In the past, the conservation of biodiversity has been mostly understood in terms of the management of protected areas and natural forests, ignoring the possible role of farm areas and the ways through which rural communities have promoted biodiversity in their subsistence agricultural production systems. The present study focused on the floristic diversity within traditional agroforestry parkland systems around the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve in Benin and showed the diversity of tree species in the area as well as socio-economic factors which affect the practice of this farming system. We used questionnaires and interviewed a total of 118 households to collect data. Respondents were interviewed on their farms and during the interview; we inventoried the number of tree on the farm and determined the farm size. Twenty-one tree species belonging to 14 botanical families were recorded during the surveys and the average stand density of the woody component of farmlands was 7.97 ± 5.43 stems/ha. A number of both native and exotic tree species occurred in the parkland agroforestry systems with dominance of indigenous tree species. Species richness varied with the size of household where households with small land holding conserve more tree species in their field than households with large land holdings. 64% of households surveyed were making deliberate efforts to plant tree species on their farmlands. The most important reasons which determined household ambitions to conserve woody species on farmland were tree products contribution to food and medicine. Results also showed that respondents who noticed that trees were decreasing in the wild conserve more tree species on their farmlands. This research highlights the role of traditional agroforestry practices to support tree species richness and provides evidence of the farms' role as biodiversity reservoirs.

This study made it possible to demonstrate that Saba senegalensis has hypoglycemic and anti-hyperglyvemic effects in mice. The aqueous extract of Saba senegalensis from 75 to 250 mg / Kg bw causes a dose-dependent hypoglycemia ranging from 4.84 to 34.62% (p <0.01-0.05), in normoglycemic mice, 60 minutes after treatment. The Glucose-Induced Hyperglycemia Orally (OPGH) test showed that in the presence of Saba senegalensis aqueous extract at a concentration between 75 and 250mg/Kg bw, the glucose-induced hyperglycemic peak (3g/Kg bw) is reduced from 26.49 to 71.77% (p < 0.01-0.05), 30 minutes after treatment. Oral administration of the aqueous extract of this plant in doses up to 5000 mg / Kg bw resulted in no deaths in mice during two weeks of observation.   

Several efforts have been made through research, government programs and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) interventions to improve yam production in Nigeria. In addition, some policies targeted at improving agricultural production have weakened the production and consumption of different commodities, especially yam. This study analyzed the effects of policy changes on yam production and consumption in Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 700 respondents for the study. Primary data was collected using pre-tested structured questionnaire while interview guide was used to collect information in a Focus Group Discussion. Data were analyzed using Multi-Market Model. The results showed that that policy changes on yam substitutes, particularly rice, sometimes have negative effects on yam production, prices, land share and real income among yam farming households in Nigeria depending on the nature of the policy. [EconLit citations: C3; C6; D1]. C 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. According to Lipsey (1999), government interventions are usually through policy formulation for changes. These policies could be fiscal, monetary, agricultural or through initiating a program with the aim of improving welfare in the rural and urban areas. In the agricultural . My research focus is on agribusiness, competitiveness of agricultural products, economic transformation through small scale agriculture, financing, gender issues, partial equilibrium models, and welfare maximization among farming households in Nigeria. Algiers, Algeria. He specialized in quantitative economic analysis and worked on benefit cost analysis, partial equilibrium modeling (Economic surplus models) and General Equilibrium models in Cameroon. He taught these models to more than 600 scientists (economists and noneconomists), extension, NGOs, project managers. Now more of his work is training country research and private sector in developing innovation platforms and efficient value chains. Robert Asiedu is

No abstract