Effects of four organic amendments on some soil physical and chemical properties were investigated in Awka, Anambra State in southeastern Nigeria. Over the years, use of synthetic materials in crop production has been a common practice globally. The attendant detrimental effects of the chemicals used in the formulation of these synthetics on animal and human health as well as the environment has made researchers to look out for a better agronomic practice that would not only improve productivity but at the same time sustain a healthy environment.

In contrast to a large body of literature linking agroecology to food security through sustainable agronomic practices, research on how agroecology enhances smallholder farmers’ access to productive resources, yet necessary for food security and nutrition, is sparse in Africa. Literature does not consider the fact that agroecology practices are often adopted via entering a group that provides corresponding knowledge, network and possibly markets. We investigate the case of an agroecology group operating parallel to the dominant agri-industrial food system in Southeast Nigeria.

Abstract

There has been a dramatic decline in cocoyam production in Nigeria in recent years due to climate related stressors. We investigated the nature and extent of these impacts and the resilience building strategies used by cocoyam farmers in Nigeria. Data were collected from the farmers in 2010 and 2017 and from FAO statistical database. Results show a yield decline from 8mt/ha in 2005 to 4mt/ha in 2016, due to acid rain, causing bleaching of cocoyam leaves, die back, smaller tubers, early decay of the tubers and decline in the quality and taste of the tubers.

The study investigated gender in wholesale smoked-fish marketing in Kanji Lake Basin, Nigeria. Specifically, the study identified roles of  individual actors in fish marketing, determined the profitability of fish marketing, analyzed the marketing efficiencies and estimated gaps  in the fish marketing chain. A two-stage sampling procedure was used to select 60 wholesale smoked-fish marketers from 13  communities. Primary data were collected from wholesale smoke-fish marketers using an interview schedule.

Food security remains a major concern, as efforts to commercialise and specialise in agricultural production have been constrained. This is partly due to land scarcity, compelling smallholder farmers to operate on fragmented lands. Land reforms that seek to consolidate lands and promote crop specialisation can be welfare-enhancing because they can stimulate investment in agricultural innovation.

Specialization and intensification have been the main focuses of agricultural development and modernization for decades, among those who claim that doing so will increase agricultural output. Specialization and commercialization in agriculture are linked to greater efficiency than subsistence farming, as these can boost the production and competitiveness of smallholder farmers. However, in recent years, some have questioned this model's resilience and long-term viability.

AbstractWe contribute to the inverse farm size-productivity puzzle (IR) literature by examining the relationship using a unique data set from southern Ghana that covers farms between 5 and 70 ha. The study uses an instrumental variable (IV) for land size to mitigate some effects of measurement error in land size. The inverse relationship between farm size and farm productivity is upheld when ordinary least squares estimators (OLS) are applied but becomes insignificant although still negative in the IV estimation. The results show that measurement error in land size attenuates the IR.