June 2015

Bio-economic modelling of the influence of family planning, land consolidation and soil erosion on farm production and food security in Rwanda

Rwandan agriculture is not able to meet its population’s food needs from its own production, which results in food insecurity. Land degradation is a serious problem which contributes to a low and declining agricultural productivity and consequently to food insecurity. The objective of this paper is to develop a bio-economic model capable of analysing the impacts of soil erosion, family planning and land...

Author(s): J. C. Bidogeza, P. B. M. Berentsen, J. De Graaff and A. G. J. M. Oude Lansink

June 2015

Metal silo grain storage technology and household food security in Kenya

A treatment effect and ordered logit models were used to evaluate the impact of metal silo storage technology on household food security and factors influencing adoption of metal silo. Farmers’ perception of the effectiveness of metal silo against larger grain borer and maize weevil was also analyzed. The most important factor households considered when choosing a storage facility was effectiveness against storage...

Author(s): Gitonga, Z., De Groote, H. & Tefera, T.

June 2015

Effect of Aspillia africana leave on reproduction of rabbit

This study investigated the effect of Aspillia africana leaves on reproduction of rabbit and was conducted at the rabbit section of the University Teaching and Research Farm of Joseph Ayo Babalola University Ikeji-Arakeji Osun State, Nigeria. The experiment has a complete randomized design with four treatments and one control. Each treatment has two replicates as well as the control. Twenty-four (24) cross-breed (New...

Author(s): Adedeji O. A., Ajibade M. O. and Folayan J. A.

June 2015

A stochastic frontier analysis on farm level technical efficiency in Zimbabwe: A case of Marirangwe smallholder dairy farmers

This study empirically investigates farm level technical efficiency of production and its associated determinants for Marirangwe smallholder dairy farmers, in Manyame district, Mashonaland east province in Zimbabwe. Using a stochastic production frontier model and a two step estimation approach, results for a sample of 27 smallholder farmers indicates that for the agricultural season 2013/2014, the average efficiency...

Author(s): Stein Masunda and Amanda Rudo Chiweshe