ABSTRACT The media, especially the newspapers play a major role as sources of biotechnology information and will be useful avenues for disseminating related information. It is in view of this that this study examined coverage of biotech- nology and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Nigerian daily newspapers as an avenue to raise mass awareness especially amongst literate farmers. This study content analysed 63 GMOs and biotechnology items framed in four Nigerian newspapers (the Guardi...
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Forestry sector plays key roles in supporting the livelihood of all Rwandans by providing most of the energy consumed by the bulk population, controlling soil erosion and protecting water catchments and supplying other goods and ecological services. Hence, the present and future extent of forest coverage in Rwanda is central to sustainable development and climate change considerations. Currently, about 87% of the population and 70% of the country’s land area are de...
Executive Summary Presently, Nigeria is among the nations that are technically unable to meet their food supply needs from rain-fed production at a low level of inputs and appear likely to remain so even at intermediate levels of inputs at some point’s time between 2000 and 2025 (FAO 2002). For the rural areas of semi-arid Northern Nigeria, which experiences significant climatic and anthropogenic changes that have exacerbated food insecurity in the region, floodplain agriculture is criti...
ABSTRACT The study investigated stem distributions and height-diameter relationships of two Irvingiaceae species in Oban Forest, Cross River State, Nigeria with a view to suggesting appropriate management strategies for their conservation in the area. Using systematic sampling technique, six 2km-transect was cut in each of the primary and secondary forests in the area. Four 50m×50m plots were laid alternately along each transect. Thus, twenty-four plots were used in each of the two forest ty...
ABSTRACT Hibiscus sabdariffa is a non-timber-forest-plant (NTFP) that has the potential of producing fibers good in paper-making. Germination and growth potentials of H. sabdariffa under farmland, fallowland, plantation and forest ecosystems were studied. Seeds of H. sabdariffa were sown to assess germination percentage, germination rate, germination time and velocity coefficient on established plots of each ecosystem. Seedlings were randomly selected to measure growth and yield parameters of...
ABSTRACT Biodiversity enhances capacity of ecosystems to provide food resources and sequestration services of pollutants in soil and water. Bitumen seepage could impact negatively on soil and vegetation, thereby reducing their value. Information on the impact of bitumen seepage on the abundance of biodiversity in Nigeria is scanty. In this study, effects of bitumen seepage on biodiversity were therefore investigated. The study was conducted in bitumen belt of Ondo state for three years, wit...
SUMMARY Global warming has heightened the need to substitute fossil fuels with biomass-based energy sources. Some West African countries have recorded appreciable progress in this regard though with inadequate documentation. This study documents the extent of production and use of different biofuels and incentives for sustainability in the sub-region. Field visits were conducted in Benin, Ghana, Niger and Nigeria with the aid of structured questionnaire and focus group discussions; and l...
ABSTRACT Rural development has been erroneously equated to agricultural development. The former works to diversify income through non-farm activities to complement proceeds of the latter. However, the actual role of non-farm income in poverty alleviation is not yet known among rural households. There is therefore the need to critically explore the roles of non-farm income diversification in rural poverty alleviation. The patterns and contributions of nonfarm income diversification to poverty...
Lethal and sub-lethal effects of copper on Clarias gariepinus were studied using a 96-hour static bioassay. Copper (as copper chloride, CuCl2 . H2O) was used to prepare the stock solution from which five standard concentrations 0.0, 1.8, 3.2, 5.6, and 10.0 mg/L were prepared (coded A – E). 15 juvenile C. gariepinus fish having a mean weight and length 5.8g and 18 cm respectively were used. The 96-hour LC50 estimated using the logarithm method were 0.6, 0.71 and 0.7 mg/l for replicates...
ABSTRACT This 'study attempts to assess the economic performance of the rubber processing industry in Bendel, Ogun and Ondo States of Nigeria. The Nigerian rubber industry wh ich expeiienced a boom in the early 1950's started to face some serious set-backs during and after the civil war which broke out in 13G7. This setbacks were manifested in form of declining productivity and consequent decline in its contribution to foreign exchange earnings. The study which covers the period 7-1 assesses ...
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • Following the lessons learnt under the National Fadama Development Project -J, the National Fadama Development Project-II (NFDP-Il) has as one of its major objective to foster the inclusion of all social groups and to ensure that they benefit from the project. These groups are to be included in the participatory planning process that will result in the Local Development plans to be funded and in their implcrncnuuion. Experiences show that there is yet low level of awaren...
ABSTRACT The need for conservation of forests resources, which are presently under continuous depletion, is topical to sustainable development in Nigeria. Despite this, the annual rate of forest depletion in Anambra State is alarming. One of the adduced reasons for this had been inadequate access of residents who rely on forest resources for their livelihood to environmental amelioration information. This study therefore reports the media in use or that could be employed to effectively keep A...
ABSTRACT East Africa region has imbalances in the supply and demand of common bean. This can be offset by improving marketing infrastructure. The objectives of the study were to determine the characteristics of common bean traders, to determine the constraints to the observed trade in common bean varieties and finally to assess the extent to which markets have integrated in key selected markets. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to obtain a sample of 240 respondents (120 traders from th...
ABSTRACT With increasing population in the main consumption regions of Zambia, there is a persistent shortage in the supply of groundnuts especially in Lusaka and the Copperbelt regions. This is despite the major producing areas of Eastern and Northern regions having significant surpluses. This is a clear indication of market failure to stimulate groundnut production and distribution in addition to excessive price volatility, information asymmetry, and lack of organized and consistent markets...
The Title of this paper is PLANT DISEASE DETECTION USING IMAGE PROCESSING,this Paper is based on, detection disorder in plant leaf using image processing.