Using Oil Palm Segregation Genetics to Decipher Illegitimate Seed Distribution Channels to Smallholder Farmers in Cameroon

Planting material or seed is the most determinant factor for oil palm productivity alongside agro climatological and management considerations. A study was conducted to determine the different varieties of oil palm planted in smallholders’ plantations, the distribution channels for oil palm seeds and all the actors involved in the seed trade sector in Cameroon. This is a bid to secure the supply of only improved planting materials to smallholder farmers. 230 oil palm smallholder plantations were surveyed and individual palms were subjected to varietal determination. The Chi-Square Test (c2) for Fixed Ratio Hypothesis (= 0.05) was used to determine whether the observed ratio deviates significantly from the Mendelian hypothesized genetic segregation ratio. Up to 65% of smallholder farms were found to be planted with poor planting material distributed in the different Mendelian ratios; 100% Dura, 50% Tenera and 50% Dura (1:1), 25% Dura, 50% Tenera and 25% Pisifera (1:2:1). The source of this poor quality planting material for these farms was deduced to come from private nursery entrepreneurs and workers of industrial plantations such as the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), Cameroon Palm Oil Company (SOCAPALM), Common Initiative Groups (CIG’s) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s). Farmers supplied by government services especially the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and some of its specialized development projects all received good quality material. Thus, this is the only means now available which can assure the distribution of seeds good quality seeds

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Not only the seed matters: Farmers’ perceptions of sources for banana planting materials in Uganda

Outlook on Agriculture ◽

10.1177/0030727020930731 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 49 (2) ◽

pp. 119-132 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Fleur BM Kilwinger ◽

Pricilla Marimo ◽

Anne M Rietveld ◽

Conny JM Almekinders ◽

Ynte K van Dam

Keyword(s):

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Cultural Norms ◽

Production Scale ◽

Seed Sources ◽

Planting Material ◽

Chain Analysis ◽

Traditional Cultivars ◽

Variety Traits ◽

Planting Materials ◽

Laddering Interviews

The adoption of improved seed and other planting material in developing countries shows mixed results despite their potential to increase agricultural productivity. To arrive at a better understanding of the observed adoption rates, a lot of research is focused on finding the cultivars and variety traits that are attractive to farmers. Given smallholder farmers’ seed sourcing practices are often influenced by social ties and cultural norms, it is also relevant to understand where and why farmers seek to acquire planting material. In this study, means-end chain analysis was applied to understand farmers’ perceptions of formal and informal sources of banana planting material. Means-end chain analysis allows respondents to select and verbalize their own constructs to evaluate a product or service. These personally relevant constructs are subsequently linked to their personal goals via laddering interviews. We interviewed 31 Ugandan banana farmers from Western and Central region. Farmers associated formal sources mainly with improved cultivars, tissue culture plantlets and low levels of diversity. Informal seed sources were mostly associated with traditional cultivars, suckers and high levels of diversity. The goals farmers pursued while acquiring planting material, such as financial gains, food security, and to sustain and develop the household, were fairly similar among different groups of farmers. The means through which farmers aimed and preferred to pursue these goals differed and could be related to aspects such as gender, production scale and production goals. These differences among farmers preferences for particular sources indicate that not only cultivar traits should be tailored to farmers’ preferences and needs, but also the characteristics of the sources from which farmers access planting material.

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The cassava seed system in Nigeria: Opportunities and challenges for policy and regulatory reform

10.4160/23096586rtbwp20202 ◽

2020 ◽

Keyword(s):

New Technologies ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Regulatory Reform ◽

Policy Support ◽

African Countries ◽

Weak State ◽

Planting Material ◽

Regulatory Systems ◽

Seed System ◽

Planting Materials

In many African countries south of the Sahara, farmers depend on the cultivation of vegetatively propagated crops (VPCs) for both consumption and commercial purposes. Yet yields for these crops remain at low levels due, in part, to the persistent use of low-quality planting material. Efforts to improve the quality of planting material exchanged in markets or through other channels are often hampered by the unique biological and economic characteristics of vegetative propagation—characteristics that distinguish VPCs from the major cereal crops that drive and shape the policy and investment choices made in many of these countries. This suggests that continued investment in new technologies and systems to produce, package, and distribute VPC planting materials will require customized policies and policy support if these systems are to supply farmers with quality planting material at any significant and sustained scale. This paper explores these issues in the context of the cassava seed system in Nigeria by drawing on (1) prior research, public policy documents, and government statistics; (2) key informant interviews and focus group discussions with seed system actors; and (3) a unique dataset from the 2015 Cassava Monitoring Survey of Nigeria (CMS). The paper examines the production and supply of cassava planting material, the influence of various quality assurance systems on production and supply, and the implications for smallholder farmers in Nigeria. We describe the market, non-market, and regulatory systems that shape the cassava seed market in Nigeria, focusing on effectiveness, influence, and reach. We then explore the ground realities—how farmers actually acquire and use cassava planting material—given the (weak) state of markets and regulation. This is followed by a discussion of alternative policy and regulatory approaches to managing and expanding the cassava seed system, emphasizing a more decentralized approach that prioritizes investment in innovative capacity at the community and enterprise levels.

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Use of SAMe-TT₂R₂ Score to Predict the Quality of Anticoagulation Control in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Receiving Warfarin in Thailand

Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand ◽

10.35755/jmedassocthai.2020.06.10827 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 103 (6) ◽

pp. 548-552

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Therapeutic Range ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Discrimination Performance ◽

Poor Quality ◽

Chi Square ◽

Exact Test ◽

Time In Therapeutic Range ◽

Anticoagulation Control

Objective: To predict the quality of anticoagulation control in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) receiving warfarin in Thailand. Materials and Methods: The present study retrospectively recruited Thai AF patients receiving warfarin for three months or longer between June 2012 and December 2017 in Central Chest Institute of Thailand. The patients were classified into those with SAMe-TT₂R₂ of 2 or less, and 3 or more. The Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test was used to compare the proportion of the patients with poor time in therapeutic range (TTR) between the two groups of SAMe-TT₂R₂ score. The discrimination performance of SAMe-TT₂R₂ score was demonstrated with c-statistics. Results: Ninety AF patients were enrolled. An average age was 69.89±10.04 years. Most patients were persistent AF. An average CHA₂DS₂-VASc, SAMe-TT₂R₂, and HAS-BLED score were 3.68±1.51, 3.26±0.88, and 1.98±0.85, respectively. The present study showed the increased proportion of AF patients with poor TTR with higher SAMe-TT₂R₂ score. The AF patients with SAMe-TT₂R₂ score of 3 or more had a larger proportion of patients with poor TTR than those with SAMe-TT₂R₂ score of 2 or less with statistical significance when TTR was below 70% (p=0.03) and 65% (p=0.04), respectively. The discrimination performance of SAMe-TT₂R₂ score was demonstrated with c-statistics of 0.60, 0.59, and 0.55 when TTR was below 70%, 65% and 60%, respectively. Conclusion: Thai AF patients receiving warfarin had a larger proportion of patients with poor TTR when the SAMe-TT₂R₂ score was higher. The score of 3 or more could predict poor quality of anticoagulation control in those patients. Keywords: Time in therapeutic range, Poor quality of anticoagulation control, Warfarin, SAMe-TT₂R₂, Labile INR

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Choice of Modern Food Distribution Channels and Its Welfare Effects: Empirical Evidence from Taiwan

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture11060499 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 499

Author(s):

Yun-Cih Chang ◽

Min-Fang Wei ◽

Yir-Hueih Luh

Keyword(s):

Control Function ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Distribution Channel ◽

Marketing Channel ◽

Distribution Channels ◽

Food Distribution ◽

Economic Effects ◽

Farm Households ◽

Farm Household ◽

Decomposition Approach

The determinants and/or economic effects of modern food distribution channels have attracted much attention in previous research. Studies on the welfare consequences of modern channel options, however, have been sparse. Based on a broader definition of modern food distribution channels including midstream processors and downstream retailers (supermarkets, hypermarkets, brand-named retailers), this study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by exploring the distributional implications of farm households’ choice of modern food distribution channels using a large and unique farm household dataset in Taiwan. Making use of the two-step control function approach, we identify the effect of modern food distribution options on farm households’ profitability. The results reveal selling farm produce to modern food distributors does not produce a positive differential compared to the traditional outlets. Another dimension of farm household welfare affected by the choice of modern food distribution channel is income inequality. We apply the Lerman and Yitzhaki decomposition approach to gain a better understanding of the effect of the marketing channel option on the overall distribution of farm household income. The Gini decomposition of different income sources indicates that the choice of modern food distribution channels results in an inequality-equalizing effect among the farm households in Taiwan, suggesting the inclusion of smallholder farmers in the modern food distribution channels improves the overall welfare of the rural society.

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Appraisal of Issues Influencing Soil-Steps Application for Sustainable Farmland Management in High-Potential District, Ethiopia

Environmental Management and Sustainable Development ◽

10.5296/emsd.v7i3.13535 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 102

Author(s):

Mehretie Belay

Keyword(s):

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Group Discussion ◽

Household Head ◽

Binary Logistic Regression ◽

Northwest Ethiopia ◽

Study Data ◽

High Potential ◽

Binary Logistic Regression Model ◽

Chi Square ◽

Chi Square Test

Soil damage by moving water is a somber predicament on farmlands in highland Ethiopia. Sizeable number of trial in farmland preservation has been executed to handle the crisis during the last tens of years. However, the attempts have not been vibrant to trim-down the danger to an attractive extent. This paper evaluates factors contributing to application of soil-steps (bunds) as sustainable farmland management technology (SFLMT) by smallholder farmers in one of the high-potential districts of northwest Ethiopia named Dangila Woreda (District). Mixed method triangulation designs involving concurrent acquisition and interpretation of quantitative and qualitative data were used in the study. Data were acquired from randomly chosen 201 farming households during the harvest seasons of 2011 and 2012. Ordered questionnaire, participatory field observation, key informant interview and focus group discussion were mechanisms employed during the data acquisition. Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations and percentiles), Chi-square test, t-test and the binary logistic regression model were used to analyze the quantitative data. The qualitative information was textually narrated to augment the quantitative results. Findings of the investigation confirm that age of the household head, the number of household members, slope of the farmland, the size of the farmland held, households’ participation in indigenous labour-sharing activities and the number of farm tools owned were significantly increasing the building of soil-steps as SFLMT in the study district. Involvement in off-farm activities and pest invasions were considerably hindering farmers from building soil-steps on their farmlands. The results in general indicated that households’ access to livelihood assets are key promoters for farmers’ implementation of soil-steps on their farmlands. Local resource preservation and improvement trials should thus ponder on convalescing farmers’ material endowments to improve their capability to use soil-steps as SFLMT in their farming activities.

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The Future of the Nigerian Agricultural Industries: A Case Study of Oil Palm Production in Edo State

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.824.561 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 824 ◽

pp. 561-567 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

U.J. Udosen ◽

A.P. Ugboya

Keyword(s):

Growth Rate ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Frequency Distributions ◽

Factors Influencing ◽

The Future ◽

Edo State ◽

Agricultural Industries ◽

Fresh Fruit Bunches ◽

Planting Materials

This study analyzes oil palm production from 2001 - 2008 in Edo State, with a view of establishing the future of Nigerian Agricultural oil palm industries. The specific objectives were to identify and quantify the factors influencing the production of oil palm, reveal the constraints to the production of oil palm; analyze the viability of oil palm production as an investment and predict the future of oil palm enterprise in Edo State. Three Local Government Areas of high oil palm concentration in Edo State were covered. Ninety selected oil palm producers from nine villages in the study area were selected. Frequency distributions and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the results. The results showed that for the period under review (2001 - 2008) on a per hectare basis, seedlings cost, and labour cost were significant inputs, positively influencing the production of oil palm in the Edo State. A growth rate of 6.2% and 23.5% were projected for oil palm with reference to palm oil and fresh fruit bunches (FFB), respectively, up to the year 2020, an indication that oil palm production in the State is viable and the future is bright. The study revealed that inadequate storage facilities, poor planting materials and lack of government assistance, among others, are major bottlenecks in oil palm production in Edo State. However, since oil palm production in Edo State is viable, it is an indication that the future of Nigerian Agricultural Industries is bright.

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Adoption of Rice Post-Harvest Technologies Among Smallholder Farmers in Osun State, Nigeria

Contemporary Agriculture ◽

10.2478/contagri-2020-0004 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 69 (1-2) ◽

pp. 20-26

Author(s):

Banji Olalere Adisa ◽

Michael Famakinwa ◽

Kolawole Adelekan Adeloye

Keyword(s):

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Structured Interview ◽

Sampling Procedure ◽

Moderate Level ◽

Chi Square ◽

Post Harvest ◽

Rice Milling ◽

Multistage Sampling ◽

The Right ◽

High Level

SummaryThe study assessed adoption of rice post-harvest technologies among smallholder farmers in Osun State, Nigeria. Data were collected from 120 respondents through a structured interview schedule using a multistage sampling procedure. Percentages, means, Chi-square and correlation were used to analyse the data and draw inferences. The results show that about 52.5% of the respondents had favourable perception, while 47.5% had unfavourable perception towards adoption of the rice post-harvest technologies. Rice milling (mean=4.54) and harvesting matured panicles at the right time (mean=4.47) ranked highest among the adopted post-harvest technologies, while majority (65%) of the respondents adopted the rice post-harvest technologies at moderate level and 35% had high level of adoption. Inadequate capital (mean=1.75) and poor extension contacts (mean=1.67) were the major constraints associated with the adoption. Also, there was significant association between sex (χ2= 38.174), marital status (χ2=32.85) and adoption of the rice post-harvest technologies, while age (r=-0.531), household size (r=0.414) and the quantity of rice produced (r=0.345) had significant relationship with adoption of the post-harvest rice technologies. There was moderate level of adoption among the farmers. Financial institutions, governments and non-governmental organisations should provide functional credit facilities and government should employ more extension agents to promote adoption of high-quality enhancing post-harvest technologies for sustainable rice production in Nigeria.

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HUBUNGAN KEHILANGAN GIGI DENGAN STATUS GIZI DAN KUALITAS HIDUP PADA PERKUMPULAN LANSIA DI DESA PENATAHAN KECAMATAN PENEBEL TABANAN

ODONTO Dental Journal ◽

10.30659/odj.5.2.145-151 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 145

Author(s):

A.A Gde Wirasantika Adhiatman, Sari Kusumadewi, Putu Adiartha Griadhi

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Nutritional Status ◽

The Elderly ◽

Total Sample ◽

Poor Quality ◽

Oral Disease ◽

Chi Square ◽

Kolmogorov Smirnov ◽

Relationship Of

Background: Health practitioners around the world are now dealing withincreasing health problems, including oral disease. One of them is tooth loss.Losing teeth can cause problems or disturbances in the main functions of teeth(mastication, aesthetics and phonetics). These conditions can be overcome byusing denture. If the loss of untreated teeth doesn�t restored using denture, it will cause the function of the missing tooth can not be restored, which will result in disruption of nutritional status and quality of life of the elderly. This study aimed to determine the relationship of tooth loss with nutritional status in elderly society in the Penatahan village Penebel Tabanan.Methods: The research was an observational analytic study with cross sectionalresearch design. Total sampling used with total sample 109 people. The datawere collected by filling the dental chart, measuring IMT and interview using theOHIP-14 questionnaire.Results: The results showed 65.1% respondents had loss <6 teeth, 42.2%respondents had obesity, 75.2% respondents observed poor quality of life. Dataanalyzed using kolmogorov smirnov obtained p = 0,952 for relationship betweentooth loss with nuturional status and p = 0.676 for relationship between useof denture with nutritional status. Chi square used to test relationship betweentooth loss with quality of life (p= 0,735) and use of denture with quality of lifeshowed p = 0,139.Conclusions: The conclusion is there is no relationship between tooth lossand use of denture with nutritional status and quality of life in elderly society inPenatahan Village Penebel Tabanan

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Technical Efficiency Of Smallholders Of Oil Palm Cultivation In Ogan Komering Ilir

Agro Ekonomi ◽

10.22146/ae.34339 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 196

Author(s):

Armina Fariani ◽

Jamhari Jamhari ◽

Any Suryantini

Keyword(s):

Technical Efficiency ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Organic Fertilizer ◽

Technical Level ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Probabilistic Sampling ◽

Npk Fertilizer ◽

And Training ◽

Descriptive Method

This study aims to (1) identify the factors affecting the production of oil palm cultivation business by the smallholders and (2) identify the technical level as well as factors influencing business inefficiency of oil palm cultivation by the smallholders in Air Sugihan Sub District of Ogan Komering Ilir Regency, South Sumatera Province. This research uses the basic method of analytical descriptive method. The data were collected by way of observation and direct interviews in the field guided by a questionnaire. The research location was determined purposively, that is in Pangkalan Damai Village, Air Sugihan Sub-district, Ogan Komering Ilir Municipality, South Sumatera Province. Sampling was conducted using non probabilistic sampling method (purposive sampling). The research investigated 79 smallholder farmers of oil palm cultivation in Pangkalan Damai village of Air Sugihan Sub-district, Ogan Komering Ilir Municipality, South Sumatera Province. On the basis of the analysis, it is revealed that (1) the factors affecting the increase of palm production were labor, land area, TSP fertilizer, NPK fertilizer, organic fertilizer, herbicides and insecticides which also have an effect on decreasing palm production. (2) Palm plantation business was technically efficient with the average technical level of smallholder palm farmers in Air Sugihan Sub-district of Ogan Komering Ilir Municipality of 0.86090. Factors that decrease the technical inefficiency in smallholder palm cultivation in Air Sugihan Sub-district of Ogan Komering Ilir Regency were farmers’ education level. This information can be used by the goverment to improve technical efficiency through education in the form of counseling and training to increase production.

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205 INCREASED PREGNANCY RATES OF POOR QUALITY BOVINE EMBRYOS BY ASSISTED HATCHING

Reproduction Fertility and Development ◽

10.1071/rdv19n1ab205 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 219

Author(s):

A. Taniyama ◽

Y. Watanabe ◽

Y. Nisino ◽

T. Inoue

Keyword(s):

Embryo Transfer ◽

Zona Pellucida ◽

Poor Quality ◽

Pregnancy Rates ◽

Assisted Hatching ◽

Bovine Embryos ◽

Production Rates ◽

Chi Square ◽

Chi Square Test ◽

Rectal Palpation

Embryo transfer after superovulation is commonly used for efficient embryo and animal production and for genetic improvement in cattle. However, the quality of collected embryos varies greatly, which affects pregnancy rate. Usually, poor quality embryos are related to low pregnancy rates after embryo transfer and low viability after cryopreservation. Therefore, it is important to improve chances for survival of poor quality embryos after embryo transfer. The objective of this experiment was to improve pregnancy rates by applying the assisted hatching technique to poor quality embryos. Embryos were collected from Japanese Black cows after superovulation on Day 7 post-insemination. After being washed, embryos were morphologically classified. Embryos having more than 30% degenerated cells were assigned as poor quality embryos. The assisted hatching of embryos (cutting the zona pellucida) was performed under a stereoscope or an inverted microscope by making a cutting slit on the zona pellucida for about 20% of its circumference using a micromanipulator equipped with a cutting needle and holding pipette. After cutting, single or two embryos were transferred fresh to one uterine horn of recipient cows on Day 7 of the estrous cycle. Pregnancy and calf production rates were compared between 2 embryo transfer groups composed of fresh zona-cut embryos (ZC group) or fresh embryos with non-cut zonae pellucidae (NZC group). Pregnancy rates were determined by rectal palpation on Day 45, and calf production rates were calculated by the following formula: number of calves born/number of pregnancies. Statistical analysis was carried out using the chi-square test. Pregnancy rates of poor quality embryos in the double ET ZC group (60.3%; 44 pregnancies/73 transfers) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those in the single ET NZC group (25.0%; 6 pregnancies/24 transfers) and in the single ET ZC group (44.0%; 37 pregnancies/84 transfers). Calf production rates were 67.3%, 45.5%, and 35.6% for the double ET ZC group, the double ET NZC group, and the single ET ZC group, respectively. Pregnancy rates of poor quality bovine embryos after double ET were remarkably improved by assisted hatching compared with those of single ET with non-assisted hatching. These results suggest that the combined methods of assisted hatching and double ET may be beneficial to produce calves from poor quality embryos.

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