, numbers of employee and capital have positive and significant effects (p<0.01) on bee keeping. The major constraints associated with beekeeping are inadequate capital, high cost of equipment, illiteracy, inadequate of extension visit, bororo invasion (Fulani), and inadequate management/managerial skills or knowledge. It is therefore recommended that youth ,women, retiree’s should be encouraged to venture into bee-keeping as a means of reducing unemployment and farmers should be ready to adopt modern bee-keeping techniques in the study area.

In this study, estimation capabilities of response surface methodology and optimization acceptability of desirability functions methodology in an air drying process were investigated. The air temperature, air velocity, drying time and banana thickness were selected as independent factors in the process of drying banana slices. The dependent variables or responses were the moisture content, drying rate, energy efficiency and exergy efficiency. A rotatable central composite design as an adequate method was used to develop models for the responses. The regression coefficient, regression equation and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was also obtained to analysis of responses. In addition to this 3D response surface plot were helpful to predict the results by performing only limited set of experiments. Simultaneously, a minimum value for the moisture content and maximum value for the other responses was desired. Finally desirability functions found a maximum desirability equal to 0.49.

A study was conducted to identify the major dairy production constraints in Alaba Wereda, the Southern Nations and Nationalities People Region to provide base line information on the major dairy production problems in the area. A total of 60 respondents (10% from total population) were selected from 6 peasant associations and interviewed using structured questionnaire. Focus group discussion was also made with key respondents and the participants described the major dairy problems on their area. Data was analyzed through descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage) using SPSS software. A total of 60 farmers were interviewed. Among them 92 % were male household farmers and the rest 8 % was women household farmers. Maximum farmland size own by the respondents of the study area was 1.5 ha. Moreover, 1.8ha and 0.28ha is the mean farmland and grazing land own by the respondents respectively. Farmers reported that cattle were first (46.6%) rank follow poultry (23.4 %) as importance livestock used. Most respondents (70%) first and foremost keep cattle for draft purpose followed by milk products (65.2%), selling live animals (3.5%) and lastly for manure (5.25%). About 42.9% of respondents keep their Cross breeds animals in the same house where they live (Not separated). Only 57.1% out of the total respondents had separate shelters for their Cross breed’s animals. However, 50% of the interviewer was reported keep for their local breed’s animals on the separate shelters. The principal feed resources available to livestock in the study area include crop-residue (31.9%), natural pasture (22.3%) and concentrates (17%). The most critical periods of feed shortage were summer, autumn and spring (80% 12% and 8%) respectively. Out of the sample size 18.5% of the respondents used Artificial insemination for mating, 77.5% of the respondents were used natural mating bull with cross breed blood and 4% of the respondents also used a combination of AI and cross breed bull. The overall average lactation lengths and milk yields per cow per day of local and crossbred cows were 4 and 7 months, 2.1 and 7liters respectively. Mastitis, anthrax, ticks and black leg are the most prevalent disease that attacks dairy cattle’s. The respondents reported that shortage of feed (50.6%), low pasture land productivity (34.2%), low animal productivity performance (15.8%), and Disease (17.3%) was the major dairy production constraints on the study area.

Year-long supplies of fresh food have been made possible by improvements in controlled storage conditions, shipping and importing. A fresh weekly food supply at the local supermarket has eliminated the need for the home preservation and food processing of earlier days. Today, we may choose to preserve and process food for reasons besides availability such as the price of food, quality and nutrition. For these reasons, gardeners who find themselves with a surplus of fresh produce at the end of the season may decide to store and preserve. When conditions are not suitable for storage or immediate marketing of fresh produce, many horticultural crops can be processed using simple technologies. There are some processing methods that can be used by small-scale handlers, including drying, fermenting, canning, freezing, preserving and juicing which are highlighted in this review. Fruits, vegetables and flowers can all be dried and stored for use or sale in the future.

The prevention climatic changes induced by anthropological greenhouse gas emissions, is one of the of severe major challenges for the current and future generation of mankind hence this study investigates in providing a cheaper and cleaner fuel in burning from post harvesting agricultural wastes. Coal and wood have been the primary fuel used subsequently and produce lot of polluting gases like carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide which has consequences on health. The agriculture waste is bio degradable and decomposes/burns. Since waste can be a source of energy after mixing the waste material of different calorific value, the agriculture waste can be converted into fuel cakes or by modifying charcoal by destructive distillation process by using of effective carbonizer. The results obtained with multifuel (Agri charcoal) further stronger the idea of setting small power plants, dedicated to rural sector of India.

The production of wheat crop for the year 2013-14 is estimated to be 24.2 million tons against last year’s production of 23.4 million tons. The major reasons for this enhanced production were increase in support price from Rs.1050 to Rs.1200 per 40 Kg which encouraged improved seed usage and fertilizers. There was also better weather and comparatively more water available from the reservoirs. The target for wheat production for 2013-14 has been fixed at 25.0 million tons. The fertilizer has raised the expenses of the inorganic farmers, which are not, used in organic farming. Cash cost in case of organic and inorganic farming is Rs. 23053.00 and 25846.00 respectively. The non-cash cost of organic and inorganic are Rs.19389.65 and 18815.10 respectively. Total cost is the combination of cash and non-cash costs that is Rs.42442.65 and 44661.00 in organic and inorganic farming. Gross margin (GM) is obtained by subtracting the cash cost from the gross value of product. GM is Rs.33142.65 and 36182.00 in organic and inorganic farming system. Net income is obtained by subtracting the total cost from the gross value of product. It is Rs.13752.35 and Rs.17367.00 in organic and inorganic farming, respectively showing a difference of Rs.2615.35. The analysis shows that low net income in organic farming than the inorganic farming is due to the low yield and high labor cost in organic system. Secondly health and environmental costs are not included in the analysis, because in the study site farmers are unaware of these costs.

Economic empowerment of women precedes all other empowerment and in order to understand how SHG have enabled women economic empowerment, the present study was taken up in four villages of Dharwad taluk, Dharwad district of Karnataka state. One hundred and fifty nine SHGs were selected for the study. The study revealed that 184 women have taken up individual income generation activities and most of them in the young and middle age categories, had some formal education and were either home makers or involved occasionally in farming. Group income generation activities were taken up by 29 groups. The entrepreneurial activities varied from business/ trading, food and agriculture related to others like candle, agarbatti, flour mill, chilli pounding unit etc. Among individual activities chilli pounding unit earned the highest income of Rs. 40,000/ year followed by vermicelli making with an average Rs. 20,294/ year. Among group activities vermicelli earned highest income of Rs 40,000-50,000 followed by poultry with Rs. 30,000-40,000.

The level of poverty in the developing countries of the world is becoming increasingly alarming given the figures consistently reported for the area. This study examined the effect of agricultural cooperatives as a means of alleviating poverty among farmers in Iwo Local Government Area of Osun state. A total of 100 questionnaires were administered out of which 90 were retrieved. 57 of the respondents were participants of cooperatives while 33 of them were non participants. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics, Foster, Greer and Thorbecke (FGT) and probit regression models. It was discovered that poverty exists among all categories of farmers (participants and non-participants of cooperatives). Though, non participants of cooperatives had the highest poverty incidence, depth and severity of 0.47, 0.17 and 0.56 respectively. The analysis of socio-economic characteristics showed that age, educational status, household size, farm size and land acquisition have relationship with incidence of poverty among participants of cooperatives and non-participants. Income and farm size significantly and positively influence the effectiveness of cooperatives on household poverty status at 0.05 and 0.01 level of significance respectively. The study therefore recommends that the farmers should engage themselves in other income generating activities to have a higher purchasing power in order for them to break out of poverty.

An experiment was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources Management, Ebonyi State University Abakaliki to study effect of integrated nutrient management on some soil selected physical properties and grain yield of maize. The field was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design. There were five treatments namely poultry droppings mixed with burnt rice husk dust (PBRHD), cow dung mixed with unburnt rice husk dust (CURHD), goat dung mixed with saw dust (GSD) and NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer and control replicated four times. The data obtained from the study were subjected to Statistical Analysis System for Agriculture. The result showed that poultry droppings mixed with burnt rice husk dust (PBRHD), cow dung mixed with unburnt rice husk dust (CURHD), goat dung mixed with sawdust (GSD) and NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer had significantly (P<0.05) higher effect on total porosity, hydraulic conductivity, gravimetric moisture content (GMC) relative to control. The amendment of PBRHD showed significant (P<0.05) effect on hydraulic conductivity, gravimetric moisture content (GMC) and water retention (WR) when compared with control and NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer treatment. Significantly (P<0.05) lower dispersion ratio was obtained under PBRHD amended plots relative to control and NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer treatment. Furthermore, CURHD and GSD significantly (P<0.05) increased water retention relative to control and NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer application. Total porosity, hydraulic conductivity, gravimetric moisture content and dispersion ratio were higher by 6, 13, 87 and 64% in PBRHD amended plots when compared with NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer amended plots. The texture remained sandy clay loam after cropping. There was significantly (P<0.05) higher effect of PBRHD amendment on grain yield of maize compared to control and NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer treated plots. This was 22 and 20% increments of grain yield of maize in plots amended with PBRHD relative to control and NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer treatment. Generally, the integrated nutrient management improved soil physical properties and grain yield of maize more than control and NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer treatment. The order of improvement is PBRHD>CURHD>GSD>NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer>C. Integrated nutrient management could be recommended for soil management and sustainable productivity in Abakaliki agro-ecosystem of Nigeria.

Wheat is the most important crops in Iran and study to reduce losses and costs related to this product are essential. Wheat like any other crop, have losses during harvest and trying to reduce losses in all the time is justifiable. Yet Combine John Deere 955 for harvesting operations is most used combines in Iran and study in order to reduce losses this combine is important. The aims of this study are assess these factors: combine forward speed, Grain moisture content (%, w.b.) and yield per hectare on combine losses John Deere 955 in Ahvaz city (Khuzestan province). One of the ways that reduces losses of combines is mathematical models based on survey and measurement of factors affecting on different combine losses. In order to perform this research was surveyed 28 combines in at different points of Ahvaz city and was calculated cutting platform, back combine, plots and natural losses. In this study, parameters such as combine forward speed, Grain moisture content (%, w.b.) and yield per hectare were considered as independent variables and cutting platform and back combine losses as dependent variables. To express the mathematical relationship between the dependent and independent variables was used multivariate regression test. Results of regression analysis of variance showed there is significant relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variables. Finally was estimated most appropriate models to cutting platform losses (CPL) and back combine losses (BCL).