MANAGING NATURAL PASTURE FOR SMALL RUMINANTS: THE CASE OF ALLEY FARMING IN IKWUANO AREA OF ABIA STATE

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 120-124
Author(s):  
O. O. Ekumankama

Natural pasture for small ruminants must be sustained, enhanced, and where it has been diminished or destroy, restored, if animal production must contribute meaningfully to national food security. In Eastern Nigeria, farming system, such as bush fallow, are generally based on shifting cultivation. Unfortunately, agricultural lands are relatively scarce, thereby resulting to shortened fallow periods and thus, widespread diminishing and destruction of natural pasture. The urgency of managing deficient and scarce natural pasture in this environment is widely recognized. Not only is this essential for small ruminants’ feeding, but a dynamic animal sector is a key to achieving food security. The paper argues therefore, that alley farming is the right approach to managing deficient and scarce natural pasture, since it is the most promising alternative to traditional slash-and-burn shifting cultivation. Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State was used as the study area. The results show that there is a pressing need for alley farming promotion. Small holders’ access to this technology would aid in revolutionizing animal production in Nigeria. This paper advocates for policies that will incorporate alley farming into production recommendations transferred to small farmers.

Author(s):  
Dibyendu Chatterjee ◽  
Rukuosietuo Kuotsu ◽  
Sanjay Kumar Ray ◽  
M. K. Patra ◽  
A. Thirugnanavel ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanan Al-Khalaifah ◽  
Mohammad Al-Otaibi ◽  
Abdulaziz Al-Ateeqi

With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in December 2019 in China, and the alarming rate at which it has spread across the world has unleashed not only fear, but has taken a toll on social, economic, health, and governing capabilities of the various countries infected with the virus. The pandemic is affecting all aspects of life, including industries such as the animal production industry all over the world. This includes plant, livestock and poultry production. Food security is accordingly impacted, as these industries are vital elements that are contributing to securing food to populations worldwide. In this review, light is shed on the origin of coronaviruses with special emphasis on COVID-19. It also includes introduction of symptoms, epidemiology and pathogenesis, etiology, and prevention. As the disease progresses, scientists are working around the clock in the hope of an effective vaccine, and they managed to introduce some to the worldwide populations. The world faces challenges on a day-to-day basis until most people are vaccinated.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 3020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esperanza Arnés ◽  
Carlos G. H. Díaz-Ambrona ◽  
Omar Marín-González ◽  
Marta Astier

Farmer field schools (FFSs) emerged in response to the gap left by the worldwide decline in agricultural extension services. With time, this methodology has been adapted to specific rural contexts to solve problems related to the sustainability of peasant-farming systems. In this study we draw upon empirical data regarding the peasant-farming system in the Nicaraguan highlands to evaluate whether FFSs have helped communities improve the sustainability of their systems and the food security of their residents using socioeconomic, environmental, and food and nutrition security (FNS) indicators. In order to appreciate the long-term impact, we studied three communities where FFSs were implemented eight, five, and three years ago, respectively, and we included participants and nonparticipants from each community. We found that FFSs have a gradual impact, as there are significant differences between participants and nonparticipants, and it is the community that first implemented FFSs that scores highest. The impact of FFSs is broad and long lasting for indicators related to participation, access to basic services, and conservation of natural resources. Finally, this paper provides evidence that FFSs have the potential to empower farmers; however, more attention needs to be paid to critical indicators like production costs and the use of external inputs in order to scale up their potential in the future.


Author(s):  
O. N. Oladele ◽  
U. U. Emeghara ◽  
J. T. Ayodele ◽  
B. F. Ishola ◽  
T. A. Awobona ◽  
...  

Aims: This study examined the contribution of home gardening to household food security in IgabI Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria. Study Design: The study was designed to collect data from 120 home gardeners using well structured questionnaire and personal interview of the gardeners by the researchers. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria between June to July, 2019. Methodology: Multi-stage, purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 120 respondents. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as means, frequency distribution, table, percentage and Likert – scale. Results: The results showed male (65.83%) in their active age (87.50% are within the age range of 21-50 years) and highly educated (92.50%) with good number of years of experience in home gardening, (80% had over 5years of experience) dominated the practice of home gardening in the study area. The study also revealed that they produced many types of crops, about 32. The most popular crops cultivated were; tomato 91.67%),cowpea(87.50%),groundnut(82.50%),okra(75.00%), pumpkin (70.83%), spinach (70.83%) maize(56.67%),millet(56.67%),sorghum(51.67%), pepper (50.00%) and sweet potato (50.00%).The Likert--scale  result showed that all the home gardeners household were food secure and the study established that home gardening does not only  contribute to their house hold food supply but also their income. However the home gardening in the study area is faced with problems such as pests attack and diseases infestation (80.00%) and lack of farm inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and farm tools(75.00 %). Conclusion: The study revealed that home gardening contributed significantly to the household food security. It is therefore important to integrate home gardening into our farming system been a good tool for achieving food security among households and people  should also be sensitize to utilize empty plots  of land around their homestead for home gardens. 


Author(s):  
Bhattacharjee Suchiradipta ◽  
Raj Saravanan

Development has many faces and complete wellbeing of human population is the most important one of them which in more than one ways involves agriculture and the farming population. Providing needed information at the right time to the rural population is the first step in their empowerment and ICTs can play an immensely important role in providing that information by increasing the dialogue between development professionals and rural people at every stage of development process. According to recent statistics released by ITU, over the last 15 years, ICTs have grown in unprecedented ways providing huge opportunities for social and economic development and this growth can be an advantage to rural advisory services. Providing correct and personalized information needs expert opinions and so multi-stakeholder engagement makes the process more efficient and ICTs provide a very unique and important platform for such collaboration, thus bringing together different stakeholders for efficient partnership. The various tools and technologies can also be tailored according to the needs of end users. But inspite of the advantages, ICTs can only be universally accepted and used when the challenges of accessibility, acceptability, funding, and sustainability are overcome. There are no formula for sure success with ICTs and situation is the best determinant of the strategy to be used and so, a balanced and strategic use of ICTs depending on the clients' needs can best utilize its potential for agricultural development and food security in developing nations.


2017 ◽  
pp. 221-247
Author(s):  
Rajesh Chakrabarti ◽  
Kaushiki Sanyal

This chapter narrates the saga of the Right to Food Security. Briefly pointing out various prior food movements, the chapter dates the movement to 2001 in Rajasthan with a writ petition at the Supreme Court. The SC took up the issue with surprising enthusiasm issuing order after order to force the government to comply with reports and action. The government, while not antagonistic, was apathetic. Encouraged by the court orders the activists gathered under a single banner of Right to Food Campaign in 2004 and built on the campaign in court as well as on the ground. Political support finally came when the issue entered UPA’s election manifesto in 2009. Post UPA victory, the NAC submitted its draft bill in 2010 but a substantially altered bill finally got enacted in 2013. The movement reflects a combination of Punctuated Equilibrium Framework and Advocacy Coalition Framework.


Author(s):  
Bistok Hasiholan Simanjuntak ◽  
Sri Yulianto Joko Prasetyo ◽  
Kristoko Dwi Hartomo ◽  
Hindriyanto Dwi Purnomo

The mapping of agro-ecological zone, which is integrated with the suitability of land evaluation, will determine the ideal farming system. The ideal farming system including sustainable land management will support the food security scenario of a region. In this chapter, the implementation of fuzzy logic for mapping the agro-ecological zone is discussed. The agro-ecological zone in Boyolali is used as case study in which the mapping considers its physiographic characteristics and climate. Two physiographic characteristics are involved: slope of the land and elevation. Rainfall is used as representative of climate. The experiment results reveal that simple membership function with the Mamdani inferences system could help decision makers to classify the agricultural land in Boyolali.


Author(s):  
Elver Hilal

This chapter focuses on food security. Although ‘food security’ is not a legal concept and does not impose rights or responsibilities, it is a necessary precondition to the full enjoyment of the right to food. The right to food is enshrined in article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as an integral part of the right to an adequate standard of living. As this right is indivisible, interrelated, and interdependent with all other fundamental rights and freedoms, it is ultimately essential for a secure, safe, and harmonious world. The chapter demonstrates that severe food insecurity continues to inflict massive casualties and create and prolong conflicts and emergencies despite well-established rules of international law, international humanitarian law, and international human rights law. It then looks at the international law principles protecting food security with the aim to diffuse emergency situations that create instability, inequality, and unrest, including those resulting from conflicts and natural disasters. The chapter provides suggestions for enforcing and enhancing existing laws and for the adoption of a new international convention which will set out clear duties and obligations for States and non-State actors with a view to eliminating food insecurity and preventing violations of the right to food for a safer, more secure world.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-70
Author(s):  
Jobaida Shovna Khanam ◽  
Khan Shahidul Huque ◽  
Nazmul Huda ◽  
Mohammad Khairul Bashar

Laying aside manure meat, milk and egg is considered as key performance indicator of livestock farm profitability of Bangladesh till yet whereas manure contains minimum 45-55% feed nutrient fed to animals. A survey based research work was conveyed to find out the major channel of using this valuable livestock manure by farmers from twelve selected district of Bangladesh. Results showed that most of the cattle and buffalo farmers prefer solid storage system to manage their manure. From this stored manure, about 35% was used for land fertilization, 47% for burning fuel preparation, 8% for composting and remaining 10% become completely wasted. A very few of cattle manure (4.65) was utilized by the care of anaerobic digestion. But this improved system was completely absent in case of buffalo and small ruminants manure management. Dung produced from small ruminants fully goes for solid piling. About 20% of poultry manure managed in improved way and the remaining portion was mostly utilized in a very disparage way. In anaerobic digestion system, the produced gas went for home consumption and bio-slurry creates havoc for both farmer and environment. Land fertilization and aquaculture coves its utilization but the amount is too low compared to its production. Above 52% of total bio-slurry become wasted due to limited knowledge and lack of appropriate handling techniques. The scenario of urine and liquid slurry management was very melancholic. About 0.37 and 0.203 kg methane emission per head per year was calculated from solid storage system of cattle and small ruminant animal manure. The value is also high in burning fuel preparation (5.46 kg) and liquid slurry (5.81 kg) and a bit low in anaerobic digestion system (1.24 kg) per head per year. Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. March 2019, 5(1): 63-70


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver C. Ruppel

This article examines – from an international law perspective – the interface between soil protection, land degradation neutrality, food security, climate governance and trade in agriculture. Although these different spheres are most often viewed in isolation, an attempt is made to analyse them more holistically with the aim of identifying the connectedness for the purpose of finding some strategies for a better common future.


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