ABSTRACT Sweetpotato is a major food security crop grown in Kenya. Its production is however limited due to high prevalence of pests and diseases among other factors. Cultural control appears to be the most promising strategy in curbing this problem. However, the recommended cultural control practices are based on farming practices in Asia and United States of America that may not be appropriate for subsistence farmers found in Kenya. This study sought to establish farmers’ knowledge on swe...
Abstract Surface water concentrations of inorganic nutrients and suspended particulate matter (SPM) components were examined and compared between Mtwapa and Shirazi creeks in Kenya. This was aimed at assesing the ecological situation of the two creeks and determine the influence of sewage discharge. The results obtained were further compared with those from Ramisi, an estuarine system. Mtwapa recorded higher nutrient, chlorophyll a and phytoplankton carbon concentrations than Shirazi. The two...
ABSTRACT The study evaluated the effect of anthropogenic activities on the physico-chemical properties of soils of Awka South, LGA, Anambra state, Southeastern Nigeria. Triplicate soil samples were collected from three (3) soil depths (0-15cm, 15-30 cm and 30-45 cm) in four land use types; sand mining, play ground, arable land and forest land of Agu Awka, Amowbia, Okpuno and Ifite respectively. Physico-chemical properties and heavy metals concentration of the soils were analyzed using standar...
ABSTRACT The study evaluated the effect of anthropogenic activities on the physico-chemical properties of soils of Awka South, LGA, Anambra state, Southeastern Nigeria. Triplicate soil samples were collected from three (3) soil depths (0-15cm, 15-30 cm and 30-45 cm) in four land use types; sand mining, play ground, arable land and forest land of Agu Awka, Amowbia, Okpuno and Ifite respectively. Physico-chemical properties and heavy metals concentration of the soils were analyzed using standa...
Abstract: Surface water concentrations of inorganic nutrients and suspended particulate matter (SPM) components were examined and compared between Mtwapa and Shirazi creeks in Kenya. This was aimed at assesing the ecological situation of the two creeks and determine the influence of sewage discharge. The results obtained were further compared with those from Ramisi, an estuarine system. Mtwapa recorded higher nutrient, chlorophyll a and phytoplankton carbon concentrations than Shirazi. The t...
Abstract: Microbial formulations for producing bioorganic liquid fertilizers are promising technology in the future. Thus, the present study was aimed to produce bioorganic liquid fertilizer from khat leaves and onion bulbs through aerobic fermentation in open containers. Macronutrient composition of bioorganic fertilizer and compost tea solutions indicated that Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and sodium (Na) were found to be significant between bioorganic liquid fertilizer and ...
Abstract Seagrass meadows are considered as global hotspots of blue carbon stocks. However, they suffer global cover loss mainly due to anthropogenic activities. Few is known on the impact of seagrass loss on their blue carbon stocks. This study investigates the impact of seagrass removal on soil organic carbon stocks two years after initial perturbation, and the potential bioturbation activity of co-existing burrowing shrimps in Gazi Bay, Kenya. Seagrass aboveground biomass was removed for ...
Abstract: Cereals particularly maize, are the most essential food and cash crops for majority of smallholder households in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In maize production, small-sized producers are confronted with different constraints including stemborers, Striga and degraded soil leading to poor crop yields. In response to these challenges, the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) and collaborators came up with a habitat management approach; the Push-pull Technology ...
ABSTRACT The main objective of the study was to determine if there were differential barriers to entry into dry season farming in the Kassena Nankana East and Bongo Districts of the Upper East Region of Ghana and if so, how this affects participation and to what outcome. The types of barriers identified as important from the literature were categorized into economic, institutional, technical and socio- cultural barriers. The research design was a case study and used both quantitative ...
ABSTRACT Smallholder dairy farming has been practiced in many parts of the world including Tanzania aiming at generating income from the sale of milk and providing alternative source of protein to people of all ages in the households. The objective of this study was to analyse technical efficiency of smallholder dairy farmers in EPINAV dairy project in Njombe District, Tanzania. Data were collected by using semi structured questionnaires administered to 120 smallholder dairy farmers randomly ...
ABSTRACT Agriculture sustains the livelihoods of about 80% of Tanzanian households. Cotton is amongst the two most important export cash crops in Tanzania and the first for the Western cotton-producing zone. Although Tanzania’s cotton output has increased, average cotton yields in the country reported being only 760 kg /ha though yields of about 1200 kg/ha can be realized. The objective of this study was to measure the performance of cotton smallholder farmers. Technical factors that affec...
ABSTRACT This research focused on the assessment of the effects of different land on sites in Tunga Maje, Gwagwalada AreC7 Council of the Federal Territory, having the following objectives, and to examine soil physically of various land uses (three land uses C7na control) with a sample of depth; 0-15cm (topsoil) and _I 6-30crn (subsoil), to compare in soil properties between the three lands use. It rr2aa~e -;U5.,~f.Z primary and secondary data. Primary was obtained t}2r.;_ry-ZJ"g}-;z .ses fr...
Abstract There is continued decline in per capita agricultural productivity in the drier parts of Kenya’s central highlands. The declines have been linked to low and declining soil fertility, soil water, high atmospheric heat, prolonged dry-spells and erratic rainfall. Integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) technologies have been developed and tested in the region. Despite their significant impacts, high variability in local soils and climate contributes to large variations and incons...
ABSTRACT This research study is designed to determine the microbial count of Chicken Droppings and Ground Palm kernel shell in which the chicken droppings is used as inoculum on Ground Palm Kernel Shell at Ratio 2: l in which the inoculum size is half of the Ground Palm Kernel Shell. Pollution of the environment due to oil production can be reduced through this study because is aimed at examining the microorganism responsible for the biodegradation that can be achieved in Palm kernel she...
Abstract: This study was carried out in Kulkullessa Sub-Watershed of Goro Gutu District in Eastern Ethiopia to assess the effects of climate smart SWC practices and slope gradient on selected physicochemical properties of the soil and the soil's organic carbon stocks. The farmland conserved by SB, BT and GS five years after construction with two slope gradients (15-20%) and (21-30%) was selected. Twenty-four composite soil samples were collected from a depth of 20 cm and tested in the Harama...