Farmers’ knowledge, use, and transmission of environmentally sustainable agricultural practices in Okigwe local government area of Imo state, Nigeria

This study identified environmentally sustainable farm management strategies adopted by compound farmers in Mbaitoli Local Government Area Imo State. Specifically, it described the socio-economic characteristics of the compound farmers in the study area, identified the environmentally sustainable strategy adopted by compound farmers, identified compound farming ventures that are mostly adopted, assessed the contributions of compound farming to household food security in the study area and examined factors affecting compound farming in the study area. Of the nine communities in the study area, five were randomly selected for the study. Snowball sampling technique was used in selecting 100 households for the study. Data collection was done using questionnaire and interview schedule and analysed using descriptive statistics. Results shows that organic pesticides (70%), mixed farming (71%), cover-cropping (84%), crop rotation (79%) and mulching (74%) are the major environmentally sustainable farm management practices adopted by compound farmers in the study area. The major compound farming ventures adopted by households were crop production (88%) and poultry (50%). Income generation (Mean = 3.43), reduction of family expenditure on food (Mean = 3.45) and assured availability of food varieties in the family (Mean = 3.35) were the major contributions of compound farming to household food security. The major factors affecting compound farming in the study area were diseases and pests’ infestation on compound farm (Mean = 3.40), labour intensive nature of compound farming (mean = 3.40) and lack of irrigation facilities (mean = 3.38). It was recommended that extension agents should play leading role in conveying innovations and inventions that could enhance compound farming activities of farmers as regards pesticides and insecticides as well as irrigation facilitiesKeywords: Environmentally, sustainable, farm management

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Knowledge and Practice of Cervical Cancer Screening among Women in Orlu Local Government Area, Imo State, Nigeria.

10.33798/ajmas2019/00266 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 55-65

Author(s):

Jude Egwurugwu ◽

S.D. Ejikunle ◽

E.I. Dike ◽

M.C. Ohamaeme ◽

Jude Egwurugwu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cervical Cancer ◽

Cancer Screening ◽

Local Government ◽

Cervical Cancer Screening ◽

Cervical Screening ◽

Local Government Area ◽

Care Providers ◽

Imo State ◽

Study Results ◽

Knowledge And Practice

Background: Cervical cancer is the 2nd commonest cancer among women worldwide and the most common cancer among women in developing countries like Nigeria. Though preventable by screening for premalignant and early cervical lesions, this is predicated on the knowledge and practice of a cervical screening. Objective: To assess the knowledge and practice of cervical cancer screening among women in Orlu, Local Government Area(LGA) Imo State, Nigeria. Materials & Methods: A community based cross-sectional study with the use of 502 interviewer – administered questionnaires was conducted among women in Orlu LGA of Imo State. All the women in the communities attending the annual August Meeting who consented were recruited for this study. Results: The study showed that the mean age of the respondents was 42±2.8years. Furthermore, 82.3% of respondents attained postsecondary school educational level, 61.8% & 21.1% were multiparous and grand multiparous respectively. Also, 80.5% of respondents have heard about cervical cancer screening. Majority (67.5%) of these respondents heard it from health care providers. There was a positive statistically significant relationship between educational status and the likelihood of having knowledge of cervical cancer screening, (p< 0.01). The level of practice of cervical cancer screening was very low among the respondents(13.5%).Though majority of the respondents have high level of educational attainment this did not reflect their practice of cervical cancer screening. Conclusion: There was high knowledge of cervical cancer and cervical screening modalities among women in Orlu but their practice of cervical cancer screening was very low. There is an urgent need to educate and encourage women on the benefits of cervical cancer screening. Key words: cervical cancer, knowledge, Practice, Orlu women, Screening.

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