Browsing by Author "Chikaire, J. U."
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Item Open Access Addressing corruption practices in agricultural sector to make agriculture demand-driven in Nigeria(Spring Journals, 2016-11) Godson-Ibeji, C. C.; . Ogueri, E. I.; Chikaire, J. U.Agriculture is one aspect of Nigeria’s economy that should not be neglected or even marginalised. Not only that agriculture is the major source of food for people and livestock, it also provides earnings to farmers and raw materials for industries as well as providing over sixty-five percent employment to the teeming population of Nigerians. In spite of all these advantages over other professions such as law, medicine, engineering and others, yet, people in Nigeria still express phobia for agriculture as an enterprise. Corruption in agricultural sector is an impediment which, when fought and eliminated will make agriculture demand-driven in Nigeria. This paper therefore takes a cursory look at some aspects of corrupt practices in agricultural sector and their attendants’ effects on agricultural productions. It concludes among other suggestions that to fight and eliminate corruption in agricultural sector and achieve the implementations of the Nigerian agricultural transformation agenda (ATA) as well as make agriculture demand-driven in Nigeria, those actors who perpetuate the nefarious acts of corruption in the sector should be reprimanded by the law and made to face the penalties.Item Open Access Climate change adaptation needs/priorities of rural women farmers in flood plain areas of Owerri agricultural zone of Imo State, Nigeria(Jomard Publishing, 2017) Chikaire, J. U.; Anaeto, F. C.; Ajaero, J. O.; Godson-Ibeji, C. C.Adaptation is key to surviving the menace of climate change. This paper investigates adaptation needs/priorities of rural women farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to ascertain rural women farmers awareness of climate change, identify perceived effects of climate change on rural women farmers, examine adaptation needs of these women and determine adaptation strategies used by rural women. Data were collected with structured questionnaire from 180 rural women farmers randomly selected from a list of 1800 registered women farmers with the Owerri ADP office. Results showed that the rural women were very much aware of climate change as indicated by high mean responses to certain signs such as increase in temperature. (M = 2.31), unpredictable heavy rainfall (M = 2.51), unpredictable heavy winds (M = 2.45) among others. Climate change affects rural women by increasing their work load, reducing their food portions, loss of farm assets, increase rate of diseases/illness. In adapting to climate change, the rural women farmers need as a matter of urgency to find alternative livelihood options (M = 2.68), safer areas to relocate (M = 3.31), access to credits/market (M = 3.34) among others. To adapt, they employ strategies such as crop rotation, planting early maturing crops, engage in off-farm activities, cooperative farming.Item Open Access Constraints and extent of access to productive resources and agricultural services among women farmers in Awka and Aguata agricultural zones of Anambra State, Nigeria(Elixir Publishers, 2015) Ani, A. O.; Chikaire, J. U.; Ogueri, E. I.; Orusha, J. O.The study investigated constraints and extent of access to productive resources and agricultural services among women farmers in Anambra State, Nigeria. Specifically, it identified income generating activities of women farmers in the state, identified the productive resources and agricultural services available to them and determined the extent of availability of the resources and services and constraints to accessing the resources. Purposive random sampling technique was used to select a total of 120 women farmers. Data were collected with aid of a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using mean, percentages and frequencies. Results showed that majority (60%) of the respondents are married and a majority (50%) has formal education. It was further revealed that the respondents had diversified income generating activities with a majority engaging in processing of agricultural products (98.3%) and farming (95.8%). The results also showed that majority of the respondents indicated labour as the most available productive resource in the area. On the extent of access to productive resources, the result revealed that labour (x=3.0) and processing facilities (x = 2.50) are the accessible productive resources. Finally, the result revealed sharing of knowledge (x = 2.56) and marketing facilities (x = 2.98) as the only agricultural services accessible to the farmers. Constraints encountered lack of capital, poor electricity connection, lack of access roads, poor radio signals, illiteracy among others. It was recommended that the existing land ownership policies in the country should be reviewed to promote ownership be improved as well.Item Open Access Displaced farmers perception of resource- use conflicts as an obstacle to household food security and food safety in Abia State, Nigeria(2019-07) Chikezie, N. P.; Ajaero, J. O.; Akande, S. N.; Chikaire, J. U.Conflicts occasioned by different land users have become common place now. When farmers are displaced from their ancestral home due to conflicts involving pastoralists, life becomes difficult and unbearable. This paper investigates displaced farmers perception of resource use conflicts as an obstacle to household food security and food safety. A total of 300 displaced farmers were selected for interview and data obtained were analyzed using mean and standard deviation. Result showed that conflicts create food shortage (M=3.43), destroys food stocks (M=3.57), disrupts production processes (M=3.28), reduced farm investment (M=3.19), among others. Again, during conflict situation, food items are easily contaminated with mean score of 3.27, foods are handled with dirty hands (M=2.58), unsafe water could be used to prepare food (M=3.31), outbreak of food borne illness (M=2.92), poor quality of food eaten (M=3.31), among other reasons. It is recommended that adequate food be supplied to the displaced farmers in the form of aid, water supply be provided to displaced farmers and health facilities put in place to handle case of illness and to avoid spread of illnesses.Item Open Access Effects of resource-use conflicts on rural women farmers in south–east agroecological zone of Nigeria(Academia Publishing, 2018-03) Chikaire, J. U.; Ajaero, J. O.This study analyzed specifically the effects of resource-use conflict especially, land on rural women farmers in Southeast, Nigeria. A total of 300 rural women farmers were purposively selected from 3 states in southeast where conflicts have occurred. Data collected were analyzed descriptively – using percentages, mean and standard deviation. Results obtained showed that farmer-farmer conflicts, pastoralists – farmer conflicts and communal conflicts were predominant in the study area with 100% response. The major causes of resource use conflicts were increasing population (M = 3.37), overgrazing of farmland (M =3.35), breakdown of moral economy (M=3.57), pollution of water (M=3.46), among others. The effects on women included reduced crop yields (M=3.37), burning of crops (M= 3.38), reduced farm, reduced income (M=3.01), loss of human lives (M = 3.56), rape/abduction of women (M = 3.00), hatred (M =2.63), fear (M = 2.57), widowhood (M = 2.93) among others. The following strategies were identified, giving financial assistance to victims (M = 2.65), creating job opportunities (M = 2.53), proper land use planning (M = 2.63), and compensation to land owner (M = 3.67). These farmers could be helped by providing credit facilities and proper land use planning programmeItem Open Access Extension and advisory services roles in creating resilient value chain of smallholder rural farmers in Imo State, Nigeria(2019-07) Chikezie, N. P.; Ajaero, J. O.; Akande, S. N.; Chikaire, J. U.Smallholder farmers are most affected by climate change shocks and weather related disasters the world over, and they are also vulnerable to market fluctuations and poor governance, conflicts and even diseases. Extension and advisory services provide an opportunity for strengthening resilience of rural farming households by increasing their access to both material and non material resources. This paper sought to explain how Extension Services Providers build resilience of rural farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. The researcher selected 120 Extension workers and 230 rural farmers for interview. Questionnaire was given to both respondents, and complimented by oral discussion. Data collected were analyzed descriptively. With a discriminating mean (M) score of 2.0, it was seen that climate change affects the farmers adversely. Climate change damages crops in farm and field (M=2.50), reduced quality/quality of crops(M=2.45), leads to sudden death of crops(M=2.70) among others. To build resilience of rural farmers, extension workers promoted the following resilient approaches - diversification of income sources (M=2.81), market information provisioning (M=2.79), behavioural change campaigns(M=2.54), crop diversification (M=2.67), among many others. The farmers face the challenge of insufficient incomes, poor monitoring, low understanding of climate change, resilient options etc.Item Open Access Pastoralists’ perception of resource-use conflicts as a challenge to livestock development and animal agriculture in Southeast, Nigeria(2019) Chikaire, J. U.; Ajaero, J. O.; Ibe, M. N.; Odoemenam, E. F.One of the major but hidden challenges to livestock development and animal agriculture in the world over is resource-use conflicts between crop farmers, pastoralists, and other land users. This is so because during conflict situation, almost all human livelihood activities come to a standstill including livestock farming. This study, therefore, sought to examine how conflicts involving different land users hinder livestock production. Questionnaire and oral interview were used to obtain information from a total of 120 pastoralists in three selected states of Southeast (Abia, Enugu, and Imo). Data were analyzed using percentages, mean, and standard deviation. The results showed that the mean age of pastoralists was 38, and the mean household size was 10, mean herding experience was 18. The following were the causes of resource-use conflicts – blocking of water sources by crop farmers with a mean (M) response of 3.30, farming across cattle routes (M=2.95), burning of fields (M=3.30), and theft/stealing of cattle (M=3.40), among others. The factors attracting the pastoralists to the study area were availability of special pasture (M=2.37), availability of land for lease (M=2.52), and water availability (M=2.60) among other reasons. Conflicts, therefore, affect livestock production in the following ways – unsafe field for grazing, poor animal health, loss of human and animal lives, abandonment of herds for dear life, and many others.Item Open Access Perceived Effects of Resource-Use Conflicts on Rural Women Farmers in South-east Agro-Ecological Zone of Nigeria(Lupine Publishers, 2018-07-05) Anyoha, N. O.; Chikaire, J. U.; Ogueri, E. I.; Utazi, C. O.; Godson Ibeji, C. C.This study analyzed specifically the effects of resource-use conflict especially, land on rural women farmers in Southeast, Nigeria. .A total of 300 rural women farmers were purposively selected from 3 states in southeast where conflicts have occurred. Data collected were analyzed descriptively–using percentages, mean and standard deviation. Results got showed that farmer farmer conflicts, pastoralists– farmer conflicts and communal conflicts were predominant in the study area with 100% response. The major causes of resource use conflicts were increasing population (M=3.37), overgrazing of farmland (M=3.35), breakdown of moral economy (M=3.57), pollution of water (M=3.46), among others. The effects on women included reduced crop yields (M=3.37), burning of crops (M= 3.38), reduced farm, reduced income (M=3.01), loss of human lives (M=3.56), rape/abduction of women (M=3.00), hatred (M=2.63), fear (M=2.57), widowhood (M=2.93) among others. The following strategies were identified, giving financial assistance to victims (M=2.65), creating job opportunities (M=2.53), proper land use planning (M=2.63), compensation to land owner (M=3.67). These farmers could be helped provision of credt facilities and proper land use planning programme.Item Open Access Perceived rural interventions for meeting the energy and agri-food needs of smallholder farmers in Imo State, Nigeria(Kosmos Publishers, 2020-12-09) Chikaire, J. U.; Godson-Ibeji, C. C.; Ogueri, E. I.The study examined rural intervention programmes for meeting the energy and agri-food needs of smallholder farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to identify energy sources available to farmers in the study area; examine energy and agri-food needs of respondents and ascertain perceived rural interventions for meeting the energy and agri-food needs of respondents in the study area. A total of 360 smallholder farmers were selected and interviewed.Data were collected with a structured questionnaire and analyzed using percentages and mean. The available energy sources include human power (100%), mechanical power (70.5%), electrical power (66.6%), candles and kerosene (81.6%), charcoal/wood residues (78.8%). Energy is needed for cooking/preparing food (100%), crop production (100%), processing (88.5%) and the agri-food needs were to improve farmer livelihoods (66.6%), increase crop productivity (89.1%), reduction poverty (88.8%) among others. Rural interventions for meeting energy and agri-food needs included rural electrification programmes (M=4.09), standalone off grid energy solution (M = 3.91), agricultural mechanization (M=4.05), rural road /transport programmes (M=3.90) and training /retraining of both farmers and extension officers with mean of 4.08 and 3.41 respectively. Improved/clean energy facilities be provided to the rural populace by the relevant stakeholders – governments, donor agencies, NGOs, etc for improved livelihood and food security.Item Open Access Relevance of Indigenous Knowledge in weather and climate forecast for planning farm activities by farmers in Imo State, Nigeria(Juniper Publishers, 2018-12-17) Chikaire, J. U.; Ajaero, J. O; Ibe M. N.; Orusha, J. O.; Onogu, B.The study assessed the relevance of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) on weather and climate forecasting for planning farm activities by farmers in Southeast, Nigeria. Questionnaire was used to elicit information from a total of 360 farmers, complement with oral interview. Mean (M) was used to analyze data. Results showed that IK indicators commonly used for weather and climate forecasting fall into 3 categories namely trees, animals and atmospheric indicators. The IK indicators used to predict the dry season and harmattan were-fruits drying/falling off from trees, increase occurrence of termites, shedding of tree (M=2.40), appearance of rainbows (M=2.53) among others. The indicators for onset of the rains included flowering of trees (M=304), heavy budding of acacia tree species (M=300), dormancy breaking in certain tree/fruit species, Others were appearances of large number of ants, frequent sounds of frogs, appearance of ant hill, appearance of millipedes, appearances of army worms, dark clouds appearance, body feels heat at night, increased body pain, mist covering hilly areas among other signs. As a recommendation, the knowledge of indigenous peoples should be included when designing climate change adaptation strategies in SSA.Item Open Access Rural farm-households perception of land-related conflicts as an impediment to rural livelihoods in Imo State, Nigeria(AP Academia Publishing, 2018-01) Chikaire, J. U.; Nnadi, F.N.; Ajaero, J. O.; Ogueri, E. I.The aim of this was to establish whether or not land-related conflicts could be detrimental to the lives and survival of rural people in Imo State. The specific objectives were to identify livelihood strategies of the respondents, examine perceived causes of conflicts in the area; ascertain effects of conflicts on rural economy/livelihood of the respondents and determine measures to reduce conflicts in the study area. Purposive random sampling technique was used to select 300 respondents from conflicts affected areas in Imo State. Data were collected with structured questionnaire and oral discussion with the respondents. Data were analyzed using percentages and mean to achieve the objectives of the study. The results showed that 100% of the respondents engaged in farming for survival. The major causes of the conflicts were human population pressure (M=3.43), encroachment without permission (M= 3.30), land tenure system (M=3.45), among others. The major effects of conflicts on rural economy and livelihood were farmland abandonment (M = 3.37), decrease income (M=3.12), reduction in yield (M=3.31), loss of lives (M=3.60), insecurity (M=3.00), increased hunger and starvation ( M=3.47) among others. To curb conflicts, security be provided to the communities, settlement of dispute be done quickly, and educating all actors would be necessary.Item Open Access Socio-economic effects of land and water conflicts on pastoral livelihoods in Imo and Abia States, Nigeria(SAAT, FUTO, 2021) Ajaero, J. O.; Chikaire, J. U.; Aminu, G. O.Conflicts alter livelihoods of people in conflict situation. The pastoralists are not left out since animal production is their way of life. This study therefore investigates the effect of conflicts on their livelihoods. The specific objective were to identify perceived effects of conflict on pastoral livelihoods; identify perceived conflict shocks/trends and ascertain appropriate response strategies for cushioning the effects of conflicts on pastoral livelihoods. Data were collected from 120 pastoralists in their various camps in the States with the aid of a questionnaire and oral interview. Mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the data. Livelihood assets of the pastoralists were grouped into 4 classes which included - natural, physical, financial and physical assets. With a mean response (M) of 2.50 and above, conflicts affected pastoral livelihoods in the following ways - limited access to grazing areas (M=3.25), blockage of migratory routes (M=2.67), death of cattle owners (M=2.64),animal diseases outbreak (M=3.27), forced pastoral migration (M=3.31), market closure (M=2.90), death of animals (M=2.93), blockage of major roads (M=2.51), failure of public security (M=2.61) among others. The conflict shocks experienced were reduced access to pasture (M=2.44), reduced market access (M=2.80), cattle raiding (M=2.35), death of grasses (M=2.49), human and livestock diseases outbreak with (M=2.43) and (M=2.37), respectively. To cope, the following were agreed upon; improved access right to resources, improved access to migrating routes, provision of micro-credit schemes, income stream diversification, improved innovative techniques for livestock production among othersItem Open Access Status of institutional arrangements for managing resource use conflicts among crop farmers and pastoralists in Imo State, Nigeria(Juniper Publishers, 2018-12-10) Chikaire, J. U.; Ajaero, J. O.; Ibe, M. N.; Orusha, J. O.; Onogu, B.This study ascertained the institutions put in place to manage conflicts between crop farmers and pastoralists in Imo State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study aimed to achieve the following objectives; to identify the institutions saddled with the responsibility of managing conflicts in the study area; determine strategies used by the institutions in managing conflicts in the area; and to ascertain factors hindering the management of conflicts between crop farmers and pastoralists. Data were collected with structured questionnaire, complimented with observation and oral interview from 300 crop farmers and 40 nomads. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools such as mean and standard deviations. The results showed that traditional rulers (M=2.90 for crop farmers and 2.37 for pastoralists), town unions/Miyetti-Allah (M=2.11 crop farmers and M=2.52 for the pastoralists) were efficient in managing conflicts. The strategies employed in resolving conflicts include setting up of community committees for peaceful resolution of conflict issues and use of dialogue, accommodation of the other party. On and off nature of the pastoralists, lack of fund, corruption, distrust were factors that work against conflict resolution. The government should give the institutions mentioned earlier more powers in handling conflict issues and locate the nomads permanently at a place.