This study examined the factors influencing rural-urban migration of youths in Osun State, Nigeria. A multistaged sampling technique was employed in the selection of 240 of the respondents (youth) from three local government areas of the state. Data for this study were sourced primarily through the use of well-structured questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential analyses were employed in the analyses of the data. The result of this study showed that mean age of the respondents was 22.60 years. The study further revealed that majority (68.8%) of the respondents were male, single, had family size of between 5-8 and had secondary education. The results revealed that the poor electricity supply in the rural areas, bad condition of roads, absence of pipe-borne water were push factors driving the youth away from their communities into urban areas. Results further revealed that better employment opportunities, superior wages in the urban areas, improved living condition are pull factors that attract rural youths to the urban centres. Majority (68.8%) of the respondents were not willing to stay in the rural areas with or without improvement in the condition of living in their communities. The results of this study revealed that age (r-0.51; p < 0.01), sex ( 2-34.57; p < 0.05) and educational level ( 2-45.57; p < 0.01) of the respondents were significantly related to their decision to migrate from rural to urban areas. The study recommends that government should provide basic social amenities in the rural areas as they are found in the urban so as to encourage the youth to stay.

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This study examined factors influencing the adoption of sawah technology in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Sawah refers to levelled rice field surrounded by banks with inlet and outlet for irrigation and drainage. Using pre-tested interview guide, data were collected from 300 sawah farmers in the study area. Data collected were analysed with both descriptive and inferential statistics using STATA package. The results showed that respondents were predominantly male, married and had no formal education. The mean age of was 48.13 years with mean household size of 14 persons; farm sizes ranged from 1–50 hectares with average of 4.70 ha, the mean yield was 6.88 tꞏha−1. The results further showed that bond construction had 100% adoption, nursery 99%, puddling 98%, flooding 95%, leveling and smoothening 94% and power tiller use 88% adoption. Adoption of sawah technology was influenced by socio economic characteristics which include sex, age, educational level, farm size, yield and income of the farmers. The study also showed that the attributes of sawah, production factors, information and extension and perception of respondent toward sawah technology influenced adoption. It is concluded that the sawah eco-technology is widely adopted by rice farmers in Kebbi State. The study therefore recommended that dissemination of sawah to other states in Nigeria need to consider factors that promote its adoption. Improvement of those factors that significantly affect adoption of sawah technology is also recommended.

The purpose of this study was to characterize and present the distribution of heavy metals especially Cd on agricultural and non-agricultural lands and river sediments in relation to soil erosion and topography status in watersheds. The study was conducted for a detailed soil survey by collecting 146 soil sample based on land use, soil family and topography position and 23 river sediments sample. The Cd was extracted by 0.