• The Journal of Economics, Marketing and Management
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.5-11
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• 2015

The study examined the socio-economic factors influencing the participation of rural farming households in barter trade in Ondo State, Nigeria. The objectives were to compare the socio-economic characteristics of the participants and non-participants in barter trade, analyze the preference for barter trade and identify the constraints to it. Also, the factors affecting respondents' participation in barter trade were identified. Empirical results indicated that there were significant differences in the socio-economic characteristics of the participants and non-participants in barter trade. The SWOT analysis showed that possession of agrarian attributes by the locality where the trade is practiced was the strongest factor ensuring the survival of barter in the study area. Double coincidence of wants was found to be the most prevailing weakness associated with barter while the major reason for participation by some households was that the quantity of commodities received is usually higher compared with cash transactions. Transportation cost to barter markets was found to be the greatest threat to the continued existence of barter trade in the area. The results of the Probit model showed that age, household size, transportation cost to cash markets, farm size, distance to barter markets, and formal education significantly affected the probability participating in barter trade.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.10-20
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• 2024

The study investigated species diversity, relative abundance, and decline of flying insects and plants within a fragmented forest in the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Ondo State, Nigeria. It is known that habitat fragmentation can reduce biodiversity. Thus, it is important to perform comprehensive assessments to understand implications of the habitat fragmentation for flora and fauna. Species richness and abundance of flying insects and plants across fragmented forest patches were quantified using field surveys and taxonomic identification. This study revealed shifts in species diversity, with fragmented areas exhibiting reduced biodiversity compared to contiguous forest ecosystems. Flying insects crucial for ecosystem functioning and pollination services demonstrated decreased species richness and relative abundance within fragmented habitats. This decline was attributed to habitat loss, altered microclimates, and limited movement pathways known to hinder insect dispersal. Similarly, plant species richness and abundance showed decline in fragmented forest due to disrupted mutualistic interactions with pollinators, altered nutrient cycling, and increased competition among plant species. This study underscores the importance of maintaining intact forest habitats to sustain healthy ecosystems and preserve biodiversity. Effective conservation strategies should focus on habitat connectivity, reforestation efforts, and protection of essential ecological corridors to mitigate effects of fragmentation. In conclusion, this investigation provides empirical evidence for effects of habitat fragmentation on flying insects and plants in a forest ecosystem in FUTA Akure, Nigeria. Findings emphasize an urgency of adopting conservation measures to safeguard these invaluable components of biodiversity and ecosystem stability in the face of ongoing habitat loss and fragmentation.

• The Korean Journal of Food & Health Convergence
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.1-10
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• 2019

Significant low knowledge and poor attitudes on complementary feeding undermine the practices. This study was a cluster randomized controlled trial in which 284 study participants were assigned into two groups. One intervention group and a control group in a ratio of 1:1. Nutrition education on complementary feeding was carried out among the caregivers in the intervention group but the caregivers in the control group were not educated. To determine complementary feeding knowledge and attitudes, data was collected from caregiver at baseline, midline and at endline using researcher-administered questionnaires. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. From the analysis, there was a significant difference in complementary feeding knowledge of the caregivers after the intervention. The baseline difference was -0.06, the midline difference was 3.85 the endline difference was 4.00 and the DID of the baseline and endline was 4.06 which was significant at p=0.001. There was a significant difference in the attitude of the caregivers towards complementary feeding at baseline (-0.14), midline (2.09), endline (3.82) and the DID of baseline and endline was 3.96 which was significant at p=0.001. The intervention improved the caregivers' knowledge on complementary feeding and it improved the attitudes of the caregivers towards adequate complementary feeding.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.165-170
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• 2008

Protein-energy malnutrition is regarded as one of the public health problems in developing countries as a result of poor feeding practices due to poverty. This study, therefore, aimed at evaluating nutritional quality of a potential weaning food formulated from locally available food materials. The cooking banana fruit(CB) and bambara groundnut seeds(BG) were purchased from local market in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. The CB and BG were processed into flours, mixed in ratios of 90:10, 80:20, 70:30 and 60:40 and subjected into proximate, sensory and biochemical analyses using standard procedures. Nutrend(a commercial formula) and ogi(corn gruel, a traditional weaning food) were used as control. The nutritient composition(g/100 g) of the food samples were ranged as follows: moisture 2.94-6.94, protein 7.02-16.0, ash 1.76-2.99, fat 0.76-8.45, fibre 1.52-3.75, carbohydrate 63.84-88.43 and energy 1569.8-1665.7 kcal. The biological value(BV), net protein retention(NPR), protein efficiency ratio(PER) and feed efficiency ratio(FER) of the experimental food samples were significantly(p<0.05) lower than nutrend, but higher than ogi. The haematological variables of rats fed with formulated food samples, commercial formula(nutrend) and traditional weaning food(ogi) were not significantly(p>0.05) influenced by the dietary treatment. However, the values obtained for red blood cell(RBC), white blood cell(WBC), pack cell volume(PCV) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR) were higher in the experimental food samples than the commercial food. The growth rate of animals fed with experimental food samples were lower than those fed with the nutrend, but higher than those fed with ogi. In conclusion, the nutritional quality of CB and fermented BG mix of 60:40 ratio was better than ogi; and comparable to the nutrend. This implies that it can be used to replace low quality traditional weaning food and the expensive commercial weaning formula.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2014

Timber harvest in natural forests and its implications on carbon sequestration were investigated in the Southwestern Nigeria. Data on timber harvest from forest estates for a 3-year period were collected from the official record of States' Forestry Department. The data registered the species, volume and number of timbers exploited during the study period. The data were analyzed accordingly for rate of timber harvest and carbon value of the exploited timbers using existing biomass functions. Values were compared for significant differences among states using one way analysis of variance. The results showed that the most exploited logs, in terms of volume and number of trees, have the highest amount of carbon removal. There was a variation in type of timber species being exploited from each state. The total number of harvested trees from Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Ekiti and Osun were estimated at 100,205; 111,789; 753; 15,884 and 18,153 respectively. Total quantity of carbon removed for the 3-year period stood at 2.3 million metric tons, and this translated to 8.4 million metric tons of $CO_2$. The annual carbon and $CO_2$ removal therefore were estimated at 760,120.73 tons and 2.8 million tons/ year respectively. There were significant differences (p<0.05) in the amount of $CO_2$ removed from the five states. Based on our result, we inferred that there is increasing pressure on economic tree species and it is plausible that they are becoming scarce from the forests in Southwestern Nigeria.. If the present rate of log removal is not controlled, forests could become carbon source rather than carbon sink and the on biological conservation, wood availability and climate change may turn out grave. For the forest to perform its environmental role as carbon sink, urgent conservation measures and logging policies are needed to be put in place.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.171-176
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• 2006

The study aims to evaluate the nutritional status and influence of school meal intakes on RDA of primary school children in Akure community, Ondo State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 728 primary school children aged between 6 and 15 years. Data were collected using interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaires. The questionnaires collect information on demographic characteristics and home dietary intake of the subjects. The heights and weights of the children were measured using a standard procedure and height-far-age and weight-far-height z-score were determined. The children's school meal intakes were weighed for 4 days and samples were collected for chemical analysis. The results showed that 37.8% of the children were not wasted, 35.7% mildly wasted, 18.7% moderately wasted and 7.8% severely wasted. Also, 57.8% were not stunted, 29.3% mildly stunted, 11.0% moderately stunted and 1.9% were severely stunted. The subjects' home dietary intakes showed that 73.6% ate starchy food only, 19.9% ate protein based food, while 11.6% and 11.5% consumed fruits/vegetables and snacks to complement home meals respectively. The chemical composition of school meal was energy 379 - 413kcal, moisture content 5.9 -7.3g, carbohydrate 56.5 - 69.4g, fat 4.6 - 12.7g, crude fiber 0.1 - 2.4g, ash content 3.6 - 8.5g and protein 14.9 - 22.3g. The mineral contents were calcium 45.9 - 59.2mg, sodium 5004 - 59.6mg, zinc 2.3 - 3.1mg, magnesium 55.0 - 61.6mg, potassium 55.3 - 69.3mg, copper 0.2 - 0.3 mg, while others 1.3 - 1.9mg, 243 - 659mg and 831 - 9,510mg were iron, phosphorous and vitamin-A respectively. The contribution of school meals to subjects' RDA was within 2.9% and 1540%. In summary, school meal intake contributed positively to the RDA and nutritional status of the school children.

• The Journal of Economics, Marketing and Management
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.7-23
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• 2015

Women are more disadvantaged than men in many fronts and this confines them to informal sector livelihood activities. Any attempt to improve women's economic status will require information on the organization, cost and returns to investment in the livelihood activities in which they predominate. This is the issue for this study which compared yield performance in artisanal fishing and fresh fish marketing. Primary data collected through multi-stage sampling method were analyzed using inferential statistics, budgeting and regression models. Empirical findings revealed that about 75.0% of fisher folks either had no formal education or acquired only primary school education while 50.0% of marketers had secondary school education. The budgeting model revealed fisher-folks' and marketers' annual net profit to be N2,882,626.00 and N640,227.00, respectively. Profit from fishing was significantly higher than that of fish marketing. At 53.2% for fishing and 40.3% for marketing, returns to investment was better in fishing. Regression model results showed the significant factors influencing returns to each livelihood strategy to include fishing ground, distance covered and years of experience. The major constraint faced by operators of both livelihoods groups was insufficient credit. Despite this, the livelihood strategies were shown to be profitable ventures which contributed to households' consumption expenditure. Organizing women informal sector operators into groups to enhance access to government support and formal credit are recommended for improving livelihood strategy performance.