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Factors influencing the use of selected inputs in yam production in Nigeria and Ghana
(Kassel University Press, 2015-09-21)
In West Africa, yam can be an important crop to reduce poverty and hunger if Research and Development measures identify and properly engage its key production factors for enhanced outputs and better income. Data from 1400 households in Ghana and Nigeria were collected in a multistage random sampling survey (and complementary data from 76 farm family fields) with a structured questionnaire and qualitative interview questions. The results showed that yam is produced mainly with crude inputs/technologies to reduce high ...
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Evaluation of major feed resources in crop-livestock mixed farming systems, southern Ethiopia: Indigenous knowledge versus laboratory analysis results
(Kassel University Press, 2015-10-08)
Evaluation of major feed resources was conducted in four crop-livestock mixed farming systems of central southern Ethiopia, with 90 farmers, selected using multi-stage purposive and random sampling methods. Discussions were held with focused groups and key informants for vernacular name identification of feed, followed by feed sampling to analyse chemical composition (CP, ADF and NDF), in-vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), and correlate with indigenous technical knowledge (ITK). Native pastures, crop residues ...
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Technical and scale efficiency of cassava production system in Delta State, Nigeria: an application of Two-Stage DEA approach
(Kassel University Press, 2015-05-21)
The present study examines the level of pure technical and scale efficiencies of cassava production system including its sub-processes (that is production and processing stages) of 278 cassava farmers/processors from three regions of Delta State, Nigeria by applying Two-Stage Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach. Results reveal that pure technical efficiency (PTE) is significantly lower at the production stage 0.41 vs 0.55 for the processing stage, but scale efficiency (SE) is high at both stages (0.84 and 0.87), ...
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Effects of Tithonia diversifolia, farmyard manure and urea, and phosphate fertiliser application methods on maize yields in western Kenya
(Kassel University Press, 2015-05-21)
Maize production in western Kenya is often limited by deficiencies of nitrogen and phosphorus. We assessed the effectiveness of Tithonia diversifolia green manure (tithonia), farmyard manure (FYM) and urea as sources of nitrogen (N) for maize when inorganic phosphorus (P) fertiliser was either broadcast (BR) or spot-placed in the planting hole (SP) for two consecutive seasons; October to December of 1998 and April to August of 1999 at two sites; Nyabeda and Khwisero in western Kenya. A randomised complete block design ...
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Effects of row spacing on productivity and nodulation of two soybean varieties under hot sub-moist tropical conditions in south-western Ethiopia
(Kassel University Press, 2015-08-19)
The objective of this study was to determine the optimum row spacing to improve the productivity of two soybean (Glycine max L.) varieties under the tropical hot sub-moist agroecological conditions of Ethiopia. A two-year split-plot design experiment was conducted to determine the effect of variety (Awasa-95 [early-maturing], Afgat [medium-maturing]) and row spacing (RS: 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 cm) on the productivity, nodulation and weed infestation of soybean. Seed and total dry matter (TDM) yield per ...
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Effect of within-litter birth weight variation on piglet survival and pre-weaning weight gain in a commercial herd
(Kassel University Press, 2015-09-15)
There are several factors that affect piglet survival and this has a bearing on sow productivity. Ten variables that influence pre-weaning vitality were analysed using records from the Pig Industry Board, Zimbabwe. These included individual piglet birth weight, piglet origin (nursed in original litter or fostered), sex, relative birth weight expressed as standard deviation units, sow parity, total number of piglets born, year and month of farrowing, within-litter variability and the presence of stillborn or mummified ...
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Utilisation of Giant African snail (Achatina fulica) meal as protein source by laying hens
(Kassel University Press, 2015-05-21)
A 12-week experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of substituting Giant African snail meal for fish meal in laying hens diet. Four diets were formulated to contain snail meal as replacement for fish meal at 0 (control), 33, 67 and 100%. A total of 120 Shaver Brown pullets aged 18 weeks were allocated to the dietary treatments in a randomised design. Each treatment consisted of three replicates and ten birds per replicate. Feed intake increased only for the 33% treatment as compared to the 67% replacement ...
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Risks, resources and reason: understanding smallholder decisions around farming system interventions in Eastern Indonesia
(Kassel University Press, 2016-11-18)
Adoption of new cattle management practices by Indonesian smallholders occurs less as a ‘technology transfer’ in the classical sense but rather as a series of conscious decisions by farming households weighing risks and resources as well as matching innovations to livelihood strategies. This paper uncovers the context of decisions and communication of innovations by way of social networks. The research looks at two geographically distinct cases where new cattle management practices have been introduced. We apply the ...
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Alternate furrow irrigation of four fresh-market tomato cultivars under semi-arid condition of Ethiopia – Part I: Effect on fruit yield and quality
(Kassel University Press, 2016-11-14)
Scarcity of freshwater due to recurrent drought threatens the sustainable crop production in semi-arid regions of Ethiopia. Deficit irrigation is thought to be one of the promising strategies to increase water use efficiency (WUE) under scarce water resources. A study was carried out to investigate the effect of alternate furrow irrigation (AFI), deficit irrigation (DI) and full irrigation (FI) on marketable fruit yield, WUE and physio-chemical quality of four fresh-market tomato cultivars (Fetan, Chali, Cochoro and ...
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Crop-Specific EU Aid and Smallholder Food Security in Sierra Leone
(Kassel University Press, 2016-11-17)
The article analyses the viability of promoting crop-specific programs as a mean to improve smallholder net farm income and food security. The case study explores the relevance of European Union Stabilisation of Export Earnings (STABEX) funds in supporting Sierra Leone’s agricultural development agenda. By analysing the drivers of food security for a number of targeted smallholders in the two most important agricultural zones of Sierra Leone, it is possible to compare the suitability of crop-specific support (in rice, ...