scholarly journals Medicinal Plant Resources of Shivamogga, Karnataka

Author(s):  
Arunakumar N C Veeranna B Shettar and Ranjith Y

The present study deals with the documentation of aromatic plant resources in Shivamogga district of Karnataka. The peoples of this area have a very good knowledge about the usage of these plants. Elder peoples of this area have common knowledge and easy cure for many common ailments and prepare different types of medicines from different plant parts. India is rich in medicinal and aromatic plants and play an important role in the country's agricultural sector due to quantitative and qualitative advantages. These plants can help small-scale farmers to strengthen their livelihoods and capacity to build successful and sustainable activities. A total of 40 aromatic plant species belonging to 33 genera and distributed over 22 families were recorded in the present study area.

Author(s):  
Nolitha L. Skenjana ◽  
Maxwell A. Poswal

Background: Resource-poor small-scale farmers often cannot afford the high prices of chemical insecticides to control pests on crops; as a result, some use botanical insecticides. Aim: The aim of the study was to document ethnobotanical pest control methods used by rural small-scale farmers to control pests of cabbage in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Setting: 217 rural small-scale crop-producing farmers from 14 towns in the Amathole, Joe Gqabi, Alfred Nzo, Chris Hani and OR Tambo Districts participated in the study. Methods: Questionnaires were administered to consenting farmers between July and November in 2012, using the convenience and stratified purposive sampling techniques. Data collected were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis. Results: The majority of farmers using botanical insecticides were females above the age of 60 years. The farmers identified 23 plants, which they use in their pest control strategies against seven pests of cabbage. The annual herb Tagetes minuta L. (Asteraceae) was cited as the most commonly used herb by 47% of the respondents, followed by Chenopodium ambrosioides L. (Chenopodiceae), Aloe ferox Mills. (Asphodelaceae) and Nicotiana tabacum L. (Solanaceae). Various plant parts were used in combinations or alone in the preparation of formulations mainly against aphids, cutworms and the diamondback moth. Conclusion: The plants, plant parts, combinations and formulations used by farmers in their cabbage pest control strategies need to be scientifically authenticated for efficacy.


2022 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid Fromm

Coffee is an important agricultural sector in Central American, directly employing over 1.2 million people in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Although export revenues from coffee trade have an overall positive effect on the gross domestic product (GDP) of these countries, poverty still prevails. The COVID-19 pandemic has placed additional pressure on the sector which is vulnerable to fluctuations in the international coffee prices, low productivity levels, and climate change effects and damages caused by pest and diseases. This paper examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and analyzes if the sector is resilient to withstand unexpected external shocks such as the pandemic and the hurricanes which impacted the region in the last months of 2020. The capacity to absorb, adapt, and/or transform to these shocks was assessed from the perspective of small-scale coffee farmers, traders, exporters and the entire sector in two time periods—immediately after the start of the pandemic and after the coffee harvest. Although the actors in the coffee value chain absorbed these shocks and could withstand them, adaptation to the disruptions has been challenging for small-scale farmers. Despite the vulnerability to unexpected external shocks, results indicate that a long-term transformation of the sector to build resilience is likely to be slow.


2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 756-762
Author(s):  
Z. R. Kadhim

The main objective of this study is to compute margin of safety of hiring decision of agricultural machinery services in Iraq. A cost-volume-profit analysis by using breakeven point technique has been followed to find out the margin of safety by using cross- section data in rice production farms in Alnajaf province. Results showed that the break-even point for different types of original agricultural field machinery were 427, 6.5, and 221 hours for tractor and machinery of soil preparation, farm sprayer, and combine harvester, respectively, while the values of break-even point for different types of used agricultural field machinery were 309, 10, and 319 hours for tractor, farm sprayer, and combine harvester, in that order. Results also pointed out that the negative sign of safety margin of areas of all machineries indicated that there are losses faced by small scale farmers in case of ownership these machineries, and the minimum lose amounted about $ 316116 for original tractor, $ 52611 for used tractor, $ 220.5 for original farm sprayer, $ 88 for used farm sprayer, $ 664664 for original combine harvester and $ 584650 for used combine harvester. The study recommended that it is useful for small scale farmers in Alnajaf province to continue hiring various agricultural machinery services rather than purchase them due to the absence of safety margin of holding areas. Therefore machine stations of agricultural machineries services maybe developed by Iraqi government in the study region to provide these services to the farmers with supported prices.


Author(s):  
Veeranna B Shettar Ranjith Y and Arunakumar N C

The present study deals with the documentation of plants used for piles treatment in Shivamogga district of Karnataka. The peoples of this area have a very good knowledge about the treatment of various diseases and piles. Piles are commonly occurring ailment and the peoples treat piles successfully with the help of different plant species found within their area. Every elder peoples of this area have common knowledge and easy cure for many common ailments and prepare different types of medicines from different plant parts. A total of 56 plant species belonging to 54 genera and distributed over 36 families were found to be used by the peoples in the treatment of piles.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-55
Author(s):  
Michael Kebenei ◽  
Elias Mwangi ◽  
Paul Mathenge

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine agripreneur sustainability strategies and financial performance of SMEs in Uasin Gishu County with a specific interest of small-scale farmers in Uasin Gishu County. Materials and Methods: A descriptive survey research design was adopted in the study. The target population comprised of 1,397 small scale farmers in Uasin-Gishu County. A sample size of 140 respondents was selected using simple random sampling technique. Questionnaire was the key data collection instrument. The collected data was analyzed using quantitative and qualitative approaches of analysis. Statistical Package for Social Services version 21 was used to summarize the quantitative data into frequencies and percentages. The summarized information was presented using figures, tables and pie charts. Results: From the analysis, the following key findings were made: there is a strong positive association between financial performance and innovation (r=.219*), pro-activeness (r=.505), risk taking (.256), and networking (r=.410). The coefficient of determination indicates that 32.7% of variation of financial performance is explained by agripreneurship sustainability strategies such as innovation, pro-activeness, risk-taking and networking. It is concluded that innovation, pro-activeness, risk-taking and networking affect the financial performance of Small scale farmers in Uasin Gishu County. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommends that there is a need for regular training opportunities to be provided to the small scale farmers. Organizations in the agricultural sector and government ministries should focus on training farmers on entrepreneurship as a sustainable course for the business growth. Education policies in the country need to be reviewed to integrate agripreneurship as a course and more resource provided to encourage it among students in learning institutions. There is also a need for agricultural seminars to be organized within the county for the small scale farmers. There is need for further research to be conducted to assess the other factors that may be affecting the financial performance of small scale farmers.


Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1096
Author(s):  
Tamás Mizik

Overpopulation and climate change are among the greatest challenges the world faces. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) provides an adequate answer by aiming for higher productivity, resilience, as well as GHG emission reduction. As small-scale farms are the cornerstone of the agricultural sector, especially in developing countries, their greater involvement in climate-related actions is essential. CSA practices seek a higher and more stable income sustainably. This systematic literature review aims to provide an overview of how CSA is realized on small-scale farms, what the major CSA practices applied are, and what factors motivate and hamper higher CSA adoption. Based on 30 selected articles, the major message of the literature is a case/site-specific approach due to the tremendous heterogeneity of small-scale farms. As agricultural production is characterized by high risks and low returns, small-scale farmers must consider the length of the payback period when they decide on any CSA practices. This is the reason smallholdings, who implement any CSA practices, must achieve economic benefits, otherwise, they need to be compensated for providing environmental benefits. Moreover, simpler methods with low labor intensity are often applied. Access to the different financial instruments and inputs, knowledge/education/information, and land use security are the critical factors of the CSA adoption. Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that, unlike off-farm activities/incomes, full-time farming is a serious commitment that positively influences CSA adoption.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7069
Author(s):  
Andung Bayu Sekaranom ◽  
Emilya Nurjani ◽  
Fitria Nucifera

Productive agricultural areas in Kebumen, Central Java, Indonesia are potentially vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change. We surveyed small-scale farmers to assess climate change-related perceptions and adaptations in the agriculture sector. The majority of the respondents agreed that there were changes in climatological variables affecting their farming activities, especially in terms of precipitation and temperature. However, the results also revealed that only 13% of respondents believed that human activities play a significant role. Three forms of adaptations have been developed by the farmers, namely: (1) agricultural diversification, (2) agricultural intensification, and (3) socioeconomic adaptation. Changing crops to more climate-tolerant varieties was one of the most common agricultural diversification practices (implemented by 88% of farmers). Most of the farmers also tried to maintain agricultural productivity by adjusting a local planting calendar (implemented by 94% of farmers). The use of machinery to intensify farming practice was an uncommon strategy (implemented by only 30% of farmers) because of expensive maintenance and small cultivation areas. The results suggested the importance of increasing farmers’ knowledge and technological know-how related to climate change and its implications, developing effective adaptation and mitigation efforts, and constructing climate-resilient infrastructure in the agricultural sector.


Author(s):  
Oluseyi Olutoyin Olugbire ◽  
Sunmbo Olorunfemi ◽  
Olarewaju Titilope

Prior to the year 1970, agriculture was the main source of livelihood and backbone of the Nigerian economy until the discovery of oil drastically decelerated its potential to sustainably maintain food security and generate significant export earnings. Despite its sudden fall in productivity, agriculture still remains the main sector providing the highest employment (70% of the population) for the populace. To tackle these problems, many policies were formulated (from 1960 to 2015) to resuscitate the sector but to no availdue to failure in tailoring suitable policies to engage small-scale farmers and address other socio-economic problems. This paper constitutes an in-depth review of agricultural production and food security in Nigeria with relative importance attributed to local food supply and small-scale farmers. The article analyzes several documents of the Nigerian Government and international organizations, such as the Food and Agricultural Organization, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and a number of peer-reviewed journals across various disciplines to provide a balanced interdisciplinary review. The paper concludes that food insecurity is at its peak in Nigeria and urgent attention is required in the agricultural sector to compensate for the unstable food balance in the country. There is a need for the Government to take strong measures against the food deficit situation and to support the development of the primary agriculture sector. The paper proposes viable policies that could involve smallholders, aid transformation and positively restructure the agricultural sector.


2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reinaldo Duque-Brasil ◽  
Gustavo Taboada Soldati ◽  
Mário Marcos Espírito-Santo ◽  
Maíra Q. Rezende ◽  
Santos D’Ângelo-Neto ◽  
...  

Homegardens contain agroforestry systems that provide diverse resources for familyconsumption in rural communities. The aim of this study was to perform an ethnobotanical inventory of the tree speciesand their uses in the homegardens of two small-scale rural farming communities situated near the Mata Seca State Park,Minas Gerais, Brazil, and to understand the potential role of these agroecosystems in the conservation of native treespecies. Local knowledge about species used was assessed using free lists with 20 small-scale farmers selected using thesnowball sampling technique in each community. All shrub and tree species with a circumference at the soil level  10 cmwere sampled in each homegarden. We confirmed that most plant species listed provided food (48.3%) and shade (35.6%),showing the importance of fruit trees and evergreens in the homegarden flora in this local semi-arid context. Other specieswere also cited as medicinal and ornamental plants. Besides that, some species listed were used for construction, fuel,fodder, fertilizer and other uses. Amongst the 87 tree species, 44 are Brazilian natives, and 23 can be found in the dryforests of the region. These results showed that homegardens can contribute to conservation and enhancement of localbiodiversity functioning as a reservoir of species with different biogeographic origins, including regionally endemic andnative trees. Furthermore we conclude that homegardens are important sources of plant resources for home consumptionand contribute towards a balanced diet and to the welfare of the people living in the communities of north Minas Gerais’semi-arid region.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document