Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 18 ISSUE 2
Written by Nicoleta RADU, Ana Aurelia CHIRVASE, Narcisa BABEANU, Ovidiu POPA, Francois HASTARAN, Birute VELYKIENE, Mihaela BEGEA

It is generally thought that in order to start a business, it is necessary for the entrepreneur who proposes to do so to have some native skills. For this purpose, we have designed a study in three European countries (Romania, Lithuania and France) to show to what extent this statement is perceived as conforming to reality. The methodology used was based on the responses obtained in a survey conducted in the form of questionnaires, distributed to target groups which manifested their interest in starting an innovative business in life sciences. Thus, even if the education system and the economic context are completely different from the three countries participating in this study, the survey showed that in all cases some native abilities are indeed necessary for a potential entrepreneur of success. The affirmative answers obtaining at some questions such as: the capability of being independent, the ability to work independently and hard, to judge on the basis of insufficient information, to lead projects holistically, to use their creativity imaginatively, to looking forward and think positively, to feel the profitability of an innovative business, to take the initiative, to organize / attend meetings in professional business networks, indicate that these are just a few of the skills needed and important for entrepreneurs of the 21 century.

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Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 17 ISSUE 3
Written by Chioma Udo NWAOBIALA

This study analysed effect of agricultural extension delivery methods on arable crop farmers’ cropping systems in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Purposive and multi-stage random sampling procedure was used to select 120 arable crop farmers across the state. Data were collected with a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive and correlation coefficient analysis. The result indicated that 57.50% of farmers were males, with mean ages of 56.20 years, mean farming experience of 39.3 years and mean farm size 'of 1.86 hectares. Extension delivery methods used by the agencies were demonstrations (88.4%), adopted village (81.5%), on – farm adaptive research (75%) and group (70%). The effective extension delivery agencies in the study were; National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (

Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 16 ISSUE 3
Written by Sikiru Adekunle OLAYIWOLA, Ayobami Idris OLAKUNLE, Amurtiya MICHAEL

The study investigated the effect of level of awareness of Ebola virus disease on food security status among bush meat marketers in Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were to; describe the socio-economic characteristics of respondents, examine the extent to which the respondents are aware of Ebola virus disease prevalence, determine their food security status, identify the determinants of household food security of the respondents and lastly, the major constraints encountered by the respondents during Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in the study area. A multistage sampling technique was used to collect primary data from 100 bush meat marketers using structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The result of the study revealed that 89.0% of the respondents were female and 76.0% were married. Majority (90%) were educated and their age fall between 41 and 60 years (51.0%). Majority (54.0%) of the respondents earned ₦20,001 and ₦40,000 per month before Ebola Virus Disease outbreak and 52.0% earned between ₦20,001 and ₦30,000 after Ebola Virus Disease outbreak per month. Similarly, ranking score showed that radio (53.0%), family and friends (21.0%), television (44.2%) were major sources of information to the respondents during the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in the study area. majority (85.5%) of the respondents were aware of Ebola Virus Disease occurrence while only (14.5%) were not aware of Ebola Virus Disease. The mean per capita food expenditure per month was estimated to be ₦3,720.45 and the value was used to establish the food security line which shows that 52.3% of the households were food secure. The binary logit regression analysis showed that marital status, educational level and monthly income were positive and had a significant influence on food security status while age was significant but negatively influences the respondents’ food security status. Major constraints faced by the respondents include low income generation as a result of phobia for the virus, which hinders the respondents from meeting their social obligations as well as discrimination of the infected person.

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Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 18 ISSUE 3
Written by Ojimgba ONWUCHEKWA, Mgbeahuru CHIBUIHEM

The effect of Bahia grass (Paspalum notatum) on the chemical properties of an ultisol at different levels of slope was carried out in Umuahia, Southeastern Nigeria. The use of Paspalum notatum has attracted considerable research attention with respect to forage production and erosion control. Little information is available on the influence of this grasscover management on soil chemical properties. This research work was carried out at different levels of slope planted with Paspalum notatum (4%, 20% and 33%) and also on bare soil. The study has shown that the slopes planted with Paspalum notatum gave significantly higher results of the chemical properties than the open adjacent bare soil. In all the parameters considered in this study, the values obtained in 4% slope was higher than those obtained in 20% as well as 33% and the bare soil, in the following significant order: 4%> 20% > 33% > Bare soil. However, 4% slope had higher values of phosphorus (P) than the similar values of 33% and 20%, while Bare soil gave the least value in the order: 4%> 33% = 20% > Bare soil. Also, the exchangeable acidity (H+ and Al3+) values were significantly ( P<0.05) higher in bare soil than in those slopes planted with Paspalum notatum. This result also pointed to the fact that the pH of the soils planted with Paspalum notatum gave higher values than the corresponding bare soil. Therefore, Paspalum notatum improved very highly the chemical properties of the tropical soils, whereas bare soil had no such effect.

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Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 14 ISSUE 3
Written by Ogbonnaya Ukeh OTEH, Ifeanyi N. NWACHUKWU

The study analysed income inequalities and food security status o f farmers in South Eastern Nigeria, using Abia State. Specifically, the study accessed the income inequalities o f farmers; determine the food security status o f the farmers; estimate the factors that influence food security among the farmers in the study area. Multi-stage sampling technique was adopted in the selection o f location and 180 respondents usedfor the study. The study employed Ginicoefficient, food security index and multiple regressions in the analysis o f the data collected. Result shows that Gini coefficient value was 0.67, showing that there was high income inequality in the study area. Majority o f the respondents, constituting about 68.57 percent were food insecure in the study area. The regression results showed that age o f the household head, educational attainment o f the household head and monthly income o f the head were the major determinants o f food security status in the study area. The study recommends that government policies targeted at farmers should be strengthened, in order to bridge the gap in farmers ’ income. Government should also create opportunities for small scale businesses to flourish in ural areas. This will provide the people the much needed income, amongst other things. The study investigated factors affecting commercialization o f cassava producing household in Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria. It specifically examined the socio-economic characteristics o f cassava household; determine commercialization index and analyzed factors that influence commercialization among cassava producing households. The study employed purposive sampling technique in the selection o f 120 respondents from one local government area (LGA) based on characteristics o f interest, nearness and other related features. The selection was done from 6 communities at the rate o f 20 respondents per community. Analytically, descriptive statistics, household commercialization index (HCI), and multiple regression analysis were used. The results showed that the mean age o f the cassava producing household was about 40 years with a mean farming experience o f 14 years. They are mostly married with an average o f 5 persons per households. The result further revealed that only a few households (less than 2%) have very high commercialization orientation, which exposes the level o f farming in the area. With respect to determinants o f factors that influence commercialization, value o f output, farm size, sex, nearness to market, membership o f cooperative and farming experience were significant and found to exhibit varying degree. The study therefore recommends that supportpolicies that sustain and improve the productivity among farming household especially land tenure policy issues, greater incentives policies for farmers in the rural areas; linkages between farm households and the markets; increase access and exchange o f information on markets.

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Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 16 ISSUE 3
Written by Chinonso Henry ENE, Joseph ONWUMERE

The broad objective of this study was to analyze the effects of consolidation policy in Nigerian banking institutions on agribusiness sector performance. The specific policies of interest were merger and acquisition policy. The study covered 1995-2014 periods. Secondary data from CBN annual reports and statement of accounts, CBN bulletin and National Bureau of Statistics were used for the study. The data were analyzed by the use of regression models. Findings revealed that merger and acquisition consolidation policy in the Nigerian banking institutions, value of banks loan to agribusinesses, lagged value of national savings, population, rainfall and government capital investment to agribusiness sector significantly influenced agribusiness output in Nigeria within the study period. Merger and acquisition consolidation policy in the Nigerian banking institutions, external reserve, capital formation and agricultural export significantly influenced government credit allocation to agribusinesses in Nigeria within the study period. Merger and acquisition consolidation policy in the Nigerian banking institutions, exchange rate, rate of domestic utilization capacity for agribusiness commodities and population significantly influenced agribusiness export growth in Nigeria within the study period. The study concluded that merger and acquisition consolidation policy in the Nigerian banking institutions influenced the agribusiness sector performance as it leads to increase in both agribusiness output and government credit allocation to agribusinesses in Nigeria but did not lead to increase in agribusiness export growth. The study recommended that consolidation policy of the Nigerian banking institutions which led to increase in credit allocation to agribusinesses in Nigeria as well as improved agribusiness output must be sustained by the Central Bank of Nigeria and even made better in such manners that agribusiness output will grow and allow the country to make huge foreign income from agribusiness export especially now that the revenue from oil is on the decrease in the country.

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Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 16 ISSUE 3
Written by Promise Chidi ARIWODOR, Nnanna Mba AGWU

This study was undertaken to estimate the determinants of entrepreneurial skills acquisition among agribusiness households in the study area and determine the relationship between their skills and their household welfare. A multi stage sampling technique was employed in the selection of 80 households from 5 local government areas out of the 17 local government areas of the state. Primary source of data was obtained from using a set of questionnaire were administered on the respondents to obtain the needed data for the analysis with multiple regression and simple correlation. The results showed that sex, marital status, expenditure of the respondents had positive and significant effect on their entrepreneurial skills, while the respondents’ age, access to credit and experience though had significant effects possessed negative signs on their entrepreneurial skills. The result also revealed that there was a positive relationship between entrepreneurial skills and entrepreneurs’ welfare. It was therefore recommended that, Effective and adequate entrepreneurship policies that will help to equip agribusiness entrepreneurs with entrepreneurial skills should be put in place. Secondly, youths should be encouraged to acquire at least one skill or another as this will a go a long way in curbing the menace of unemployment which has risen so high in Nigeria. Thirdly, programmes on agribusiness should be developed while addressing factors that hinder its growth and development as a way of actualizing the current change agenda and economic diversification of the present federal government of Nigeria.

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Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 18 ISSUE 1
Written by Ibrahim Adebayo ADEKUNLE, Akinloye Jimoh FARINDE

Agricultural research outputs are useless until they are picked up by end users, adapted and or utilised for solving social, economic and environmental problems thus bringing about sustainable development. This study assessed the effects of linkages on roles of stakeholders in cassava research output uptake in Oyo State, Nigeria. It specifically described the cassava stakeholders’ characteristics, identified the roles performed by stakeholders in relation to the linkages used for networking in the cassava research output uptake process in Oyo State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling procedure was employed to select respondents. Stakeholders were purposively selected along cassava value chain. Only 40 percent of the stakeholders were proportionately selected based on numerical strength in the State. They include research scientists, agricultural extension agents, agricultural input suppliers, cassava farmers, cassava produce processors, cassava produce marketers and three policy makers/legislators.. Data were collected using questionnaire. Data were analyzed with appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics. The results show that the mean age of all the stakeholders along the cassava value chain was 50.04±5.07 years and mean years of experience was 16.76±6.91years. All the cassava stakeholders had at least 50 percent of their expected roles performed above their grand mean score. All the cassava stakeholders make use of agricultural shows/exhibitions and informal contact as major linkages to facilitate uptake of cassava research outputs. In conclusion, there exists a positive and significant effect and relationship between the role performance of stakeholders and the linkages used to transfer the cassava research output (r=0.755).

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Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 14 ISSUE 4
Written by Tarek FOUDA, Shimaa SALAH

The aim of this study was to determine the chemical characterization of orange fruits using applications of nutrition minerals and growth substance during at private farm in wadi el-netron , ELbehari governorate, Egypt during in December2011. The results showed during maturity time increasing the total soluble solid (TSS), pH, percentage of liquid, (TSS/acidity)and carotenoids while chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and acidity were decreased.With one application of nutrition minerals and with growth substance were the lowest value of chlorophyll, a (chl,a) and chlorophyll, b (chl,b) as follow 0.42 and 0.45 (mg/100g) while with control management were the highest value to total soluble solid (Tss) and carotenoids (car.) as follow 10.07(Brix,%) and 15.77 (mg/100g). The pattern of changes was clearly observed from the absorption spectra of the green and orange When orange is fully ripe, chlorophyll would be greatly reduced or may disappear completely and carotenoids becomes the dominant pigment in the fruit surface.

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Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 17 ISSUE 3
Written by Isaiah Olusesan ADEPOJU, Timothy Ipoola OLABIYI, Wasiu Babatunde AKANBI, Adetunji Solomon ADEYEYE

Field and screen house trials were conducted during planting season of 2014 and 2015 to investigate the influence of organic and organo mineral fertilizers on okra grown in root knot infested soil. Okra variety Clemson spineless was grown with five levels of organo mineral fertilizer :(1.5,2.0,2.5,3.0,and 3.5 t/ha),five levels of organic fertilizer (1.5,2.0,2.5,3.0,and 3.5 t/ha) and the control. The experiments were laid in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Data analysis using ANOVA at 5% level of probability showed the applications of organic and organo mineral fertilizer to have enhanced plant growth and fruit production significantly: number of leaves, plant height, fruit yield, root gall index and soil nematode population were significantly affected by different level of organic and organo mineral fertilizer rates. The results of the okra fruit yield and yield components showed that application of 2.5 and 2.0 t/ha of organo mineral fertilizer produced the highest number of fruits of (2,274.7g) and (2,349.6) respectively. Applications of treatment reduce nematode population and associated damage. The study therefore recommends organic and organo mineral fertilizer rate of 2.0 t/ha for the production of okra in root knot nematode infested soils.

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