Browsing by Author "Aliyu, A.S"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Assessment of the presence of metals and quality of water used for irrigation in Kwara State, Nigeria
    (2017) Aliyu, T.H.; Balogun, O.S.; Namani, C.S.; Olatinwo, L.K.; Aliyu, A.S
    : In Nigeria irrigated agriculture is an important tool for economic growth, food security, and poverty reduction during dry periods of rain-fed agriculture. The concentration and composition of dissolved constituents in water determines its quality for irrigation use. Water quality studies strongly suggest that agriculture is a leading source of water quality problems, due to pesticides and other agro-inputs, widely used by farmers to improve agricultural productivity. Poor quality irrigation water would therefore obviously affect soil quality and crop productivity. This study was carried out in 2015 to assess the presence of metals and physical properties of water, used for irrigation in Kwara state, Nigeria. Samples were randomly collected from thirty irrigation sources in three senatorial zones of Kwara State. The samples were analyzed for the presence of metals and water quality parameters, using standard procedures. Results showed that the highest concentration of Sulphate (7.0mg/L), Nitrate (8.9mg/L), Sodium (31.6mg/L), Calcium (3.1mg/L), and Magnesium (0.7) ions were within acceptable limits. The Sodium Adsorption Ratio, an indicator for water suitability in agricultural irrigation as well as a standard diagnostic parameter for the sodicity hazard of a soil, was significantly the highest (22.7) in Kwara North. Results of the study point to the need for an effective irrigation water quality assessment to curb nonpoint source pollution that could be caused by improper use of chemicals and pesticides by farmers.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Effect of Gender on farmers’ level of involvement in Arable crops production activities in Kwara State, Nigeria
    (2015) Daudu, A.K; Matanmi, B.M; Oladipo, F.O; Aliyu, A.S; Olatinwo, L.K
    The importance of studying the role of gender in relation to arable crop production activities in agrarian society is therefore quite consistent with the ongoing thinking regarding the issue of gender consideration in food security issues which led to this study .The research examined the effect of gender on farmers’ level of involvement in arable crop production activities in Kwara State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed in selecting 160 (80 male and 80 female) arable crop farmers drawn from the study area. Data collected were gender disaggregated using frequency counts, percentages and charts while correlation was used to make deduction from the study. The findings revealed that about (48.8% and 33.6%) of male and female fell between 46-65 age brackets. Activities such as land preparation, selection and planting of cultivars, were the common activities among male respondents while harvesting, processing and marketing were the activities common to female respondents with male involving more in all the activities. Insufficient fund (65% and 52%), pest and disease attack (63% and 65%), high cost of input (56% and 59%) were some of the highest constraints to arable crop production common to both male and female respondents. Results of correlation analysis revealed that there were significant relationship between male and female respondents and their level of involvement in arable crop production activities and age (r=0.545), education (r=0.432), farming experience (r=0.653) at P<0.05 level of significance. The study concluded that male were more involved in arable crop production activities than their female counterpart in the study area. The study therefore, recommend that female farmers should be more encouraged to involve themselves if not fully but moderately in all areas of arable crop production activities. The study therefore recommended that government should design gender policies that could strike the balance between male and female farmers with a view to encouraging more women to participate in arable crop production activities in the state.