Wetlands have immense poverty-fighting potentials and in Nigeria, more and more people are dependent on wetlands for their livelihoods. To examine the social factors affecting the current status of the wetlands utiliz...Wetlands have immense poverty-fighting potentials and in Nigeria, more and more people are dependent on wetlands for their livelihoods. To examine the social factors affecting the current status of the wetlands utilization for agriculture in Nigeda, a simple random sampling technique was used to select 200 farmers cultivating wetlands and a structured questionnaire was applied to elicit the information on the social factors. Data collected were described using frequency and percentage and a multiple regression analysis was used to identify significant variables that are determinants of wetland utilization. The results of the analysis showed that significant variables included crop preferences, farming system, culture, taste, land tenure, knowledge of wetland cultivation, perceived suitability, farmers＇ tribe, location of wetland, and farmers＇ age. it was concluded with suggestions for the right combination of policies, public awareness, and appropriate farming methods in order to improve wetland utilization in Nigeria.展开更多
There is the need to take seriously the task of conserving soil moisture in agricultural fields and free-water surfaces in reservoirs, especially in recent years of climate change. Many strategies exist for achieving ...There is the need to take seriously the task of conserving soil moisture in agricultural fields and free-water surfaces in reservoirs, especially in recent years of climate change. Many strategies exist for achieving this task and improving the productivity of arable soils. These strategies traditionally come under biological and physical or mechanical measures. Some other relatively new techniques operate neither on physical nor on biological principle. All these measures which operate on different principles frequently overlap. The principles involved, together with the prospects and constraints of the key techniques of conserving soil moisture found in the literature, are reviewed in this paper. Among other considerations, the effectiveness and/or practicability of any one of the techniques depend upon soil type, topography, climate, scale of production, level of technology, and socio-economic status. Such agronomic practices as conservation tillage and live vegetation mulch that maintain infiltration rates often appear to be more beneficial in the long run than engineering structures, especially those that lead to blocking of waterways on the soil surface. However, this review reveals that none of the soil moisture conservation strategies could be credited as universally applicable. Consequently, an integrated approach to soil water management and conservation, where feasible, is considered more appropriate. This is because the different principles involved in the techniques identified to be compatible would readily complement and strengthen one another. Such a multi-mechanistic approach is expected to result in improved efficacy in conserving water resources in soils and open reservoirs.展开更多
The purpose of this study is to identify the determinants of adoption of sawah technology in Ashanti region of Ghana. It identifies those independent variables that explain adoption and can also facilitate further dis...The purpose of this study is to identify the determinants of adoption of sawah technology in Ashanti region of Ghana. It identifies those independent variables that explain adoption and can also facilitate further dissemination and adoption of sawah technology. Sawah refers to leveled rice field surrounded by banks with inlet and outlet for irrigation and drainage. This study uses data from 108 farmers randomly selected from 198 sawah farmers in the study area. Regression analysis showed that age, educational level and year of experience in rice production were the personal factors that determined the adoption of sawah technology among the respondents. The result further showed that contact with extension agents, attendance in previous sawah trainings, land tenure arrangement, yield from sawah farm and attributes of sawah technology determined adoption. This study suggested that adoption of sawah technology should be targeted at young, educated and experienced farmers. Also, security of land must be ascertained by farmers in order to enhance adoption, continuous and sustained use of sawah technology.展开更多
The study examined the impact of using power tiller as a means of mechanizing lowland rice production in Nigeria. The study was carried out in Bida area, Niger State, where the sawah rice production was disseminated b...The study examined the impact of using power tiller as a means of mechanizing lowland rice production in Nigeria. The study was carried out in Bida area, Niger State, where the sawah rice production was disseminated by Watershed Initiative in Nigeria （WIN）. And in Ajase Ipo of Kwara State, some of the parameters assessed during the study included average speed of operation, average wheel slip/travel reduction, average draught of implement, and fuel consumption. The cost of operation and yield over five years of usage at Niger State and two years in Kwara State was determined and it was therefore concluded that the power tiller is the most appropriate field machinery for tillage operations such as puddling, leveling on lowland rice production in Nigeria.展开更多
The use of the power tillers （walking tractors） are increasingly popular in Nigeria among farmers adopting Sawah rice production technology. This study compares the effects of two types of power tillers on physical ...The use of the power tillers （walking tractors） are increasingly popular in Nigeria among farmers adopting Sawah rice production technology. This study compares the effects of two types of power tillers on physical properties of soil and rice yield. because soil properties determine to a large extents rice yield. Data on soil properties and rice yield were collected and subjected to t-test statistics. The results show that, significant differences exit for all the physical properties of soils rice yields from fields where the two power tiller were used with yields from rice field where SHAKTI was used was higher than KUBOTA. It is important that farmers using these models of power tillers for rice production should not only focus on the purchase cost of these power tillers but their overall efficiency in order to achieve the desired high level of yield.展开更多
文摘Wetlands have immense poverty-fighting potentials and in Nigeria, more and more people are dependent on wetlands for their livelihoods. To examine the social factors affecting the current status of the wetlands utilization for agriculture in Nigeda, a simple random sampling technique was used to select 200 farmers cultivating wetlands and a structured questionnaire was applied to elicit the information on the social factors. Data collected were described using frequency and percentage and a multiple regression analysis was used to identify significant variables that are determinants of wetland utilization. The results of the analysis showed that significant variables included crop preferences, farming system, culture, taste, land tenure, knowledge of wetland cultivation, perceived suitability, farmers＇ tribe, location of wetland, and farmers＇ age. it was concluded with suggestions for the right combination of policies, public awareness, and appropriate farming methods in order to improve wetland utilization in Nigeria.
文摘There is the need to take seriously the task of conserving soil moisture in agricultural fields and free-water surfaces in reservoirs, especially in recent years of climate change. Many strategies exist for achieving this task and improving the productivity of arable soils. These strategies traditionally come under biological and physical or mechanical measures. Some other relatively new techniques operate neither on physical nor on biological principle. All these measures which operate on different principles frequently overlap. The principles involved, together with the prospects and constraints of the key techniques of conserving soil moisture found in the literature, are reviewed in this paper. Among other considerations, the effectiveness and/or practicability of any one of the techniques depend upon soil type, topography, climate, scale of production, level of technology, and socio-economic status. Such agronomic practices as conservation tillage and live vegetation mulch that maintain infiltration rates often appear to be more beneficial in the long run than engineering structures, especially those that lead to blocking of waterways on the soil surface. However, this review reveals that none of the soil moisture conservation strategies could be credited as universally applicable. Consequently, an integrated approach to soil water management and conservation, where feasible, is considered more appropriate. This is because the different principles involved in the techniques identified to be compatible would readily complement and strengthen one another. Such a multi-mechanistic approach is expected to result in improved efficacy in conserving water resources in soils and open reservoirs.
文摘The purpose of this study is to identify the determinants of adoption of sawah technology in Ashanti region of Ghana. It identifies those independent variables that explain adoption and can also facilitate further dissemination and adoption of sawah technology. Sawah refers to leveled rice field surrounded by banks with inlet and outlet for irrigation and drainage. This study uses data from 108 farmers randomly selected from 198 sawah farmers in the study area. Regression analysis showed that age, educational level and year of experience in rice production were the personal factors that determined the adoption of sawah technology among the respondents. The result further showed that contact with extension agents, attendance in previous sawah trainings, land tenure arrangement, yield from sawah farm and attributes of sawah technology determined adoption. This study suggested that adoption of sawah technology should be targeted at young, educated and experienced farmers. Also, security of land must be ascertained by farmers in order to enhance adoption, continuous and sustained use of sawah technology.
文摘The study examined the impact of using power tiller as a means of mechanizing lowland rice production in Nigeria. The study was carried out in Bida area, Niger State, where the sawah rice production was disseminated by Watershed Initiative in Nigeria （WIN）. And in Ajase Ipo of Kwara State, some of the parameters assessed during the study included average speed of operation, average wheel slip/travel reduction, average draught of implement, and fuel consumption. The cost of operation and yield over five years of usage at Niger State and two years in Kwara State was determined and it was therefore concluded that the power tiller is the most appropriate field machinery for tillage operations such as puddling, leveling on lowland rice production in Nigeria.
文摘The use of the power tillers （walking tractors） are increasingly popular in Nigeria among farmers adopting Sawah rice production technology. This study compares the effects of two types of power tillers on physical properties of soil and rice yield. because soil properties determine to a large extents rice yield. Data on soil properties and rice yield were collected and subjected to t-test statistics. The results show that, significant differences exit for all the physical properties of soils rice yields from fields where the two power tiller were used with yields from rice field where SHAKTI was used was higher than KUBOTA. It is important that farmers using these models of power tillers for rice production should not only focus on the purchase cost of these power tillers but their overall efficiency in order to achieve the desired high level of yield.
