Lagos Journal of Geographical Issues

An analysis of rain-fed and irrigation in the growth and yield of cucumber (cucumis sativus l.)

Vide Adedayo — 2023-03-15

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) requires relatively more water for growth and yield than other crops, yet its cultivation in most of the tropical region including Nigeria is characterised by threat to optimum water availability (rainfall). Thus, artificial water supply is accepted as an alternative water source to make cucumber available during the dry season farming. With the changing climate and its’ impact on water supply, there is need for more information and data to understand the synergy between cucumber production and water for proper planning. This paper therefore aimed at determining the response of cucumber production to rain-fed and irrigation focusing on the growth and yield parameters. Two experiments were carried out one on irrigated control cucumber cultivation and the second on open cultivation of cucumber which depended on rainfall for seven weeks. The same treatments were given to both experiments except their water need. Data on plant height (cm), weight of harvested cucumber were collected and determined. Rainfall data(mm) between July and September was sourced from the University of Lagos Meteorological Station for a comparative analysis. The result depicted rainfed cucumber plants recorded a higher mean value of the number of harvested fruits (3.33) and weight of harvested fruits (1.33kg) than irrigation cucumber plants 1.33 and 0.5 kg respectively. Thus, the rainfed technique is better for high cucumber yield. The study suggested that cucumber cultivated with rain water perform better with significant differences in the height, growth and yield performances that with borehole irrigated water.

Geographical analysis of airport choice factors among domestic air travelers in Nigeria

Richard Onosele Aisuebeogun — 2023-03-15

An effective airline operation is largely a function of the quality of service provided by the host airports. There are numerous studies outlining different factors on the determinants of airline choice or preference, but there is very limited information in this regard on airport’s choice among domestic air travelers in Nigeria. The rationale for this study is two-fold. Firstly, the study attempts to establish what influences the choice of airport among domestic air travelers. The second rationale is to significantly contribute to the enrichment of the existing literature on airport choice among air travelers. This paper, therefore attempts to identify the determining factors for choice of airport, particularly where airport is found in towns that are separated by few distance. Primary data was adopted for this study using a structured questionnaire focusing on the determinant factors of airport’s choice. A total of 493 domestic air travelers were sampled using the systematic random sampling method. The result of the hypothesis revealed that route availability and airfare were significant factors that influenced the choice of airports among passengers. Furthermore, the stepwise multiple regression analysis results showed that the availability of aircraft for passenger destinations was a strong influence at 91.1% (F = 28875.881, p<0.05). The study, however, identified the factor that determines choice of airport. Also, apart from enriching the literature, this finding is expected to assist policy makers to formulate policies that could further entrench equity in the provision of air service to the people in the nearest future.

Downstream variation in the surface water quality of an urbanizing sub-catchment in Ibadan, Nigeria

Olutoyin Adeola Fashae — 2023-03-15

Contamination of surface water bodies from various human activities significantly impairs environmental health and the well-being of humans, plants and animals. This study seeks to assess the variation downstream in surface water characteristics in a small urbanizing sub-catchment in Ibadan, Nigeria. Water sampling was carried out on the 14 first-order, 4 second-order and 5 third-order stream networks of the sub-catchment. The concentration of pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), alkalinity, total hardness, calcium and magnesium were determined in relation to stream order and increased distance downstream. The values range considerably across the sub-catchment; pH (3.8-7.5), TDS (70-1095 ppm), alkalinity (0.65-4.65 ml), total hardness (2.35-36.95 ml), calcium (1.6-35.35 mg/l) and magnesium (0.05-14.70 mg/l). Statistical analysis shows that there is no significant correlation between the concentration of the water quality parameters, stream order and distance downstream. This however suggests that pollutants infiltrate and sink at different random points along the stream channels to contaminate the subsurface layers and subsequently the groundwater system. Based on the result of this study, the level of pollution for the selected parameters has not attained a critical level, however, there is a need to put in place an effective water quality monitoring scheme to control further pollution.

Geospatial analysis of healthcare facilities in Surulere Local Government Area of Lagos state

Akinlabi Akintuyi — 2023-03-15

The study is an assessment of the geographical distribution of healthcare facilities in Surulere Local Government Area (LGA) of Lagos state, Nigeria. The study relates the distribution of the healthcare facilities with population, distance from waterbody, road, and elevation using Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP). The FAHP is a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) that provides a multidimensional approach to essential decision-making, in this case, the optimal locations of primary healthcare centres in areas of deficits. The spatial distribution of healthcare facilities in Surulere LGA shows uneven and deficiencies in the distribution, especially in Baruwa, Bale, Irone, Obele Oniwala, Odo-Oluwa, Agunbiade, Shitta Bank Olemoh wards. While the majority of the 183 health facilities were located in -Adeniran Ogunsanya, Osho, Coker, Ipanrin and Nuru-Oniwo political wards respectively. 28 of these facilities are government owned which is a course of concern in an area dominated by middle-to-low-income earners who cannot afford treatment in private facilities, especially if we consider that only 24 Primary Healthcare facilities are available for an area with a population of almost 700,000. The FAHP shows that the optimal location of new primary healthcare centres to meet the observed deficiencies are areas within Iponri/Eric Moore, Savage, and Adeniran Ogunsanya political wards because of their proximity to the road waterbody to aid easy access, located within areas of densely populated regions compared to surrounding areas to ensure easy and effective access to primary healthcare facilities and aid the general wellbeing of the citizenry. For effective healthcare coverage to be achieved in Surulere LGA, the paper recommends the adoption of geospatial techniques in the location and distribution of healthcare facilities.

Can urban farmers depend on biochar substrate (soilless) for growth and yield of lettuce cultivation?

Vide Adedayo — 2023-03-15

The need to increase food production to meet up with the urban growing population coupled with the limited access to land and soil fertility challenges in Nigeria have called for an alternative agricultural innovation to complement conventional and soil-based food production system. One of such alternatives is the use of Biochar Substrates Hydroponics for cultivation of crops. Whether this innovation could enhance the growth and yield of crop especially at the small-scale level is uncertain. Thus, the paper assesses the response of lettuce to Biochar substrate so as to determine the growth and yield. Experimental research was carried out to establish whether or not there is significant difference between soil based and substrate farming using the same lettuce seed type. Data of plant diameter, width and leave number were collected from lettuce grown in both soil and biochar substrate systems. 3 lettuce plants were randomly selected to measure yield rate. Data collected were analyzed using Design Expert and subjected to a variance test. The result revealed a P-value of = 0.15 indicating no significant growth and yield of the lettuce planted on biochar substrate and soil based in leave production. However, there was significantly difference of yield mass with P-value of 0.038, signifying the biochar substrate-based lettuce was found to be higher than that of the soil-based cultivation. The study concluded that biochar substrate (soil-free) cultivation of lettuce provides weighted or higher massed lettuce than soil-based lettuce cultivation and recommends a larger scale experiment among others to determine if urban farmers can depend on it for increase yield and growth of Lettuce.

Transportation and agro-food distribution in sub-saharan africa

Samuel Iyiola Oni — 2023-03-15

Transportation plays an important role in the movement and distribution of goods and services. It is an essential ingredient of development, since there is always a need to collect, assemble, move, transfer and distribute goods and services from spatially differentiated origins and destinations. Transportation creates market for agricultural produce, facilitates interaction among geographical and economic regions and opens up new areas to economic focus. Transport is a key to efficient and effective distribution of agricultural products at a cost and time convenient for both the producers and the consumers and it is regarded as a crucial factor in improving agricultural productivity. Agricultural production is very important to the economy of the world as a whole and Sub-Saharan Africa in particular. However, the rural transport is poor resulting in the high cost of transportation, inefficient distribution and delay in reaching the final markets. In adequate transport provision leads to waste of about 25% of total agricultural foodstuff produced. Hence, this paper evaluates transportation and agro-food distribution in Sub-Saharan Africa, examines rural transportation system and assesses the rural transport gaps. The conventional approach towards agro-food distribution in Sub-Saharan Africa focuses mostly on motorized transport. This approach is too narrow because it does not reflect the transport requirements and purchasing power of small-scale farmers. A broader approach that includes not only roads, but also paths and tracks; not only trucks but also intermediate means of transport such as donkeys, bicycles and animal carts in improving agro-food distribution in Sub-Saharan Africa is recommended.

Assessing the challenges facing small-hold farming systems in Kabba/Bunu L.G.A. of Kogi State

Femi Ola Aiyegbajeje — 2023-03-15

Agricultural activities in Nigeria contributes immensely to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and small-hold farming is significant to these contributions. Despite this, the sector faces many challenges that inhibits her potential. Basic social infrastructure has been found to be one of the problems facing agriculture particularly availability of good roads. However, accessibility to farms in the rural areas by road is still one of the challenges facing small-hold farming. Despite the numerous policies on rural development to address the ugly condition of small-hold farmers in order to sustain agricultural development in Nigeria, the small-hold farmers still face the challenge of poor road infrastructure, resulting to low agricultural yield and causing incessant inflation of food prices. To this end, the study examined the current challenges that are impeding the opportunities available for the sustainability of small-hold farming in Kabba and its environs. Using a systematic random sampling, copies of structured questionnaire were used to collect data from a total of 338 small-hold farmers across the selected 18 villages in the study area. The descriptive statistics (percentages, tables and bar chart) were used for the result presentation while the stepwise regression was used to test the stated hypothesis. Findings revealed that the invasion of farm plots by cattle and poor road condition have hindered effective small-hold farming activities. The results of the stepwise multiple regression showed that cattle invasion of farm plots and poor road condition have significant effect on farming activities. (F = 28796.728, p<0.05). The study particularly recommended that urgent steps must be taking to address the issue of incessant invasion of farm plots by cattle in order to create an enabling environment for small-hold farming to thrive.

Small-holder rice farmers’ perception of attitude of middlemen towards rice value addition in Ogun state, Nigeria

T.A. Ishola — 2023-03-15

Value addition to rice as well as the contributions of middlemen in rice production are major drives that determine the quality and quantity of rice demanded for by consumer. This study focused on the perception of rice farmers on the attitude of middlemen on value addition in rice production in Ogun State. A total number of 181 respondents were used for the study. A multi stage sampling procedure was adopted to select farmers from major rice producing areas in the three senatorial districts of Ogun State. Information was retrieved with the use structured questionnaire and described with the use of frequency count, percentages and mean. The personal characteristics of the respondents shows that, there were more male smallholder rice farmers than their female counterpart in the study area with 63.1% and 36.9% male and female farmers, respectively. Also, higher percentage of the respondents are in their active age, as just 22.7% were above 36years. Most of the respondents are married (62.4%), also, more of the smallholder farmers had their HND/B.Sc. level as their highest educational certificate (34.8%). The study found out that smallholder rice farmers are mostly of the opinion that middlemen believed that only large-scale producers can add value to rice production, with a mean score of 3.74. Also, lack of fund as well as lack of government incentives for middlemen are perceived as the greatest constraints to value addition with a mean score of 1.45 and 1.43, respectively. The study recommends that government should assist smallholder farmers in aspect of funding for them to be involved in value addition so that their products can command good market prices.

Technological adoption in logistics management: Review of literature and agenda setting

Simon Adekunle — 2023-03-15

In this research, the existing literature on the major antecedents influencing and impeding the adoption of technology in managing logistics was examined. The main antecedents examined include the sorts of technological applications used, the degree of application integration, cost reduction and service level improvement, process management and monitoring, safety and security enhancements, and company features. There was also a discussion of the internal and external obstacles to technology adoption. To improve technology adoption in logistics management, the study recommends raising investment in technology, effectively integrating both new and old technologies, establishing industry-based standards, and boosting employee participation.

Managing risks for operational efficiency of smallholder farmers: a pathway for resilience and sustainable agro-food system in Nigeria

Sunday S. Akpan — 2023-03-15

The reality that risk is present in every operation involving humans across the world necessitates a rethink on how smallholder farmers can be strengthened for resiliency and sustainability of agro-food system in Nigeria without appropriate risk management. No doubt, farming is risky; smallholder farmers live with risk and make decisions affecting their operations daily. As they may find it difficult to access formal indemnity-based risk management options, there is need to explore alternatives strategies for managing these risks. This study is thus conducted to investigate the risks in smallholder farming and appropriate management strategies for use by smallholder farmers in Nigeria. A qualitative research approach was adopted using systematic literature review (SLR) technique. We followed Cervantes-Godoy, Kimura and Antón’s smallholder risk management model. Findings revealed that risks affecting smallholder farmers globally do not differ as they come basically from non-agricultural events (e.g., health problem); shocks in production, market, institutional, personal, financial and legal operations none of which are exclusive to any particular country, Nigeria inclusive. A number of risk management (Ex ante) and risk coping (Ex post) instruments and strategies considered to be effective and efficient were found to include among others, crop and plot diversification, inter-cropping practices, family-intra-community charity, liquid asset (crop) and buffer stock, avoidance, social network, diversification (both on-and off-the-farm), agricultural credit, contract farming, and most interesting index-insurance services. We have proposed a risk management matrix for smallholder farmers to use in selecting the most appropriate strategy for handling risk in their business.

Pattern of food security in Ondo state Nigeria

I.I. Ogundahunsi — 2023-03-15

Food insecurity is one of the major challenges faced by developing nations of the world and attempts to solve the problem has been abortive. This study examined the incident of food security in Ondo State. This was done through a designed Food Security Index (FSI) questionnaire and attempted the interpretation using Elliot (2014) food security score. The findings showed that food security vary from one senatorial district to the other (Northern 57.6%, Southern 48.8% and central 47.0%); the overall result for the state showed that Ondo State has FSI of 51.1%, showing the state to be partially secured compared to global standard of 42%. It was discovered that there has been no productive measure taking by the government and individuals to eradicate food insecurity menace in the study area. The study recommends that government at all levels should encourage food crop farmers with proactive measures such as grants and interest free loan so as to improve food production in the state.