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The study investigated the profitability of oil palm processing venture in Ola Oluwa Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria. The sampled 120 respondents for the study were selected using a multistage sampling procedure. Field surveys were carried out using structured interview schedule to obtain primary data utilized for the study. Data analysis was carried out using frequencies, percentages, means, and regression analysis. Results of the descriptive analysis revealed that the majority of the respondents were middle-aged (mean = 58.43 years) (92.5%), married (55.83%), female (100%), having a mean of the household size of 5 persons per household. The majority (60.00%) of the respondents had no formal education; do not own an oil palm processing unit (77.31%); small-scale processors (44.54%), with a mean of 37.21 litres of palm oil per production cycle. The mean years of oil palm processing experience, total revenue, total production cost, gross margin, and net income from oil palm processing per year were 28.39 years, ₦243,472.900, ₦103,088.808, ₦155,521.592 and ₦140,384.092 respectively. Regression results revealed that the cost of oil palm bunches, the cost of firewood, the cost of kerosene, and matches, and the cost grinding were positive significant determinants of the level of gross margin from oil palm processing in the study area. Based on the findings, the study concluded that despite the profitability oil palm processing venture in the study area, it is operated on a small-scale predominantly by aged married and widowed women; hence provision of financial assistance through low-interest loans from agricultural banks or any other related financial institution would help improve their productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the determinants of the strategies adopted by the arable crop farmers in coping with climate change in Osun state, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 120 arable crop farmers as samples for the study. Data for the study were collected with a structured interview schedule. Data were analysed with descriptive and inferential statistical tools; frequency distributions, means, standard deviation, percentages, and Pearson's Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). Descriptive results reveal that most (87.5%) of the sampled farmers were male, and married (63.00%). The average age, household size, and years of formal education were 53.6 years, 10.15 persons, and 5.20 years respectively. Perceived significant variables influencing climate change were fluctuating rainfall patterns and extreme temperature with weighted mean scores (WMS) of 4.55 and 4.47 respectively. The major climate change adaptation strategy and constraint to adaptation were late or early planting, and unavailability of capital with WMS scores of 4.54 and 2.80 respectively. Significant factors influencing climate change adaptation strategies were age, household size, years of formal education, and farming experience. The study concluded that farmers were aware of the effects of climate change and have adopted coping strategies, especially planting their crops early or late in line with emerging rainfall patterns. Thus, extension services must be tailored towards awareness and adoption of improved agronomy practices and planting materials, especially early maturing and drought-resistant varieties of crops that would mitigate climate change effects on crop productivity. Also, farmers should be encouraged to insure their crops against failure due to the effects of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global efforts at improving food and nutrition security should tackle the menace of crop losses. This study assessed postharvest losses in selected leafy vegetables marketing in Lagelu Local Government Area, Oyo State Nigeria. Multistage sampling procedure was utilized to select one hundred and ten (110) leafy vegetable marketers as study sample while structured interview schedule was used to gather relevant data on marketing costs and returns, cost of post-harvest losses to marketing as well as constraints to vegetable marketing in the study area. Data collected were analyzed with appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Results show that the sampled leafy vegetable marketers were female (100.0%) and married (80.9%) having average household size of 7±1.60 members. Age, years of formal education and marketing experience averaged 44.6±10.23, 3.35±1.52 and 14±3.2years, respectively. The average amount invested in leafy vegetable marketing per month was ₦52,932.73±16,698.78 while the average monthly income from leafy vegetable marketing was ₦72,354.91±25,599.35 leaving a marketing margin of ₦19,422.18. The monetary values for the monthly estimated postharvest losses incurred on marketing of Corchorus olitorus, Celosia argentea, Telfeira occidentalis, Solanum macrocarpon and Amaranthus spinosus were ₦898.19±206.14, ₦685.45±157.25, ₦810.90±186.03, ₦674.18±154.67 and ₦567.27±130.14, respectively. Perishable nature of vegetables (1.53) and inadequate storage and processing facilities (1.44) were reported as the most severe constraints to leafy vegetable marketing in the study area. Age (t=3.785), years of formal education (t=-2.072), marketing experience (t=-5.226), amount invested in vegetable marketing (t=-22.637) and monthly income (t=21.36) all at p≤0.05, significantly determined postharvest losses in leafy vegetable marketing in the study area. In conclusion, the study established an appreciable level of postharvest losses to leafy vegetables marketing and recommended that marketers should be adequately trained in the areas of postharvest handling, processing and storage of leafy vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]