International Journal of Agricultural Sciences

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 6 (7), pp. 1067-1076, July, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Economic viability of smallholder yoghurt production for a sustainable rural development scheme: The case of Bambui Cameroon

Mbohjim Othniel Mobit1*, Ching Song Etiene Kain1, Nchinda Valentine Petentsebenkwange^2,3 and Laetitia Ako Kima1

¹Catholic University Institute of Buea, P.O Box 563 Buea, SWR, Cameroon.

²Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Cameroon.

³University of New England, Australia.

Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: (+237) 677476841.

Accepted 07 March, 2016

Abstract

Halving poverty by 2015 as per the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) tuned African Development Agenda toward revamping the Agricultural Sector. This spurred the African Union to consider 2014 as “The Year of Agriculture” under the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP). With the strategic principle of partnership and alliance to include farmers, agribusinesses, and civil society communities, sustainable rural development can be achieved through the development of the Non-Farm Economy (NFE) such as smallholder yogurt producer’s cooperatives. On this premise, a 3 months experimental survey was carried out at the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD) Bambui, Cameroon to establish the economic viability of Yogurt production using the Return on Investment (ROI) approach. It was found that for every 1000XAF ≈ US$ 2 invested in yogurt production there is a 340 XAF ≈ 70 cents return. Returns are piece meal but will attract huge investment if operated in a cooperative as it will increase marketability and reduce production cost.

Key words: Sustainable rural development, non-farm economy, dairy products, yoghurt.

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 6 (6), pp. 1048-1058, June, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Phenotypic characterization of selected African eggplant accessions collected from a number of African countries

G. W. Mungai¹, J.J. Giovanonni³, A.B. Nyende¹_, J. Ambuko² and W. Owino^1*.

¹Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology P. O. Box 62000 - 00200 Nairobi, Kenya.

²University of Nairobi P.O. Box 29053-00625 Nairobi, Kenya.

³Cornell University; Boyce Thompson Institute 533 Tower Road Ithaca, New York14853.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Received 27 April, 2016; Accepted 02  June, 2016; Published 16 June,  2016

Abstract

Africa is home to a variety of Solanaceae crops including the African eggplant used as food and for income generation. However, African eggplant has not been characterized to show their diversity to inform crop improvement programs. This study was carried out to evaluate the morphological diversity of the African eggplants. Sixty-seven African eggplants accessions collected from the Asian Vegetable Research and development center- regional center for Africa (AVRDC- RCA) in Arusha Tanzania were planted using complete random block design in 18 replicates. The morphological data collected was subjected to Genstat’s univariate analysis, bivariate, multivariate and Darwin6 software for statistical analysis. The dendogram grouped the accessions into two main clusters with majority falling in cluster 2 revealing a narrow genetic base in the cluster. Many singletons formed suggest divergent genetic background hence useful for out crossing to other accessions. Clustering was contributed by the plant growth habit, fruit shape and fruit colour. Cluster 1 was constituted by accessions exhibiting prostrate and very prostrate growth habit while cluster 2 was composed of intermediate, tall and very tall. Overlapping accessions in the biplot revealed close relationship between many of the accessions studied as well as a considerably wide diversity for a few accessions. Accessions RV100328, RV100194 and RV100346 clustered far from the rest showing high variation based on morphological characters. Analysis of variance showed significant phenotypic variations in the accessions at P<0.05. Eight of the 14 Principal component (PC) analysis were significant accounting for 70.6% variation. PC-1 accounted for 16.02 %whereas PC-2 accounted for 12.29%. The findings of this study reveal significant variation among the selected African eggplant mainly contributed by plant height, leaf blade length, leaf blade width and fruit width. Substantial variation among the 67 accessions was also observed in fruit colour, fruit shape, fruit texture, leaf base and leaf lade colour.

Key words: Morphological, Solanaceae, Singletons, eggplant accessions.

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2167-0447 Vol. 6 (6), pp. 1059-1066, June, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Habib Ben Hassine¹Achwak Ben Slimane¹, Mohamed Mlawah², Lassaad Albouchi¹ and Ammar Gandouzi²

¹University of Carthage, Graduate School of Agriculture of Mograne, 1121 Mograne, Tunisia
²Service of soils, CRDA Kebili, Tunisia.

Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted April 28, 2016

Abstract

The risks of increase of the level of the salted underground water and its salinization effect on the soils in oasian creations are inescapable because of their altitude which is very close to that of the next salted depressions. To control this phenomenon, some monitoring points called piezometers were installed in these perimeters, among them the one of El Bahaier located at the north of Kébili city in Tunisia and being the subject of the follow-up of the current study. Two measurement operations of the level of the underground table and its salinity were carried out in the functional piezometers of this oasis in March and April 2011; in parallel, two series of soils samples were taken around these same piezometers on a depth of 1 meter. The determination of the salinity of these soils samples showed that the most waterlogged zones are those which are salinized. This explains that the increase of the underground water level is the principal cause of the soils salinization in these zones known by their high potential evapotranspiration and very weak rainfall. This observation is confirmed by the correlation tests between various couples of parameters, where the correlation coefficient r was generally high and significant. Moreover, the effect of the waterlogging and the soils salinity on the output of the principal culture practiced in this perimeter, the date palm (Phœnix dactilifera), was highly significant. The improvement, the clearing out and the cleaning of the drains are necessary to push the level of in-depth subsoil water more and to relieve the trees of its negative effect on their production.  However, an optimal level of this water table located at 2 meters of depth would be more beneficial on the yield. 

Keywords: Groundwater, soil, oasis, salinization, waterlogging, Tunisia.

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 6 (5), pp. 1030-1039, May, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Water loss, sediment deposition-pond age relationships in Lagos State, Nigeria

Omofunmi O.E.¹, and Olorunnisola  O.A²

¹Department of Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering, Yaba College of Technology, Yaba Lagos, Nigeria.

  ²Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 02 March, 2016

Abstract

The investigation was carried out to identify and proffer solutions to some environmental and management problems that have hitherto affected fish production bub-sector of the economy, using Lagos State, (Western) Nigeria  as a case study. It was observed that the maximum temperature in the study area ranged between 27.6 ^OC and 31.8 ^OC in February, while the minimum temperature ranged between 23 ^OC and 26.8 ^OC with the least being in July. Values of water loss from ponds resulting from evaporation and seepage ranged from 2.5 – 4.6 day^-1.. Percentage reduction in pond water depth during dry season ranged from 70 – 81 % as compared to the observed percentage increase during rainy season with range of values as, 17 – 34%. The mean rise and fall in water depth were 24.7 ± 3.8 % and 47.6 ± 11.7% respectively. The fall in water depth during dry season was almost twice its rise during rainy season. The degree of variation among ponds was found to be significant (t=2.11 at p = 0.05). The mean rate of soft sediment depth was 10.5 ± 1.8 cm yr^-1, while the soft sediment depth in silty sand ponds doubled those from mixed sandy ponds. The predictive equation indicated that soft sediment accumulation was found to increase with year of pond operation. The results showed significant correlation (t = 1.988. p = 0.05) between soft sediment and year of pond operation. Long hydraulic residence time averaging 250 days in the ponds investigated enhanced high level of organic stimulations.

Key words: Climate, season, sediment, water depth, water loss, pond age, Lagos State.