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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

In Imo State, an increasing number of improved rice production technologies and management techniques have been introduced to rice farmers across the State. Despite the introduction of the rice production technologies, rice production continues to be low. This study therefore analyzed factors associated with adoption of improved rice production technologies in Imo State of Nigeria. Random sampling technique was used in selecting one hundred and thirty (135) rice farmers from the communities where rice is produced in the State. Data were collected with the aid of a structured questionnaire, and analyzed using descriptive statistics and logit regression. The result obtained shows that 73.33, 67.41, 78.52, 86.67 and 45.4% of the rice farmers adopted improved rice varieties, use of agrochemicals, fertilizer application, optimum seed rate, and mechanical harvesting, respectively. Farmers' socioeconomic factors such as age, income, cooperative membership, household size, level of education, farm size and number of contacts with extension agents affected adoption. These key factors need to be taken into consideration when expanded program on technology adoption is to be considered.

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.

Climate risk is expected to impact rural communities in West Africa in multiple ways. However, most current research addresses resilience and climate adaptation at either the national or the household scale; very little is known about community-scale interventions. We interviewed 934 community members in six communities in southeastern Nigeria about sources of climate risk and community-based actions for climate change adaptation. We found these communities contained multiple active and engaged groups that have implemented a wide range of interventions to reduce climate risk, most of which are seen as effective by community members. Flooding was the most common form of risk in this region, but drought, windstorms, and irregular rainy seasons are also frequent, implying that effective climate adaptation will have to be sensitive to multiple types of risk. Structural interventions (constructing roads, bridges, etc.) were the most common type of intervention, suggesting that communities are capable of marshalling considerable organizational and human power for adaptation efforts, even in the absence of external assistance. Efforts to boost community resilience and adaptation to climate change would benefit from first understanding what community actions are currently underway, and working with the groups implementing these actions to support and extend them.

Climate change negatively impacts rice productivity in different parts of Africa. As a matter of necessity, farmers must respond to changing the climate by choosing adaptation strategies that increase their productivities. Incidentally, studies that documented the impact of climate change adaptation actions of farmers on rice productivity are few. This study therefore analyzed the impact of climate change adaptation decisions of farmers on the profitability of rice production using cross-sectional data gathered from 240 rice farmers selected from Ebonyi State, an important rice-producing State in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country. Using descriptive statistics, multivariate probit regression, instrumental variable regression and endogenous treatment effect model, the study revealed that the common adaptation actions of rice farmers involved adoption of minimum tillage, bond and drainage, fertilizer, crop diversification, livelihood diversification, improved rice varieties, pesticide, nursery, and adjusting planting and harvesting dates. The study found several significant interactions between the choice of climate change adaptation actions and socio-economic, farm, institutional and location characteristics of rice farmers. The result further revealed that multiple adaptation decisions of farmers significantly increased returns to scale and profit of rice production. The study concludes that adaptation decisions are effective in increasing the profitability and returns to scale of rice production in the area and other regions with similar geographical, meteorological and socio-economic contexts.

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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