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This study assessed the constraints faced by commercial poultry farmers in waste management practices in Kogi and Kwara States, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from randomly selected 138 and 125 registered commercial poultry farmers from both states, giving a total sample size of 263 for the study. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data for the study. Results of analysis showed that mean age was 46.7 years, farm size was 991 birds and poultry farming experience was 11 years. Also, majority were male (82.0 %), married (88.8 %), had tertiary education (94.0 %). Mean age of farm was 9 years. Poultry dropping was the most (mean = 2.36) generated waste in the study area. The most prevalent waste management methods used by poultry farmers were open dumping around the farm (mean = 2.23), giving wastes free to the public as farmyard manure (mean = 2.16), poultry wastes are dumped in a nearby bush (mean = 2.09), dead birds are buried in a pit near the farm (mean = 2.08), dead birds are thrown into a nearby bush (mean = 2.01) and dead birds are burnt inside a pit or in a heap near the farm (mean = 2.01). The major constraints faced by farmers in waste management practices were lack of awareness on how to use the wastes productively (mean = 4.06), no agricultural land nearby where wastes can be used (mean = 3.69), excessive odour from waste (mean = 3.66), high cost of chemical treatment (mean = 3.56), high transportation cost (mean = 3.24) and high cost of private waste management agencies (mean = 3.01). Results of Multiple Regression Analysis show that poultry wastes used as farm yard manure, burnt and buried in a pit, sun-dried and burnt and given freely to interested farm workers had inverse significant relationship to constraints while dumping of poultry wastes around the farm, nearby bush and to animals such as dogs had positive significant relationship to constraints faced by respondents in waste management. The study concluded that the level of constraints faced by commercial poultry farmers in waste management practices was high (mean = 3.39) in the study area. The study recommends among others the needs for existing poultry farmers association to include programmes that will enlighten members on poultry waste management practices that will not have negative effect upon their birds and the environments.

Participatory approaches to agricultural extension service delivery emphasize the need for accountability of extension to the end users. This study analysed farmers' perception of the accountability of agricultural extension services rendered in Oyo State, Nigeria. Structured interview schedule was used in eliciting information from 195 farmers in rural communities across the four agro-ecological zones in the study area using a two-stage random sampling technique. Data used for the study were analysed using descriptive statistics, Likert scale and the regression analysis. The study revealed that farmers perceived the level of accountability of extension tofarmers in the study area as poor. Level of education, access to training and membership of farmer-groups negatively influenced accountability at p<0.05. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that agricultural extension policies that will ensure accountability of extension tofarmers should be put in place. Farmers should also be enlightened in order to create awareness as to their rights as clientele in the extension process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out in Kwara State to assess the hunting strategies adopted by the local hunters with a view to examining their compliance with the State Wildlife conservation policy. A well-structured questionnaire was employed to obtain data from 400 respondents, using 3-stage sampling techniques. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data obtained. Findings from the study revealed that majority (65.5%) of the respondents were in their youthful age with mean age of 27.8years, hunters showed low educational status with 41.3% of them indicating no former education and a typical hunter earned average of N13,054.00 (USD 81.60) monthly. Majority (93.8%) of the respondents were not aware of the Wildlife act, Radio was indicated by majority (70.0%) of them as the main source of information on Wildlife conservation while 33.5% indicated protected areas as their hunting ground. Pregnant, nursing mother, infant and disabled animals were respectively killed by 62.5%, 56.0%, 76.5% and 36.0% of the respondents. Pearson correlation analysis showed that respondents' age (r = 0.047), hunting experience (r = 0.003) and income (r = 0.001) were significantly related to illegal hunting activities. It could be concluded that hunters were ignorant of the Wildlife policy which is the regulatory framework on Wildlife conservation in the State. Enforcement of the wildlife policy also appeared to be weak and this might have accounted for illegal hunting activities in protected areas in the State. The study recommends massive enlightenment programme on wildlife conservation for the hunters in the local communities in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]