<strong></strong><p>Food production in Nigeria is largely dependent on natural environmental resources like rainfall, temperature and relative humidity. This study examined the impact of some of these climatic variables on food production in Nigeria from 1975 to 2010. Secondary time series data obtained from FAOSTAT (Food and Agriculture Organization statistics) and Nigerian Meteorological Agency were used for the study. The data were analyzed using some econometric tools such as Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) test, Johansen Test and Vector Error Correction (VEC) Estimates. The ADF test reveals that relative humidity integrated at order zero level while rainfall and temperature and agricultural output were stationary after differencing at level 1 thus showing that the variables had relationship. The results of the Johansen co-integrated test revealed that there is one co-integrating equation at 5% showing a co-integrating relationship between agricultural output and the climatic variables. The Vector Error Correction Estimates indicated that rainfall was positively significant at 5% to food production on the short run indicating that vagaries in climate especially rainfall affected food production and output in Nigeria. It was recommended, therefore, that measure that could help to mitigate the adverse effects of inadequate rainfall e.g. irrigation, drought resistant crops varieties among others should be put in place by the government. Farmers should equally be sensitized and trained in the area of adaptation and mitigation of the effect of climate change as this will go a long way to ameliorate large scale failure in food production in the country.</p>
The tree composition of Onigambari Forest Reserve in Oyo State was evaluated by laying out a plot size of 50 x 50 m2 resulting to four plots per hectare. 104 and 93 stems per hectare were recorded. A total of 197 tree stands were encountered in the two compartments studied with family Sterculiaceae with species Cola gigantean, Cola millenii, Sterculia africana, Sterculia oblonga, Sterculia tragacantha, Triplochiton scleroxylon, Pterogota macrocarpa and Nesogordonia papaverifera.as the most abundant having 34 stands, followed by the family Papilionoideae with species Baphia nitida with 20 stands as the most abundance species. About thirty-nine percent of the tree species encountered were wildlings having a diameter at breast height of ≤ 10 cm. Less than one percent (0.50%) of the trees were of merchantable size. This could be a thing of concern and it calls for adequate resourceful and sustainable management techniques. Habits in Onigambari Forest Reserve are presented in Table 1. A total of forty-three (43) species of trees distributed into twenty (20) families were encountered. Family Sterculiaceae and Fabaceae was the richest with eight (8) species each followed by family Euphobiaceae with (5) tree species. Based on their habit, these species were classified into 100% trees. Furthermore, it is of the importance that the forest reserves be protected from illegal/indiscriminate logging among other anthropogenic activities in order to allow it regenerate. Keywords: Abundance, merchantable, sustainable, resourceful
This paper examines the predominant role of soil resource as an integral factor that could influence the prospective contributions of agriculture to the green economy. It identifies soil as a natural resource that must be sustainably managed to maximize the contribution of agriculture to the production of food to feed the bourgeoning human population in Nigeria as well as reduce poverty level of the people. If agriculture is to contribute meaningfully to the transition to green economy, the soil issue must be taken seriously. To this end, the paper highlights certain factors that affect soil productivity which must be addressed to enhance the contributions of agriculture towards the realization of a green economy. These include soil erosion, soil salinity, perennial flooding, desert encroachment and drought, soil mismanagement and misuse which result in the decline in soil fertility. The paper therefore recommends pragmatic actions that must be taken to address these problems such as land-use management system like agroecology, agroforestry, scientific crop rotation system, no-till cultivation and appropriate application of soil improvement fertilizer, among others.
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