Volume 50 (2017): Issue 2 (June 2017)

This study examined the economics and determinants of pig production in Ogun State, Nigeria using Obafemi Owode and Odeda Local Government in Ogun State, Nigeria where the enterprise is most prominent. The data used for the study were obtained from 60 respondents as there are very few farmers into this business in the state compared to other livestock production. Pig farmers were sampled through snowball sampling technique. The data collected were analyzed with descriptive statistics, budgetary, and Ordinary Least Square regression model. Results from the study revealed that the mean age of the respondents was 36.6 years and they were predominantly (81.7 %) male. Most (68.3 %) of the farmers had no access to credit with half of them married. On the cost and returns, returns on investment were positively associated with herd size, breed, and type of management system in the study area. When controlling for years of production experience and herd size, with every 1 naira increase in variable costs, the return on investment decreased by ₦0.879 ≈ $0.0044 (P < 0.01). Similarly, when controlling for herd size and variable costs, with every 1 year of increase in production experience, the return on investment increased by ₦1.85 ≈ $0.0092 (P < 0.01). When controlling for number of years of production experience and variable costs, with every 1 naira increase in cost of stock, the return on investment increased by ₦1,652.74 ≈ $8.22 (P < 0.05). Lastly, when controlling for number of years of production experience and variable costs, every increase of herd size of 1 pig resulted in a return on investment of ₦1, 502.14 ≈ $7.47 (P < 0.01). Level of pig production experience, herd size, variable costs items, cost of stock, and access to credit had significant influence on the production of pig in the study area. The study therefore recommends subsidization of input costs, the need for extension officers or experts to educate less experienced farmers on pig production and effective extension services targeted at raising technical knowledge of pig farmers towards effective productivity and profitability.

The study examined perceived effects of sand dredging activities on livelihood diversification of artisanal fisher folks in Lagos State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select respondents for the study. Purposively, Eti-Osa, Ibeju-Lekki, Epe and Ikorodu local Government Areas (LGAs) were selected for intensive dredging activities. Registered artisanal fishermen in these LGAs were 310, 350, 380 and 320, respectively. Twenty percent of the population in each LGAs were selected using simple random sampling technique to arrive at 272 respondents interviewed for the study. An interview schedule guide was used to elicit information on respondents’ socio-economic characteristics, knowledge, livelihood diversification and perception of the sand dredging effect on fishing activities. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation and independent sample t-test. The mean age of fisher folks was 37 ± 8 years, 92.1 % of them were males, 81.4 % were married and had households’ size ranging from 1 to 16 persons. Over 50 % of the respondents had no formal education. Monthly income of fisher folks in the study area ranged from ₦5, 000 to ₦60, 000 with a mean income of ₦22, 892 ± 13,564 and majority (92.9 %)were members of a social group. Respondents diversified most into off-farm activities such as commercial bike riding, security and technician services. Slightly above half (55.7 %) perceived sand dredging as having a negative effect on fishing activities. Results on inferential statistic revealed that a significant relationship existed between knowledge of sand dredging effect on fishing activities (r = 0.35), monthly income (r = −0.181) and social group (χ² = 2.886) and perceived effects of sand dredging on fishing activities. Deliberate policy drive to mitigate sand dredging practices is required to forestall the negative effect on livelihood diversification of the artisanal fisher folks. Consequently, the artisanal fishery contribution to total Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment generation and total domestic fish production will be enhanced.

Vertical integration might be relevant to improve the well-being of farmers particularly when thinking of how economic innovation ensures high utilization of resource and promote economic prosperity in Nigeria. However, the relationship of such proposition is yet to receive empirical attention in the fish hub. This study uncovers the effect of the vertical integration on the multi-dimensional well-being of fish producers in Lagos State fish hub. The study was examined using primary data collected from 103 integrated and 60 non-integrated respondents. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Gross National Wellness (GNW) Index and Average Treatment Effect (ATE). The result of the GNW Index shows that both the integrated and non-integrated farmers ranked the indicators of multidimensional wellness in the same order. They were satisfied with their social relations (8.70); physical and health status (7.91); mental and emotional status (7.41); work and income status (5.87) as well as their economic and retirement status (5.68). However, they were dissatisfied with the political and government condition (4.73) as well as their living environment (3.77). The ATE result shows that the indicators such as the political and government intervention; mental and emotional; work and income were the components of multidimensional wellbeing that was improved by vertical integration decision of the farmers in the fish hub. However, social relations; physical and health; living environment wellbeing dimensions were not affected by the vertical integration decision of the respondents. It is therefore recommended that fish farmers should integrate themselves so as to enjoy government interventions, better income status and better emotional wellness all of which will improve their wellbeing.

The study investigated the socio-economic factors affecting potato consumption among households in Odeda Local Government Area (LGA), Ogun State. Multistage sampling technique was used to gather information from 80 households using a structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression model. The study showed that 67.5 % of the household-heads were male, 42.5 % were less than 30 years old, more than half (53.8 %) had income less than NG₦50,000.00 (US$322.59) monthly while 55 % and 68.8 % spend less than NG₦2,000.00 (US$12.90) on sweet and Irish potato, respectively, on a monthly basis. The linear functional form for sweet potato regression result showed that the total household income and sweet potato market price were both significant at 5 % with the coefficient of determination (R²) being 0.611 while the double-log functional form for Irish potato regression result showed that age of household-head, Irish potato market price and price of substitute (yam) were significant at 5 %, 10 % and 10 %, respectively, with coefficient of determination (R2) being 0.897; and had a positive relationship with potato consumption in the study area. Conclusively, the age of household-head, total monthly income, price of potato and price of substitute were factors that determined consumption of potato in the study area. In order to combat problems of malnutrition and to contribute to improvement in households’ welfare in Odeda LGA, efforts should be intensified in ensuring that households have access to adequate quantity of food and promotion of households’ education on the nutritional values and human nutrition with respect to age and gender are necessary.

This study examined ginger consumption patterns and factors influencing ginger purchase decisions among consumers in tertiary institutions in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select respondents from whom data were collected with the aid of a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and probit regression were the tools for data analyses. The average age of the respondents was 29 years. Most (88.36 %) of them indicated they were aware of ginger’s medicinal benefits and approximately 66.14 % of the respondents indicated purchase of ginger products. On the average, respondents spent about ₦302.22 (0.83USD) per month on ginger. Most (86.77 %) of the respondents prefer to consume ginger with food or as herbal tea/drink (41.27 %). Awareness about the health benefits of ginger (P < 0.1), electronic media as source of information (P < 0.1), consumers’ concern for their health (P < 0.05) and previous gratifying experience from ginger’s consumption (P < 0.01) are factors substantially influenced ginger purchase decision. Income and demographic characteristics of the consumers are unlikely to induce decision to buy significantly. Thus, promoting awareness of the health benefits of ginger and, more especially through electronic media are suggested as important pathway for stimulating people’s decision to buy ginger in the studied population.

This research was conducted to assess the impact of Root and Tuber Expansion Programme (RTEP) in Kwara State, Nigeria. This impact was examined through a comparative study of project beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries, namely, their personal characteristics, economic characteristics and statistical difference between socio-economic characteristics of respondents. A total of one hundred and sixty (160) respondents were selected using a simple random sampling technique. These consisted of eighty (80) RTEP beneficiaries and eighty (80) Non-beneficiaries. Structured interview schedule was used to collect the data. Descriptive and inferential statistical tools such as frequency counts and percentages and t-test were used to analyse the data. The results of the analysis show that most RTEP beneficiaries (43.75 %) and non-RTEP beneficiaries (31.25 %) processors were within the age range of 41 - 50 years. RTEP beneficiaries (51.3 %) produced higher quantity of gari (a West African food made from cassava tubers) above 500 kg per month and hence higher amount of money spent in purchasing cassava tubers as compared to the non-RTEP beneficiaries (3.75 %) counterparts. Our findings further show that there were significant differences between the quantity of gari produced (t-value = 8.832 at P < 0.05) and the total monthly income (t-value = 7.475 at P < 0.05). It was concluded that the project has impacted positively on the beneficiaries through improved productivity and income generation. To reduce the high cost of purchasing cassava tubers to process into gari, this study suggests that extension agents through the RTEP programme should encourage and train gari processors to engage in cultivation of cassava.