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This study identified kinds/forms and the sources of credit facilities available to respondents; investigated the level of knowledge of respondents about credit management; and identified the causes of credit mismanagement among rural dwellers. The study was conducted in rural communities of Akure South Local Government Area (LGA), Ondo State, Nigeria. Two hundred and forty rural dwellers who were involved in one business or the other were interviewed with a structured and pre-tested interview schedule using snow ball sampling procedure. Collected data were summarized with descriptive statistical tools while correlation analysis was used to make inferences. The results revealed that most of the respondents (96.7%) traded with credit, 95.8 percent of these beneficiaries took credit mainly for business investments and 72.5 percent actually spent the credit on their businesses. Furthermore, 40 percent of the respondents never planned the use of credit and 27.5 percent never paid back as agreed. Factors that predisposed credit beneficiaries to mismanaging credit include deviation from plan (90.0%), spending for other purposes (89.2%), extending payment period (85.0%), lack of financial discipline (80.0%) and mis-prioritization (77.5%) among others. There was a significant relationship between organizational participation (r = 0.323) and credit mismanagement. Also, there was no significant relationship between knowledge about credit management (r = 0.114), sources of credit (r = 0.170) and credit mismanagement. Credit beneficiaries should imbibe the culture of financial discipline to minimise possibilities of credit mismanagement to a large extent. DOI:10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n4s2p11

This article examines the factors influencing the effectiveness of traditional extension models among rural dwellers in Sub-Saharan African communities. The study was conducted in two rural communities in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The representative sample involved 200 randomly selected smallholder farmers. In addition, 20 extension workers were purposively selected from four institutions that provide extension and advisory services in Nigeria. The study used focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and structured questionnaires to collect relevant information. Data were analyzed using statistical software. The overall findings revealed that the current extension services in the study area are ineffective and inefficient to meet the needs of rural farmers. In the same vein, almost all the extension worker participants unanimously reported that after the withdrawal of World Bank funding to Agricultural Development Project (ADP), the Federal Government of Nigeria finds it extremely difficult to independently fund the extension and advisory services. Moreover, 69.5% of the smallholder farmers indicated that they had no visit/contact with extension agents in the last one year, while 86% reported that extension service delivery was not effective in the area. Also, exceptionally low numbers of extension workers and poor funding were ranked as the fundamental challenges confronting extension services in the area. Base on this, it is recommended that Federal and State Ministry of Agriculture should recruit more agricultural graduates youths and train them. More extension workers need to be hired in order to significantly reduce the problem of the extension workers to farm families ratio which is currently 1:3000 in the Kaduna State, Nigeria.

Rural livelihood in Nigeria depends largely on natural resources (Land, water, forest etc) which are communally owned. The quality of life in the rural areas and the sustainability of the production system are consequences of how well these resources are managed. Management is a social activity which emphasizes efficient allocation of resources for optimum output, therefore any member of the community irrespective of the gender category with the know-how can be charged with the responsibility of resource utilization for better living standard. However, resource management in the study area has been inequitable as there are obvious cases of male domination. This study, consequently, was undertaken to assess the perceptions of gender issues as they affect sustainable agricultural development. A total of 272 respondents were selected through simple random sampling technique. Structured questionnaire to elicit information for this study, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with one group from each of the communities was also used to compliment the data from the questionnaire. Results show that majority (83%) of the people in the study area did not understand the concept of gender and thus interaction in all issues identified and resource allocation were based on the biological attribute (sex) of the people. Majority (88%) of the respondents identified right to ownership of resources as main gender issues. Forest resource, land, water or rivers and human beings were among the things identified as community resources. It was concluded that the fundamental problem of resource management in the study area was the poor understanding of the concept of gender, consequently, it is suggested that the people should be sensitized well enough about the meaning of gender so that culturally based action in resource allocation can be modified to guarantee equitable and sustainable access to agricultural productive resources.

Adebisi G. L.,Oyebode L. A. and Balogun O. T.Department of Agricultural Extension and Management, Federal College of Animal Health andProduction Technology, Oyo state.College of Agriculture Food Science and Technology, Wesley University of Science and Technology,Ondo, Ondo state.Department Of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, University of Ibadan.abiodunoyebode @gmail.com. AbstractThis study examined perception of rural dwellers on girl-child education in Saki East local government area of Oyo state. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select the respondents, resulting in a total number of 120 household heads used for this study. Primary data on the perception of rural dwellers on girl-child education was collected using interview schedule and were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results reveal that majority (75.8%) of the respondents were male, within 41-50 years of age and were aware of girl-child education through the use of the radio (81.7%). Further results show that majority (85.0%) of the respondents had favorable perception of girl-child education. Chi-square analysis of the result shows that there was a significant relationship between the level of education of the respondents (?2= 4.379, p = 0.002), awareness on girl-child education (?2 =5.441, p = 0.020) and their perception of girl-child education. Further results of correlation analysisrevealed that there existed a correlation between income (r = -0.592, p= 0.000), the constraints facing rural dwellers on girls' education (r = -0.465, p = 0.000) and their perception on girl-child education. Based on these findings, the study recommended that adult literacy should be encouraged and the cost of acquiring formal education should be subsidized.

Increasing foreign exchange problems and the deteriorating prices of traditional export commodities in developing countries are leading agricultural policy makers and donor agencies to seek diversification in export crop production. In Ghana, horticultural crops such as pineapples, mangoes and papaya appear promising because of their high labor intensity and the expanding demand for fruits in industrialized nations. Consequently, few studies have examined the linkage between export diversification and microeconomic performance. In this study, a non-linear programming model of farm-household behavior is applied to households with different resource endowments and socio-economic characteristics by exploring observed responses to alternative factor and output price scenarios. Model results show significant differences in household responses to changes in wages, prices of local staples and world market prices of horticultural crops where, beyond critical price ranges and resource constraints leads to inverse supply responses for poor households. The findings suggest the need to design an integrated policy framework that is orientated towards improving rural market imperfections for sustaining the livelihoods of smallholders.

The study investigated the effect of conflicts on rural livelihood in Owo forest reserve of Ondo state. One hundred and twenty (120) respondents were selected from six communities in Owo forest reserve of Owo local government area of Ondo state using purposive sampling and simple random sampling technique. The relationship between personal characteristics such as age, marital status, religion etc and livelihood activities were determined using chi-square. Also relationship between perception of conflict and the effect of livelihood activities were also determined using PPMC as well as the relationship between causes of conflict and livelihood activities. T-test was used to determine the significant difference between, before and after conflict livelihood activities in the local government. From the study, 65.8% of the respondents were married, 55.8% were female, and 59.5% were Christians. The study showed that 69.2% had farming as their major source of income. The study showed that 59.2% had trading as their other income generating activity, 68.3% were non-indigenes, all the respondents (100%) had experienced conflict in the study area and 69.2% agreed that the major type of conflict is for resource control. A significant relationship existed between Sex (x2=16.153, P=0.003), Religion (x2=16.153, P=0.003) Educational level (x2=18.569, P=0.002) and indigene/non indigene (x2=10.050, P=0.018). Marital status (x2=3.896, P=0.273) and sources of income (x2=5.930, P=0.204) showed non-significant relationship. The correlation (r =0.173, p=0.059) between perception of conflict and livelihood activities was not significant. There existed a significant relationship between causes of conflict (r=0.443, P=0.000) and livelihood activities. Also the test of difference (t=0.768, p=0.000) between rural dwellers before and after conflict livelihood activities. Conflict had negative effect on livelihood and the battle for resources was the major cause of conflict. It was also concluded that conflict can be resolved amicably by the ...

The study examined the influence of primary Health Care delivery services on the health status of rural dwellers in Abia State Nigeria. A sample size of 120 respondents selected via multi-stage random sampling technique was used. in selecting .Primary data generated using structured questionnaire and Focus Group Discussion were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, means, pooled means, and KAP analysis respectively. Result showed a mean age of 25 years, 58.3% were male, and 75% were married. About 61.0% had secondary education, 58.3% were farmers/traders, and earned mean monthly income of N48, 250.00 and had a mean household size of 4 persons respectively. Majority (50.0%) owed water system toilets, and 58.3% sourced their drinking water from boreholes, 75.0% fed 32 meals/day and 83.3% were not registered with NHIS. Result further showed high (X = 3.03) level of awareness on seven out of eight PHC delivery service packages in the study area. There was also high level of utilization on immunization (X= 3.00) and moderate level of utilization on treatment for malaria, prevention/ treatment of communicable diseases, family planning/ HIV and AIDS, maternal / child health care, public health education and environmental health education respectively. The KAP analysis showed the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Levels of the respondents towards these PHC activities and interventions influenced their health status positively in the study area. The study concluded that PHC delivery services influenced the health status of the rural dwellers positively. It recommends that the Ministries of Health at the three tier levels of government should provide the needed support for enhancing and sustaining the PHC as well as encouraging participation among the rural dwellers mostly in the study area. Article visualizations:

The study examined the influence of primary Health Care delivery services on the health status of rural dwellers in Abia State Nigeria. A sample size of 120 respondents selected via multi-stage random sampling technique was used. in selecting .Primary data generated using structured questionnaire and Focus Group Discussion were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, means, pooled means, and KAP analysis respectively. Result showed a mean age of 25 years, 58.3% were male, and 75% were married. About 61.0% had secondary education, 58.3% were farmers/traders, and earned mean monthly income of N48, 250.00 and had a mean household size of 4 persons respectively. Majority (50.0%) owed water system toilets, and 58.3% sourced their drinking water from boreholes, 75.0% fed 32 meals/day and 83.3% were not registered with NHIS. Result further showed high (X = 3.03) level of awareness on seven out of eight PHC delivery service packages in the study area. There was also high level of utilization on immunization (X= 3.00) and moderate level of utilization on treatment for malaria, prevention/ treatment of communicable diseases, family planning/ HIV and AIDS, maternal / child health care, public health education and environmental health education respectively. The KAP analysis showed the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Levels of the respondents towards these PHC activities and interventions influenced their health status positively in the study area. The study concluded that PHC delivery services influenced the health status of the rural dwellers positively. It recommends that the Ministries of Health at the three tier levels of government should provide the needed support for enhancing and sustaining the PHC as well as encouraging participation among the rural dwellers mostly in the study area.