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Volume 7 Number 3 July 2021

Assessment of Farmers’ Utilization of Global System for Mobile (GSM) For Communication in the Fadama III Program in Taraba State, Nigeria


Authors: Baba Salisu Audu
Pages: 108-115
DOI: doi.org/10.32861/jac.73.108.115
Abstract
The study assesses the farmers’ use of Global System for Mobile (GSM) for communication among farmers in agricultural extension programs in Taraba State, Nigeria. Specifically, the objectives include: identify key areas in which GSM are used for communication in agricultural extension programs activities, determine the frequency of usage of GSM for information exchange between farmers and extension personnel; and ascertain farmers’ satisfaction in the use of GSM in obtaining information in the various agricultural extension programs. The population for this study included all beneficiaries/farmers under the agricultural extension programs in Taraba state, Nigeria. Purposive sampling was adopted because of the accessibility of the selected three Local Government Areas (LGAs), (Ardo-Kola, Jalingo & Lau) throughout the year. Five Fadama User Groups (FUGs) were randomly selected from each LGA to constitute fifteen FUGs for the study. From each FUG, ten respondents were drawn randomly to give a sample size for the study. In the Fadama III project, respondents’ key areas of communications with personnel of the project included: group formation (88%), mobilization of members for participation in Fadama III programs and activities (87.3%), awareness creation of Fadama III intervention (82.7%), capacity building activities (81.3%), convening of Fadama User Group (FUG)/FCA meetings (81.3%), sub-project preparation and management (80.7%), advisory services and input support services (80%), environmental/social screening friendly practices (72.7%), asset acquisition activities (68%), record-keeping activities (66%), small-scale community infrastructure activities (63.3%) and financial management (61.3%). Farmers indicated their satisfaction in obtaining information o;n capacity building activities by the use of GSM with the (M = 1.21), advisory services and input support activities (M = 1.28), asset acquisition activities, (M= 1.16), mobilization of members for participation in Fadama III activities (M = 1.40), convening FUG/FCA meetings ( M = 1.43), financial management (M=1.09), record-keeping activities (M = 1.17), awareness creation of Fadama III intervention (M = 1.27), group formation (M = 1.37) and environmental/social screening and environmentally friendly practices ( M = 1.17). The main challenges included no GSM phones provided by Fadama III to farmers (M = 1.37), low level of education of farmers (M = 1.55), erratic power supply (M = 1.41), high call tariff (M = 1.11), poor network coverage (M = 1.24), lack of maintenance e.g recharging (M = 1.11), and fluctuating services by the service providers (M = 1.16). The study suggested that the Information and communication unit of the Fadama III project should collaborate with other media outfits and extension units to disseminate agro-information to the benefits of the Fadama III beneficiaries.

An Analysis of Household Consumers’ Awareness, Perceptions, Attitudes and Behaviour Towards Irish Potato Procurement and Consumption in Urban Areas in Cameroon


Authors: Nyingchia Yvette ; Mveme Olougou Mireille Michée ; Adama Farida ; Nso’ngang Andre ; Dickmi Vaillam Claudette ; Nossi Eric Joel ; Simo Brice ; Okolle Justine ; Tata Ngome Precillia
Pages: 98-107
DOI: doi.org/10.32861/jac.73.98.107
Abstract
The aim of this study was to measure the effects of townspeople’s origin and acculturation on Irish potato procurement and consumption in Cameroon. It is part of the logic of developing strategies for the introduction and diversification of urban dietary practices, to reduce hunger and undernourishment in urban areas. The study plans to discover new dishes and make them culturally and traditionally acceptable following local tastes and preferences. To provide a snapshot of Irish potato city dwellers’ consumers’ characteristics, the study used a cross-sectional design. The cross-sectional sample is made up of 180 subjects, taken in each of the 12 associations; aged at least 10 years, of people, originated from Irish potato-producing areas or non, chosen in Yaoundé city, i.e. 6 associations per category. They must have spent at least 2 years in the association, that is to say, that they have experience of urban life and have stabilized their food supply mode. The main idea was that subjects from producing areas are consumers of Irish potato, following traditional food consumption patterns and concepts of food availability, while those from non-producing areas are consumers who progressively integrate and adopt potato dishes into their diets through the impact of acculturation and exposure. The first was chosen according to the sociocultural factors determining the nature of the traditional food intake in the production areas. All regions in which Irish potato was not produced were considered as non-producing areas. Results show that the predisposition of traditional food systems and preferences lead city dwellers to consume specific foods in particular ways; all the people interviewed consume Irish potato, but not at the same rate; Irish potato dishes vary and people from non-producing areas already eat some dishes like fried potato and chips at high scale. Intercultural associations could thus be an important channel for sharing Irish potato consumption information.

Proximate and Mineral Analysis of Some Edible Wild Seeds and Stem in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria


Authors: Omale M. O. ; Dachung G. ; Labe T. E.
Pages: 91-97
DOI: doi.org/10.32861/jac.73.91.97
Abstract
Benue State is endowed with numerous varieties of useful plants whose fruits, seeds, roots, stems and leaves serve important roles in nutrition but unfortunately many of these plants have not been put to maximum use. The neglect of these forest food plants is attributed to inadequate information on their nutritional potential to serve as food. The broad objective of the study was to examine the nutritional composition of Vitellaria paradoxa fruits, Cissus populnea stem, Afzelia africana seeds, Parkia biglobosa seeds and Prosopis africana seeds. Carbohudrate content was found to be the most abundant nutrient in all the plant species studied when compared with other nutrients. The highest carbohydrate content (58.22±0.2%) was found in Cissus populnea stem followed by carbohydrate content in Afzelia africana seeds (51.36±0.01%). The least carbohydrate content of 35.68±0.06% was found in the fruits of Vitellaria paradoxa. There were significant variations in the concentrations of nutrients screened from the 5 selected plants at p>0.05 level. Proximate analysis showed that Vitellaria paradoxa fruits, Cissus populnea stem, Afzelia africana seeds, Parkia biglobosa seeds and Prosopis africana seeds were good sources of minerals such as Calcium,Magnesium, Potassium, iron and Chlorine. Potassium had the highest concentration in all the plant species when compared with other nutrients. The highest Potassium content (32.92±0.59%) was found in Vitellaria paradoxa fruits followed by Potassium content of 25.15±0.07% in Afzelia africana seeds. However, Potassium content between Prosopis africana seeds (15.77±0.81%) and Cissus populnea stem (15.77±0.61%) were not significantly different. The least concentration of Potassium was found in Parkia biglobosa seeds (8.03±0.11%). The mean quantities of minerals found in the plant species that were screened  differ significantly at P<0.05 level. It was concluded that Vitellaria paradoxa fruits, Cissus populnea stem, Afzelia africana seeds, Parkia biglobosa seeds and Prosopis africana seeds were good sources of nutrients and major minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and chlorine.  Diabetic persons need to be careful about the consumption of these plant species. It was recommended that efforts should be made to conserve and protect these plant species through domestication as they are rich sources of nutrients.