The study examined the determinants of willingness-to-pay for private solid waste disposal systems by urban households in Ibadan, Nigeria. A multistage random sampling technique was used to select 552 households for the study. Data obtained from survey were analysed using a logit model-based contingent valuation. Evidence from the logit model indicated that seven variables had significant influence on the households' willingness-to-pay. Of these, income and asset owned were positive and significant at P < 0.01 but amount of willingness-to-pay and firm services were negative and significant at P < 0.01. Education and occupation were positive and significant at the P < 0.05 level while age was negative and significant at P < 0.10. The implication is that households have certain socio-economic characteristics, which influence their willingness-to-pay for solid waste disposal. The study recommends government intervention in a variety of forms such as encouraging public-private participation in solid waste disposal, an aggressive environmental clean-up campaign, decentralization of Waste Management Boards and privatization of some aspects of waste management to ameliorate solid waste problems and improve health.

The study analyzed the risks involved in fruit and vegetable farming in Osun state, Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined the risk attitude of farmers, factors influencing risk attitude as well as farmer’s perception on major sources of production and market risks. The study was based on a survey of 150 farmers, comprising 75 predominantly fruit and vegetable farmers, respectively, and covering 12 communities within the six agro-ecological zones in the state. Data were collected using a well structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, discriminant analysis and Kruskal–Wallis ranking analysis were used in the study. The study revealed that the average age of the fruit and vegetable respondent was 58.5 and 40.1, respectively, with the male respondents outnumbering the females in each case. The average year of experience was 30.8 and 15.3 for fruit and vegetable respondent, respectively. An average area of (5.36 and 2.21) ha was cultivated by the fruit and vegetable farmers, while orange and okra are the most widely grown fruit and vegetable crops. Damage by pest and disease, traditional methods of farming and weather dependency were the most perceived sources of production risk by the fruit and vegetable farmers. Perishability of produce, low price of produce, poor product handling and packaging as well as exploitation by middlemen were the most perceived sources of market risk. The study also revealed that maintaining good relationship with traders, selling at low prices due to perishability, selling within the locality and non-farm businesses were the major risk management strategies employed by the farmers. Based on the study findings, it is recommended that introduction of a more comprehensive agricultural insurance scheme and introduction of improved technology can ameliorate the effect of risks on fruit and vegetable farmers. Also, public intervention can facilitate better risk management through improved information system. Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 37(3): 473-491, September 2012 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjar.v37i3.12125

Rice productivity is low in Nigeria, and NERICA was introduced by West Africa Rice Development Agency (WARDA) to solve this problem. This study focused on NERICA productivity and efficiency in Kaduna State. A three-stage sampling technique was used with Kaduna State being purposively selected. Igabi and Soba Local Government Areas (LGAs) were randomly selected. Five villages were randomly selected from each LGA, with a total of 129 NERICA farmers selected and used for the analysis. There were technical and managerial inefficiencies among the farmers. NERICA production is characterized by increasing returns to scale with a value of 1.4954. The farmers were cost inefficient, hence there was room for improvement in NERICA production in the study area. The average productivity (AP) was 26.30. The average marginal productivity (MP) is 9.213. The average total factor productivity (TFP) is 12.87. Farmer's age and access to credit had negative influence on both AP and MP. Extension contact and adoption of NERICA technology positively influenced the AP and MP. Farmer's age had negative influence on total factor productivity. Formal education, farming experience, extension contact, farm commercialization and adoption of NERICA technology had positive influence on the total factor productivity of the NERICA farmers. Improvements in the supply of NERICA seed, extension services and level of farm commercialization are recommended.

Although Nigeria has comparative resource advantage in terms of favourable climatic, edaphic and ecological conditions in the production of rice, local production has not been able to meet the growing demand. The inability of the Nigerian rice economy to satisfy the domestic demand and the consequent growth of rice import quantity and value remains a cause of concern. The study analyzed the difference between potential and actual yield of rice in North Central Nigeria. Employing a multi-stage sampling technique, data were obtained through the use of structured questionnaire administered to a sample of one hundred and forty four rice farmers in Niger state, Nigeria. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression models. Results indicated that rice farmers in the area cultivated four improved rice varieties WITA 4, FARO 15, FARO 35 and FARO 44 with average yield gaps of 1.48, 2.85, 3.03 and 3.20 tons per hectare respectively. This makes these rice varieties under-exploited as farmers operate at levels where they obtain an average of 49% of the potential yield. Factors which contribute to the reduction in the magnitude of rice yield gap include increase in the frequency of contacts between farmers and extension workers, increase in fertilizer use per hectare and higher intensity of tractor use. It was recommended that the yield potential of cultivated rice varieties should be fully exploited as a first option to meeting the current level of national rice demand because increased rice production towards the attainment of self-sufficiency may well hinge upon the ability of farmers to narrow the gap between current rice yields and yield potentials.

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