Suchergebnisse

This research work examined the gender dimensions of food security among rural households in Dekina Local Government of Kogi State, Nigeria. The respondents were drawn using multi-stage random sampling technique.A total of 120 respondents were selected, comprising of 60 male headed household and 60 female headed household. The data were elicited through the use of a well-structured questionnaire and were analysed using descriptive statistics, FGT analysis and logit regression model. The result showed that food insecurity exists among both male and female-headed households but more severe with the latter. The factor that influences food security status of households in the study area were household size, years of formal education, and annual income. Household size was significant at 1% and 5% level with negativecoefficient, among the male-headed households' and female headed households respectively. Year of formal education was positive and significant at 5% among the male headed households. Annual incomewas significant at 1% level with positivecoefficient among the female-headed households. The major coping strategies adopted by male-headed households in mitigating the effects of food insecurity include: diversion of money meant for other purposes to buy food (M=2.52), reduction in quality and quantity of food consumed (M=2.43) and eating foods that are less preferred while that of female-headed households were; eating foods that are less preferred (M=2.40), eating cheaper meals out of home (M=2.33), reduction in quality and quantity of food consumed (M=2.28), borrowing food from friends and relative (M=2.25) and engaging in off-farm jobs to increase household income. The study concludes that since food insecurity affects both female and male headed households, but with greater impact on the former.The study recommends that gender responsive food policies, programs, institutional interventions be put in place.

The growing demand of electric power supply in Nigeria necessitates the integration of renewable energy resources into the country's energy mix which is in consonance with the global energy transition. This paper is an attempt to theoretically evaluate the potential of human waste (faeces) for the electrification of a modest residential building (3-bedroom flat) with six occupants. The daily electrical energy demand of the building is estimated to be while the daily electrical energy value of the biogas produced by the excreta of the six occupants is. This shows that the daily quantity of excreta of the six building occupants is inadequate to meet the daily electrical energy demand of the building. Therefore, hybrid system should be employed if the building is to be effectively electrified. Individuals and government at all levels are implored to embrace this emerging technology because of its potential of not only generating biogas for electricity generation or cooking, but also for fertilizer production, protection of the environment and mitigation of sanitation problems.

The Nigerian economy largely depends on agriculture which is vulnerable to unfavorable climatic conditions. Consequently, rice is a very important staple crop, widely cultivated and consume by millions of people in the country. Nigerian government policy heavily protects rice in order to stimulate it local production. There is still scanty empirical evidence on the effect of climate change on rice production in Nigeria. This study was carried out to fill this gap. This study specifically examined the effect of climate change on rice output in Nigeria. This study utilized climate data (rainfall and temperature) from Nigerian Meteorological Center, Carbon dioxide data from FAOSTAT, and information on the country's` milled rice from USDA (1970-2016). The analytical tools employed in the data analysis were Descriptive, Trend analysis, Unit root test, Co-integration and Regression model. Findings of the study revealed that there is variation in the trend of the climatic factors and also variation in rice output over the period of study. The result also shows that that annual rainfall, and temperature contributes significantly to rice output in Nigeria. Rainfall had positive coefficient and significant 5%, temperature had negative coefficient and significant at 1%. The area of land cultivated had positive coefficient and significant at 1%. The study concluded that climate change significantly influence rice output in Nigeria. The study recommended that consideration be given to climate change in the formulation of agricultural policies for the attainment of food security and national aspiration for sustainability in the production of rice production in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Child mortality remains unacceptably high, with Northern Nigeria reporting some of the highest rates globally (e.g. 192/1000 live births in Jigawa State). Coverage of key protect and prevent interventions, such as vaccination and clean cooking fuel use, is low. Additionally, knowledge, care-seeking and health system factors are poor. Therefore, a whole systems approach is needed for sustainable reductions in child mortality. METHODS: This is a cluster randomised controlled trial, with integrated process and economic evaluations, conducted from January 2021 to September 2022. The trial will be conducted in Kiyawa Local Government Area, Jigawa State, Nigeria, with an estimated population of 230,000. Clusters are defined as primary government health facility catchment areas (n = 33). The 33 clusters will be randomly allocated (1:1) in a public ceremony, and 32 clusters included in the impact evaluation. The trial will evaluate a locally adapted 'whole systems strengthening' package of three evidence-based methods: community men's and women's groups, Partnership Defined Quality Scorecard and healthcare worker training, mentorship and provision of basic essential equipment and commodities. The primary outcome is mortality of children aged 7 days to 59 months. Mortality will be recorded prospectively using a cohort design, and secondary outcomes measured through baseline and endline cross-sectional surveys. Assuming the following, we will have a minimum detectable effect size of 30%: (a) baseline mortality of 100 per 1000 livebirths, (b) 4480 compounds with 3 eligible children per compound, (c) 80% power, (d) 5% significance, (e) intra-cluster correlation of 0.007 and (f) coefficient of variance of cluster size of 0.74. Analysis will be by intention-to-treat, comparing intervention and control clusters, adjusting for compound and trial clustering. DISCUSSION: This study will provide robust evidence of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of community-based participatory learning and action, with ...