Volume 47 (2014): Issue 2 (June 2014)

The study was conducted in the 2010 - 2012 cropping seasons in a typical ultisols of the tropics. The aim was to assess variability in soil properties as influenced by three land use types namely: oil palm plantation, maize and yam cultivated lands. The study consisted of both field and laboratory studies. The field study was made up of a land use that was carefully surveyed, mapped into 20 × 30 m2 and plotted into 5 homogenous units of 0.25 ha. Soil samples were randomly augered by grid survey at 5 m equidistant points and surface 0-15 cm samples collected using screw auger for laboratory analysis of the particle size distribution and some chemical characteristics of the soils in the different land use types. Variation in properties within land use types was measured by estimating the coefficient of variance. The results of the study showed that particle size distribution varied from sand in the oil palm land use type to sandy loam in the maize and yam land use types. The variant ratio tests were 84.4%, for sand, 0.51% for silt and 27.4% for clay, and were less variable. The soil pH ranged from strongly acid (5.25) to moderate acid (5.65) and less variable (CV% = <15%). The variant ratio test was statistically not significant (10.7%). The organic carbon (35.7%), total nitrogen (34.5%) and available phosphorus (27.2%) variant ratio tests were non-significant and less variable. The exchangeable bases, exchange acidity and ECEC were also non significant and less variable. The results indicated clearly that variability could occur within soil units and therefore called for caution in assessing uniformity of soil properties within soil areas under cultivation

Agriculture and forestry remain the leading sectors in Cameroon, accounting for some 36% of the merchandise exports and for more than 40% of GDP in 1998/99. Agriculture alone accounts for more than 30% of GDP and provides employment for about 68% of the active population.

The Cameroon government and industry stakeholders have continuingly expressed concern about the impact of rising food import on the local industries and the rural communities especially as vegetable oils, particularly the palm oil, has a vital role to play not only as nutritional source for the Cameroon population, but for their contribution to rural incomes and employment opportunities. Particularly, Cameroon government is expecting a significant progress in implementation of new oil extraction technology where mainly in the palm oil processing technology the value added chain in this commodity is expected.

Cameroon’s oil palm industry still plays a significant role in the national economy, providing oil for house hold consumption, industrial use as well as employment for thousands of Cameroonians who are engaged in production, processing and marketing. This project aims at bringing clarity on to what extent the up to date oil extraction processing technology installed in a concrete rural district, and under a clear management and regulatory structure and environment, outperforms in terms of productivity (tons of palm oil produced), quality (price of the crude palm oil) and income generation, the existing traditional manual processing palm oil producing system.

The methodology applied within this study consists of comparing key indicators across populations of small scale palm oil processors in interaction with traditional non sophisticated technology with different work environment, production capacity, socio-economic status and income levels (cross-sectional statistical analysis)

Since the classical economics, the model of competitive advantage at different levels (national, industry, firm) has been considered attentively by experts in economics and management. In recent years, one pivotal issue in the field of management has been the identification of competitive advantage sources and the breakthrough strategies for its preservation and development. The main purpose of this article is to explain one of the popular theories concerning the competitive advantage model, that is Porter’s model, to show whether it is applicable in a country like Iran, which possesses a highly dominant government-based economy, or not. Besides, if it requires any modification in its pattern, what form of modification should it comprise? In terms of methodology, thus, this may be deemed an applied developmental research. Primary data targeted was obtained by means of a quantitative survey using a questionnaire technique of data collection. The questionnaire survey took place in the period from 10/2010 to 6/2011 and a total of 109 firms (undertaking their activities in the territory of the Iran) were involved. The results of the study show that Porter’s model in both the upstream and the downstream forms must become developed and rectified. Ultimately, the most advantageous shape of the model for detecting the sources of competitive advantage in bottled drinking water industry is offered

This study was carried out to examine the causal relationship between interest rate policy and agricultural production in a deregulated economic setting in Nigeria using time series data covering 1987 to 2011. The data utilized include data on interest rate and agricultural production which were obtained from various publications of central bank of Nigeria. Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) test, Vector autoregression (VAR) lag order selection test and granger causality test were employed in the data analysis and the result indicated that market driven interest rate was not significant in influencing agricultural production over the period of deregulation and this was attributed to the substantial volatility and high market driven interest rate leading to limited accessibility to credit facilities by small scale farmers. It is recommended that the central bank of Nigeria should strongly exercise some measure of interest rate control that favours investment friendly interest rate policy that is supportive of credit mobilization for sustainable agricultural production and also the realization of the goal of Agricultural Transformation Action Plan (ATAP) in Nigeria

This study evaluated the performance of small and medium-scale agro-based enterprises financed by selected commercial banks in Imo State, Nigeria. It identified the dominant agro-based enterprises in the study area; estimated the adequacy of funds disbursed to them by selected commercial banks; determined factors that influenced the disbursements and the relative risk in financing them. A combination of purposive and random sampling techniques was adopted in selecting the respondents (commercial banks and small scale and medium scale agro-based enterprises) for the study. Questionnaire and interview schedule were the main tools for data collection and data collected were analyzed using descriptive and econometric tools. The result showed that the mean amount disbursed to small-scale agro-based enterprises was N533, 833.33 ($3558.89) while a mean of N1, 813,021 ($12086.81) was disbursed to the medium scale enterprises. The multiple regression coefficient for interest rate (X3), experience (X4) and repayment rate(X6) were positive and significant at 1% while category of enterprise (X5) was negative and significant at 5% implying that these variables are important factors influencing the amount of loan disbursed to small-scale agro-based enterprises in Imo State while interests rate (X3) and repayment rate (X6) were positive and significant at 1% ; coefficient for age (X2), experience (X4) and category of enterprise (X5) were negative and significant at 5%, implying that these variables are important factors influencing the amount of loan disbursed to medium scale agro-based enterprises in the study area. The risk in financing medium-scale agrobased enterprises was higher than that for the small-scale agro-based enterprises. The main constraints faced by agro-based SMEs in obtaining loans were mainly insufficient collateral (100%), and high interest rate (87.45%). It is therefore recommended that commercial banks should make more credit accessible to agro-based SMEs and at better conditions and cheaper lending rate to encourage their increased production and expansion