Abstract: Building climate-resilient farming systems is important to promote the sustainability of agriculture at the global level. Scaling-up agroecological approaches in main staple crops, such as maize, is particularly important in enhancing the climate resilience of millions of smallholder farmers in developing countries. In this regard, push–pull technology (PPT) is an ecological approach to a farming system that aims to improve the climate resilience of maize producers in a smallhold...
ABSTRACT The present study quantifies the effects of the determinants of commercialisation of maize production in the East Akyem District of Ghana. The Tobit model is used. The conventional t-test is also performed to examine the differences between the characteristics of the commercial and non-commercial maize farmers in the East Akyem District of Ghana. The study observes, inter alia, that farmer age, marital status, time farmer spends on maize fanning, farming system, whether male family m...
ABSTRACT Societies are dynamic: so too are the farming systems that provide their food and other needs. The study examines transitions in farming systems and their contribution to food security at the household level. This is important as most people in rural areas rely on farming for their basic needs. These systems are under pressure from both external and internal forces with diverse impacts on food and livelihoods. A mixed-methods approach, which combined a survey with different qualitati...
ABSTRACT The study analyzed organic farming practices among rural households in SouthSouth Nigeria. The study determined the level of awareness and use of organic farming practices in the study are, identified the sources of information on organic farming practices; assessed farmers perceived benefits of organic farming practices; identified constraints to organic farming and determined strategies for the improvement of organic farming practices. Data were collected with structured questionn...
ABSTRACT This study examines the extent to which farmers trained by the Food Research Institute have taken up mushroom farming and also determines the profitability of mushroom production. Specifically, the study describes trends in the levels of mushroom production since 1995, the rate of adoption and dis-adoption of mushroom farming by trainees, the profitability of mushroom cultivation and identifies constraints to mushroom farming from the perspective of farmers. Trend description involve...
ABSTRACT The study analyzed organic farming practices among rural households in SouthSouth Nigeria. The study determined the level of awareness and use of organic farming practices in the study are, identified the sources of information on organic farming practices; assessed farmers perceived benefits of organic farming practices; identified constraints to organic farming and determined strategies for the improvement of organic farming practices. Data were collected with structured questionn...
ABSTRACT Inland-based fish farming in Kenya continues to draw enormous financial support by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Development under the Economic Stimulus Programme. The Fish Farming Enterprise Productivity Programme (FFEPP) entails the production of fish in a managed environment in marine and freshwater systems for food and commercial purposes. In-land based pond fish farming has been hampered by low level of fish farming, abandonment of ponds, and inadequate tr...
1.0INTRODUCTION 1.1GENERAL BACKGROUND TO THE SUBJECT MATTER The role which farming plays in the economic development and growth of Nigeria is to great to be imagined. Agricultural outputs accounts for be better percentage of the total economics activities in Nigeria. Even in the developed countries like United States of America, Great Britain, France and Japan, the place of faming standout consciously. In Nigeria however, this sector has remained neglected to the detriment of the mush talke...
ABSTRACT This study was conducted to analyze the socio-economic and environmental effects of urban fish farming in Dar es Salaam. Gross Margin was used to determine the profitability of urban fish farming. Results indicate that urban fish farming are operating profitably. The gross margin obtained by tilapia farmers ranges from TZS 658 000/= to 2 515 350/= per pond per production cycle. While gross margin obtained by African catfish farmers ranges from TZS 3 750 000/= to 9 590 000/=. Contrib...
ABSTRACT This study provides empirical evidence on economic impact of contract farming on the income of smallholder farmers of non traditional crops. Specifically it analyses the requirements for farmers’ participation, factors that determine income and effect of paprika contract farming on household income and identifies constraints and prospects of contract farming. A cross section research design was adopted and a purposeful sampling procedure was used to select villages and wards and ...
ABSTRACT In recent years, organic agriculture has been gaining considerable importance. Many farmers today show interest all over the world in organic farming. Several of them have begun switching to this traditional method of cultivation as a means to produce safe foodstuffs and preserve the environment. The concept of organic farming is not new, but it has been scantly studied. An organic spice farming is a part of the organic farming which requires to be studied widely. Spice production i...
ABSTRACT According to the UN, sea surface temperatures (SST) are increasing at alarming rates and the oceans are increasingly polluted by anthropogenic activities. This thesis sought to determine how two pollutants – cadmium (Cd) and pyrene (PY) interacting with sea surface warming affect copepod egg production (EP), mortality and recycling of ingested food through faecal pellet (FP) production. A field study was conducted on transects established on the Western, Central and Eastern Coast T...
ABSTRACT Farming has a huge potential in offering employment to the youth considering its wider labour absorptive capacity. Despite the recognition of employment creation, youth participation in working as a farmer is low due to their attitudes towards farming. The current study describes socio-economic factors that influence formation of youth attitudes in Kuresoi Sub-County, Nakuru County, Kenya. A sample of 120 youths was selected randomly from registered youth groups. Data was collected ...
ABSTRACT Climate variability and change pose serious challenges to smallholder farmers and agro-pastoralists. Nonetheless, their trends and impacts on rain-fed farming system (RFFS) in semi-arid areas of Tanzania have not sufficiently been explored. This study was conducted in Iramba and Meatu districts to contribute to this knowledge gap. The study specifically (i) assessed meteorological data trends of rainfall and temperature between 1994 and 2011; (ii) determined farmers’ perception of ...
ABSTRACT Microbial diversity and function in agro-ecosystems is influenced by various aspects linked to soil and agronomic practices for example, tillage, irrigation, crop rotation and application of organic and inorganic inputs. Farming systems practices may affect the dynamic interactions existing between soil, plant and microorganisms in different agricultural biomes. Due to limitations associated with conventional microbial cultivation strategies, only a fractional number of cultivable sp...