The article analyzed the impact of an improved cook‐stove (Save80) on several household level outcomes, in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Given the high local population dependence upon fuelwood and the potential scope for household welfare improvements from the introduction of Save80, the study has solid motivations. Moreover, the literature on the impact of improved cook‐stove (ICS) adoption on different components of household welfare is still mixed and more rigorous impact evaluation coming from different contexts is needed. Therefore, the study analyzed the impacts of Save80 cook‐stove in Kaduna State of Nigeria where majority of households depend on fuelwood for cooking. The study examined a cross‐section of household‐level data gathered from 280 households (210 nonadopter and 70 adopter households). Primary data was obtained using questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using probit regression, double difference, and inverse propensity score weighting techniques. We found that Save80 significantly led to reductions in; fuelwood consumption, fuelwood collection time, cooking time, carbon monoxide exposure, and incidence of sore eyes. Thus, the Save80 is an example of a green growth intervention with significant welfare gains. The study, therefore, recommends that Save80 cook‐stove should be disseminated throughout the Savanna area of Nigeria where fuelwood consumption is highest in Nigeria. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 37: 1327–1338, 2018

Empirical evidence is scanty on the nexus between caregivers’ nutrition knowledge, market accessibility, and preschool children’s dietary diversity in remote communities of Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria. To fill this gap, this study evaluated the effects of caregivers’ nutrition knowledge and access to food market on dietary diversity of preschool children. We used cross-sectional data from four hundred households selected from twenty remote communities in Southeast Nigeria. The study adopted instrumental variable regression to estimate the impacts of nutrition knowledge and food market access on preschool children’s dietary diversity. The findings show that in remote communities, caregivers’ nutrition knowledge and households’ closeness to the market improved preschool children’s dietary diversity. The study demonstrates the potential of improving preschool children’s nutrition outcomes through enhancing access to food market and the nutrition knowledge of the caregivers.

This study examined the relationship between the adoption of bio-fortified provitamin- A cassava varieties and farming households’ health  outcomes using cross sectional data obtained from 318 cassava farmers in southeast Nigeria. The data was analysed using binary logistic regression, propensity score matching of treatment effects and percentages. The study found that number of children under five, household size, education of head of household, extension service, ownership of television, radio, mobile phone and tricycle, membership of cooperative societies, and access to credit were the significant predictors of adoption of pro-vitamin-A bio-fortified cassava varieties in the States. The study also found that the main constraints militating against adoption of pro-vitamin-A bio-fortified cassava include decaying of roots immediately after maturation,high cost of cassava stem, and high moisture content. The estimate of the effect of the adoption of bio-fortified pro-vitamin-A cassava varieties onincidence of vitamin-A deficiency related diseases was significant with an average treatment effect on the adopters of -0.463. The adoption of bio- fortified pro-vitamin-A cassava varieties has substantial effect on the reduction of vitamin-A deficiency related health outcomes. There is need for wider awareness and dissemination of the varieties among cassava farmers, while interventions should target the promotion of both production and consumption of such cassava varieties. Key words: adoption of bio-fortified cassava varieties; vitamin A deficiency related diseases

This paper examined climate change adaptation strategies in fish farming and the effect of such methods on the profit of fish farmers in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. Using cross‐sectional data obtained from 420 fish farmers from the region and applying multivariate probit and instrumental variable regressions, the study found that fish farmers have adopted a broad range of strategies to address climate risk and that these have significantly increased farmers’ profit. Our findings indicated important relationships between certain farm, socio‐economic and institutional characteristics and the adaptation actions. The study provides useful insight into factors that potentially encourage the adoption of livelihood‐enhancing climate risk adaptation strategies by fish farmers in the Niger Delta region and similar contexts.

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