North East Local Government Area Research Articles

Contribution of malnutrition and malaria to anemia in children in rural communities of Edo state, Nigeria.

Background:The most common cause of anemia is an iron deficiency; however, the condition may also be caused by deficiencies in folate, vitamin B12 and protein. Some anemia is not caused by nutritional factors, but by congenital factors and parasitic diseases such as malaria.Aim:This study attempted to estimate the prevalence of anemia among children in three rural communities of the Ovia North East Local government area, and to determine whether its cause was nutritional or could be attributed to malaria.Patients and Methods:A total of 316 children between the ages of 1 and 15 years were included in the study. Children were examined for malaria parasites by microscopy. The World Health Organization (WHO) age-adjusted cut-off for hemoglobin was used to classify anemia.Results:38.6% of the children were anemic, with hemoglobin levels lower than 11g/dL, although parasite prevalence and density were low. Malnutrition was patent; 37.0% of the children were stunted, 19.3% wasted and 44.0% underweight. Serum ferritin was more sensitive than hemoglobin concentration in detecting anemic children. Anemia was also significantly higher in the Evbuomore village school than in the Ekosodin and Isiohor villages (P<0.001).Conclusion:Anemia detected in this population may be due more to malnutrition than to malaria.

Perceived training needs of cassava farmers in Ovia north east local government area of Edo State. Nigeria

This study examined training needs of cassava farmers in Ovia North-East Local Government Area, Edo State. A total of 80 randomly selected cassava farmers were the respondents for the study. Data were collected using interview schedule and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Results showed that majority of the farmers (57.5%) were males, higher percentage of the respondents (63.8%) belongs to the age group 30 – 49years and 47.5 percent of the respondents were married. Majority of the respondents (60.0%) had both primary and secondary qualifications while 32.5 percent had no formal education. Findings further show that respondents attached great importance to the use of improved variety ( &#935=4.37), rapid multiplication of planting materials (&#935 = 4.18) weeding (&#935 =4.15) and storage of planting material (&#935 =3.85). They also identified quality flour making (&#935 = 4.72), rapid multiplication of planting materials ( &#935= 4.68), industrial utilization of cassava (&#935 =4.53) identification of improved varieties (&#935 = 4.42). as areas where training is highly required. There were significant association between respondents\' age, educational level and farm size and their training needs. It was therefore recommended that there is a need for organizing training for farmers in areas such as rapid multiplication of planting materials, quality cassava flour production and identification of improved cassava varieties. Keywords: Assessment, training needs, cassava farmers.Bowen Journal of Agriculture Vol. 5 (1&2) 2008: pp. 128-134

Depth of Hand Dug Wells and Water Chemistry: Example from Ibadan Northeast Local Government Area (L.G.A.), Oyo-State, Nigeria

The paper attempts an examination of the relationships between water chemistry and depth of hand- dug wells in a densely populated (16,679-people/km 2 ) part of Ibadan, Nigeria. Multivariate procedures of multiple and stepwise regression analyses were adopted. Results of the multiple regression and correlation shoed that Coliform count., pH , total hardness (TH), calcium (Ca + ),magnesium (Mg + ), iron (Fe + ) and chloride (Cl - )increase with increasing depth while nitrate (NO 3 - )and bicarbonate (CO 3 -) 2 reduce with depth. All the examined parameters were significant at 0.05. Further, the result of R 2 showed that the relationship explains 68.88% of the variance; while, the stepwise regression suggest chloride to be the most important chemical parameter (R2 of 38.11%). That is related to well's depth. The paper calls for further research.

The Determinants of Agricultural Production and Profitability in Akoko Land, Ondo-State, Nigeria

The study considered the determinants of agricultural production and profitability with special reference to maize production in Akoko North East and South West Local Government Areas of Ondo-State. Data collection was through well structured questionnaire administered on 100 respondents selected through random sampling technique. The methods of analysis used were descriptive statistics, gross margin analysis and production function analysis using the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) criterion to estimate the parameters of the production function. Results showed that majority of the farmers were ageing and quite experienced in maize farming. Also there was high level of illiteracy as about 65% of total respondents had no formal education while 25, 6 and 4% had primary, secondary and technical education respectively. Farming was majorly on subsistence level as the mean farm size was 0.39 hectares. Maize farming was profitable in the study area with gross margin and net returns of N2,637.80 and N2,141.00 respectively. Results showed that farm operation was in stage II of the production function with RTS estimated as 0.62 and factors of production were efficiently allocated with elasticities that were positive but less than one. Results further showed that age, education, labour and cost of non-labour inputs were positively related to output while farm size and years of experience carried negative signs. However, only labour input has significant influence on output.

Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) Seeds Collected from Three Locations in Edo State, Nigeria

The study was initiated to ascertain some physical and chemical characteristics of the breadfruit seed collected from three locations (Benin City in Oredo, Egor in Egor, and NIFOR in Ovia North-East Local Government Areas) in Edo State, Nigeria. 150 units of well-matured seeded breadfruits were harvested, the fruits were opened and the following physical characters were determined; weight of fruits, number of seeds per fruit, percentage weight of seeds and weight per seed. The seeds after sun-drying (30-35 C) and seed o coat removed were apportioned into two (defatted and undefatted)by extraction followed by proximate chemical analysis (AOAC, 1990).Results indicated that there was no significant (P > 0.05) differences between locations for the physical and chemical characters of the breadfruit and seeds determined. However, it indicated that the mean weight of fruits ranged between 1228.5 and 1291.09 numbers of seeds per fruit (from 73.0 to 77.0) while the mean weight of seeds per fruit and mean weight per seed were between 615.4g and, 750.1g and 8.49g and 9.00g respectively. The seed weights per seed were between 615.4g and 750.1g, 8.49g and 9.00g respectively. The seed weights (percent) per fruit were 50.1, 54.9 and 53.1% for the three locations. The chemical composition of the fruit seed indicated ash to be between 5.02% for Benin and 5.33% for NIFOR and CP, 18.27 (Benin), 19.11 (Egor) and NIFOR, 19.37 percent. Other parameters measured (EE, CF, NFE) were 8.25, 16.18 and 42.10% for Benin City, 8.63, 16.92 and 17.15% for Egor and NIFOR, 8.54, 16.75, and 43.49 percent. Results for the defatted seed meal were (2.75%), CP (27.93%), CF (15.37%) and 48.01% for NIFOR. It may be concluded that locations within the region did not considerably affect the breadfruit and seeds characteristics measured in this study.

Extension Needs of Women Cassava Farmers in Igueben an Esan Northeast Local Government Areas of Edo State, Nigeria

No Abstract Available Africa Development/Afrique et developpement Vol.XXVII, Nos 1&2, 2002: 116-126

Economic analysis of the marketing of plantain: a case study of uhunmwode and ovia north east local government areas of edo state, Nigeria

This study concentrated on economic analysis of the marketing of plantain in Uhunmwode and Ovia North East Local Government Areas of Edo State. Six markets, made up of three from each local governmnet were selected because of their high population of plantain marketers and their approximate equal sizes. Data were collected with a well structured questionnaire administered to sixty randomly selected plantain marketers from the six markets . Personal interview, observation method and weighing of plantain were also carried out. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, deviation, correlation coefficient and t- test. The results revealed that differences exist in the price of plantain in the selected markets due to transportation cost, storage cost, initial purchase price of the plantain, bruising/spoilage, off-season scarcity and inadequate market information. Keywords: Economics analysis, plantain marketing, Uhunmwode and Ovia North East, Edo State.

The Economic Potentials of Pineapple Marketing in Edo State, Nigeria.

Agricultural marketing involves numerous lines of activities, which if well developed can sustain livelihood. It is in line with this that this study looked at the economic potentials in pineapple marketing with a view to unfolding the various business ventures in it that could be developed to enhance income generation for the farmers/marketers. The study was conducted in Uhunmwode, Ovia North East and Esan West Local Government Areas of Edo State. The data used for the study were obtained with the aid of a well-structured questionnaire from fifty (50) randomly selected pineapple marketers and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The Benefit-Cost Ratio was used to assess the economic viability of some of the identified ventures while the Likert Scale was used for the ranking of some identified factors that stagnate enterprise development in pineapple marketing.

Resource-use efficiency in okra production among smallholder farmers in Ika south and north east local government areas of Delta state, Nigeria

This study examined the efficiency of resource use among smallholder okra farmers in Ika South and North Local Government Areas of Delta State, Nigeria. A two-stage sampling procedure was adopted in the selection of 113 okra farmers for the study using questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression and marginal analyses. The result shows that most of the okra farmers were female. The mean age of the okra farmers was 47 year, while majority (90.3%) of the respondents were married. The mean household size was 5 persons, while the average farming experience was 20 years. The average farms size was 20.3 hectares. Three functional forms were tested and the linear function was chosen based on the number and significance of the parameters. The coefficient of multiple determination (R2) was 0.501which indicates that 50.1% of the variation in the output of Okra was accounted for by the independent variables in the model. The result of the marginal analysis showed that labour, farm size, fertilizer and planting material were underutilized as their ratios were greater than one, while herbicide on the other hand was over utilized. The study recommended that in other to increase the output of okra in the study area farmers have to increase the use of farm size, labour, fertilizer and planting materials since they are technically operating in stage 1 of the production process. Also, the use of herbicide should be decreased in other for these resources to be efficiently utilized.Key word: Resource-use. Okra production, multiple regression, marginal analysis