International Journal of Agricultural Management and Development
Volume:1 Issue: 2, Jun 2011

In Nigeria, most farming activities rely on family labor. However, rural-urban drift and the movement of young people away from agriculture are making labor increasingly pause. Thus, labor has become a major constraint to expanding the scope of production by small-scale resource poor farmers. This paper provides an empirical relationship between labor and poverty using data from households. Through a multi stage sampling procedure, 150 farming households were selected using questionnaire. Results of Foster, Greer and Thorbecke decomposition show that poverty incidence, depth and severity increase with increase in labor employed in farm operations implying that poverty is directly related to labor. Finding further reveals that the difference in poverty incidence of one of the sub-group (1–50 Vs 50–100) pair is statistically significant at (P< 0.05). Results suggest that the mandays of labor employed significantly affect the poverty incidence of farm households.

The purpose of research was analyzing educational needs of corn farmer's regarding biological control Bracon parasitoidof corn Caradrina in Dezful Township, Khouzestan province, Iran. The method of research was correlative descriptive. A random sample of Dezful township corn farmers of Khouzestanprovince, Iran (n=350) were selected for participation in the study. A questionnaire was developed to gather information regarding educational needs of corn farmer's regarding biological control Bracon parasitoid of corn Caradrina. The questionnaire was pilot tested in Shoushtar Township. Questionnaire reliability was estimated by Cronbach’s alpha. Reliability was 0.85. Data collected were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The results indicated 53.4% of corn farmers had low and very low knowledge regarding biological control Bracon parasitoid of corn Caradrina. Based on results, farmers need to education regarding all subject area of biological control. Also, there was significant correlation between knowledge of corn farmer's with social participation, level of education, income, technical knowledge and extension activity. The result of regression indicated that 53% of the variances in the knowledge of respondents could be explained by the social participation, level of education, income, technical knowledge and extension activity.

The purpose of this research was identifying socio-economic characteristics affected on respondents’ participation in contract farming. The survey was conducted using structured questionnaire in populous states namely Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Perak, Selangor and Johor in Peninsular Malaysia. A total of one-hundred and sixty seven FFV farmers were randomly selected and personally interviewed. Logit analysis was carried out to identify determinants that influenced fresh fruits and vegetables (FFV) farmers participating in contract farming. The findings in the paper show that, based on the output from logistic regression, ownership, land size, education background, perceived benefit, complicated process, lacking in opportunities and price risk are dominant variables influencing FFV farmers’ willingness to participate in contract farming. Land ownership, land size, education and perceived benefit are dominant variables that positively influenced FFV farmers to participate in contract farming. Complicated process, lack of opportunities and price risk negatively influenced FFV farmers’ participation in contract farming.

The purpose of this study was to survey impacts of drought on Socio-economic conditions of Guilan Paddy farmers.Besides recognizing these impacts, it ranked them according to the viewpoint of the Paddy farmers. It was of the descriptive- correlation type. Questionnaire was the main tool of this study. To determine the validity of questionnaire used of comments of panel experts and reliability of the questionnaire by using of Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 89%. The information gathered by using the survey method. The statistical population was the farmers whom their basic career was production of rice and according to the information of Agricultural Organization (Jihad-e-Keshavarzi) in 2009 was caught by drought. By using the proportional stratified sample method, 270 of these individuals were chosen and filled in the questionnaires. In order to determine the scale of drought impacts, year 2008 (a year which paddy farmers had ensured water reservoir) compared to year 2009 (a year which paddy farmers were caught by drought and water shortage). The results indicated that drought caused decrease in white-rice production for 312 kg per hectare. This problem also caused increase in costs, decrease in income, decrease in saved money, and increase in anxiety, mental problems etc on Guilan paddy farmers. Other findings indicated that there hasn’t been statistically significant relationship between age and farming experience of paddy farmers with the amount of damage. But, there was statistically significant relationship between literacy, type of water resource and taking extension advices with amount of damage.

Integrating natural resources management in the secondary school curriculum in Kenya has received a lot of talk without adequate practical activities. The Farmers of the Future Programme under the World Agroforestry Centre, formally the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), initiated a practical approach to integration of natural resources management in the secondary school curriculum in Kenya. This paper provides information on significant findings of a study that was carried out to determine the potential of FoF in integrating natural resources management into the secondary school curriculum in Kenya. A comparison between secondary school students who are involved in FoF programme and those not involved was done to determine their perceptions towards natural resources management. Further, comparison of perceptions by gender among learners who are involved in the FoF initiative was done. The study employed an ex-post-facto design in data collection using questionnaires. Questionnaires and were analysed using t-test at alpha = 0.05. The findings indicated that the FoF programme had a significant influence on learners’ perceptions towards natural resources management. It was therefore concluded that FoF programme enhanced positive perceptions towards natural resources management among learners. On the basis of the findings, it was recommended that the FoF programme be expanded to cover more schools.

The Nigerian rice sector has made remarkable improvement in the last decade as production has increased significantly thereby reducing the gap between domestic supply and demand. In the last three decades, rice imports make up greater proportion of Nigerian imports as rice forms a structural component of the Nigerian diet. Past government inconsistent policies were not successful in securing good market share for domestic rice producers, hence producers suffered great losses. The recent resurgence of interest by the present administration to intensify domestic rice production has yielded positive results. The objective of this study is to analyze and assess the costs and benefits of intensification of rice production systems in southeastern Nigeria using a policy analysis matrix approach. Multi Stage sampling technique was employed in selecting 75 upland and 75 lowland rice farmers who were interviewed with structured and validated questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Policy Analysis Matrix (PAM). The result shows that upland; lowland and double rice cropping systems in southeastern Nigeria is profitable based on the policy analysis matrix (PAM) model, and rice production under various systems and technologies is socially profitable and financially competitive. While there exist comparative advantage in the various production systems, with lowland and double cropping being highest, substantial tax imposed on rice imports in Nigeria and government investment in intensifying rice production had a positive impact on the output of local rice production. The study concludes with strategies for the development of ricesub sector in Nigeria.

In this paper, the value of exchange rate was calculated in order to determine comparative advantage in crops of Sari Township during 2009-2010. Hence, first, comparative advantage indices are estimated by using a policy analysis matrix. The results showed that just wheat has a DRC index of one in the minimum amount of national currency exchange rate value. This indicated the fact that only wheat, compared to Rice, Soybean, Canola and Barley in this region, can compete with global markets and had a social profitable production system. Therefore, it is recommended that executive policies, which make competitive ability in wheat, should also be applied for other products.