Effect of Supplementary Cyan Light to Deep Red and Royal Blue Range Wavelength on the Cultivation of TAMARA F1 Pepper (Published)
This research was conducted to investigate effect of supplementary Cyan Light on growth characteristics of pepper. Three different light sources, cyan (500 nm), red (660 nm), royal blue (440 nm), in closed environmental condition are examined. For this purpose, a 3-section shelf was prepared including Tamara F1 type pepper seeds. Temperature, water, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), fertilizer and nutrient contents were controlled at requested value. First section was lighted 18 hours a day with composing 55% deep red, %25 royal blue and 20% cyan lights. Second section was lighted same hours with first section and, and second section was composed the 65% deep red and 35% royal blue lights. Same photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of 360 µmol m-2s-1 was used at first and second section. The third section was lighted with sunlight in order to make a comparison with natural lighting. The experiment continued to the 55 days from seeding to harvest time. The experiment showed that; additional cyan effected on 28% more size (followed with fruit length) and 191% fruit weight. Also, there is no significant effect on plant trunk thickness and fruit number.
Keywords: Agriculture, Cyan light, LED lighting, LabVIEW, Pepper, greenhouses
Impact Of Credit On Agricultural Producitivity: A Case Study Of Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd (Ztbl) Loans In District Kashmore At Kandh Kot, Sindh Pakistan (Published)
Agricultural sector is the largest contribution to Pakistan’s GDP. Agricultural credit plays an important role in enhancing the agricultural productivity in developing countries like Pakistan. The government of Pakistan introduced several agricultural credit loans through ZTBL and other commercial banks and institutional sources. This study estimated constrains faced by the farmers in acquisitioned source. This study also estimated the impact of credit on agricultural productivity. Data were collected randomly from 30 loanee farmers to three selected ZTBL branches and 30 non loanee farmers in the same villages. It found that the credit has a positive impact on the agricultural productivity and loanee farmers have more gross margins than non loanee farmers. Now the problem is to remove the constraints which small farmers are facing in this regard and then improve the utilization of the credit amount as planned at the time of disbursement in agriculture production process following findings were found. A major proportion i.e.40.8% of the farmers belonged to young age group (36-45 years). It was found that majority of the respondents had low level of education in the selected area. More than 51.7% of the respondents had 6-10 acres of the land holding. A huge majority 95% of the respondents had knowledge about the agricultural credit scheme of the ZTBL Bank. More than 56.75 of the loanees’ farmers avail credit facilities for the first time from the ZTBL bank. A large majority 63.3 of the farmers were not satisfied with the interest rate charged by the banks. It was found that a large number of farmers mutualized the credit amount. About 66.7% farmers got agricultural credit facility from bank without facing any problem. Result indicate that average cultivated area in case of loanee farmers is higher than non-loanee farmers. It was conclude that the loanee farmers had more cost of production as compare to non loanee farmers. Results of regression analysis indicate that credit had very normal impact on agricultural productivity as limiting factors is the proper utilization of loan mount in agricultural sector. The most common utilization of credit amount as construction, repair and renovation of the houses by the loanee farmers.
Keywords: Agriculture, Credit, Farmer, Loan, Producitivity, Zarai Taraqiati Bank
Impact of Agricultural Extension on Food Security among Small Scale Farmers in Wareng District, Kenya (Published)
Agricultural extension is one of the effective tools in attaining the millennium development goals related to the reduction and eradication of extreme poverty and hunger in developing countries like Kenya. Despite that extension services were practiced for many years in Kenya, it is evident that these services have declined rapidly. This paper aims to find out the impact of extension on food security among small scale farmers in Wareng District. A survey of 120 smallholder farmers was used in the study. Though there was difference between farmers in different wealth categories, the mean difference is larger at the present compared to the past. Generally extension have played role in improving the living status of farmers in the study area. However, agricultural extension services seems to have an impact on improving food security in the country and increase the wealth gap between farming households and also replace local landraces with improved varieties. The study recommends that the Kenyan government should develop a new and expanded policy agenda for agricultural extension and communication for rural development focusing national attention on food security and income generation of the rural poor.
Keywords: Agriculture, Food Security, crops, extension, livestock’s
EFFICIENCY OF AGRICULTURAL LENDING SCHEMES IN NIGERIA (Published)
The broad objective of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of agricultural lending schemes in Nigeria with a view to determining their impact on output and income of beneficiaries. The study was carried out in Benue, Kwara, Kaduna, Abia, Anambra, Rivers, and Ogun states respectively. The method of proportionate random sampling was used in selecting 185 borrowers who are registered with their state Agricultural Development Programmes (ADP’s). The sampling frame comprised all the registered ADP farmers in the surveyed states who took agricultural loan. Data collected were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, means, and multiple linear regression analysis. The results of the study showed that both small and medium scale farmers are efficient in the use of farm inputs, but small scale farmers are technically more efficient than medium scale farmers. Borrowers with secondary or tertiary education were efficient in inputs use, but borrowers with tertiary education were technically more efficient than borrowers with secondary education. The efficient lending schemes in Nigeria are ACGSF and CACS, but ACGSF was technically more efficient than CACS. It was recommended that the government should continue to fund farmers in Nigeria through ACGSF and CACS.
Keywords: Agriculture, Efficiency, Lending Schemes, Nigeria