Application of Stochastic Dynamic Programming (SDP) for the optimal allocation of irrigation water under capacity sharing arrangements

This study attempts to arrive at an optimal allocation of irrigation water using capacity sharing (CS) as an institutional arrangement, and stochastic dynamic programming (SDP) as an optimisation model. It determines the value of an additional unit of water under a crop enterprise mix of lucerne-maize-wheat (LMW). SDP is an improvement on linear programming (LP) under stochastic conditions. The SIM-DY-SIM Model was used to simulate optimal returns, decision and policy variables under varying conditions of capacity share. LP results show that wheat has the highest MVP of R0.39/m3, with maize exhibiting the lowest value of R0.09/m3. The MVPs generated with SDP range between R0.06/m3 and R0.35/m3 on the whole farm basis, with revenue to the farmer increasing with an increase in CS content and increased percentage water release. However, the MVP of water decreased with the increased supply of the resource – a phenomenon that follows the general rule of decreasing marginal utility of a resource as more of it is used.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Determinants of contraceptive use among women attending antenatal care at Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Nigeria

Background: Contraception is of immense relevance in reproductive health. It is also one of the effective strategies towards improving maternal health. This study was designed to determine the awareness and use of contraceptives among women attending antenatal care at Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Nigeria.Method: A descriptive cross sectional study design was used. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select 415 women receiving antenatal care at the facility. Information was obtained using a pre-tested, interviewer- administered questionnaire. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences statistical software version 22 and level of statistical significance was determined by a p-value <0.05.Results: The mean age of the respondents was 29.3±4.5 years. Majority of respondents, (288) 69.4% had attained tertiary education. Majority, (350)84.3% were aware of contraception and the male condom, (292)70.4% and the pill, (244) 58.8% were the most known methods. Source of information on contraception were mostly from television, (201)48.4% and health workers, (186)44.8%. Use of contraceptives was low among the respondents, (99)23.9% and the male condom, (52) 52.5% and natural method, (28)28.3% were the common methods used. Contraceptives were obtained mainly from pharmacy shops/patent medicine vendors, (50)50.5% and public health facilities, (21) 21.2%. Majority of those who used contraceptives had the support of their husbands, (94) 94.9% and majority also (83)83.8% were satisfied with the methods used. Predictors of contraceptive use among the respondents included being unmarried, (AOR=3.6; 95% CI: 1.3- 10.5), Nullipara, (AOR=0.09; 95% CI: 0.02-0.3) and having 1-4 children, (AOR=0.1; 95% CI: 0.05-0.4).Conclusion: Awareness of contraception was high, however utilization was low among the respondents in the study area. There may be the need for increased public enlightenment on the use of contraceptives. Health workers will have a role to play through counselling of clients. Changing the preference of the people for large family sizes may increase the use of contraceptives in Nigeria and there should be greater emphasis on female education.Keywords: Determinants, contraceptive, antenatal care, tertiary hospital, Nigeri

Prevalence of malaria parasitaemia and malaria related anaemia among pregnant women in Abakaliki, South East Nigeria

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The geography of yam cultivation in southern Nigeria:Exploring its social meanings and cultural functions

Background: Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is a very important common food crop in West Africa. Beyond its food and nutritious values, the ownership and cultivation of yam have many cultural, religious, and social meanings, which may vary between specific ethnic groups and regional areas. This study explored the diverse social, cultural, and religious perspectives associated with yam and its cultivation in southeastern Nigeria. Methods: We used a comparative approach and utilized in-depth, semistructured interviews, local narratives, and our experiential background to understand the similarities and differences in the local notions of yam and their impacts on the general societal structure across three ethnic regions in southeastern Nigeria. We discussed the findings on a thematic basis to reflect the social and cultural issues associated with the ownership and cultivation of yam. The themes ranged from religious practices, impact on social status, and gender relations. Results: We found no significant differences in the incidence of local perceptions and practices between the study areas. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated the importance and functions of yam crop in structuring the social, economic, religious and cultural fabric of the society

Perception and attitude towards work related ill-health and use of dust mask among crushers of selected quarry (crushed stone) industry in Ebonyi State: effect of health education

Background: Quarry industry has become a major means of livelihood in Ebonyi state, but insufficient data exists on their operations and use of control measures like dust mask, with no serious attempt at comprehensive health education. The study sought to assess the effect of health education on the perception and attitude towards work related ill-health, and use of dust mask among crushers of selected quarry industry.Methodology: The study was conducted in the crush stone sites in Abakaliki and environs as the study group, while sites in Ishiagu, Ikenyi and Iyioge Ukwagba were the control group. Study population was 104 crushers, dust mask was provided at all sites, but health education (didactic lectures, demonstrations and interactive sections) for 8weeks was for the study group. Post-intervention evaluations were done at 3 and 6 months. Data was obtained using interviewer administered semi structured questionnaires, tally sheets and bimonthly forms, and analysed using SPSS (16.0) and Mathcad 7.Result: Health education was followed with: significant improvement in the proportion with good perception of work-related ill-health (P<0.00003) in the study group, but not in the control (P<0.639); more significant improvement in the proportion with good perception of dust mask in the study (P<0.00003) than control (P<0.004) group; lesser improvements in attitudes and significant improvement in the proportion that always wore dust mask, 6% to 24% (P<0.003) in the study group.Conclusion: Sustained periodic health education by government and private sectors is necessary, with training on dust mask usage, greater availability and provision of water-cooled caps.Keywords: Quarry Crushers, Ill-health, Dust Mask, Health Education, Ebony

Knowledge and Attitude towards Ebola Virus Disease among Secondary School Students in Abakaliki, South-east, Nigeria

Introduction: Ebola virus disease (EVD) is an acute haemorrhagic fever. It is also a zoonotic disease which has posed a serious public health problem in the West African Sub-Region. The study was conducted to determine the level of knowledge and attitude towards EVD among Secondary School Students in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among 318 secondary school students in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, selected through multistage sampling method. Information and permission were obtained from the State Ministry of Education, Informed consent from the principals of the schools and their class teachers. Assent was obtained from selected students prior to the study. Data was collected with pre-tested semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed using statistical package for the social science (SPSS) version 20. Results were treated with strict confidentiality. Results: Majority of the respondents (85.5%) were between 15 to 19 years. Students in SSS 2 constituted the greatest proportion of respondents, 57.0% and 48.8% for public and private schools respectively. One hundred percent of the respondents had heard about EVD. Knowledge of EVD was generally poor for majority of the students in both schools, the proportion being higher in the public (65.8%), compared to the private schools (40.6%). Greater proportion (70.6%) of those in private schools had positive attitude to EVD compared to 53.8% in public schools. Conclusion: Respondents from private schools were more knowledgeable and exhibited more positive attitude than respondents from public schools. Recommendation: Sensitisation and health education of secondary school students on EVD

Assessing the compliance of African countries with environmental sustainability indicators for sustainable development

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The Rise of Food Prices and the Challenge of Development in Africa

This article examines the rise of food prices and analyses the factors that contribute to price hikes and the overall implication in Africa’s development. Africa is a conspicuous laggard among contemporary developing regions in the world. The continent bears the brunt of starvation, malnutrition, hunger and diseases that arise directly from food price hikes. Political instability, bad governance, lack of political will, and natural disasters such as droughts, fl oods and famine are some of the contributors to the price hikes. The article recommends timely government intervention through bulk purchase and distribution of food in the short term, and land redistribution, provision of credit, agricultural processing, and improved access to markets as long-term measures to mitigate the debilitating condition

The Role of Universal Primary Education in Development

It is has become universally mandatory that every child of school age – irrespective of gender – should go to school and receive at least a primary education. This article discusses strategies for implementing meaningful and sustainable Universal Primary Education (UPE). It postulates that successful UPE should conduct proper diagnosis of the present and future populations of pupils, the demand for teachers at all levels, and the number of secondary and tertiary institutions necessary to absorb primary and secondary school graduates respectively. Effective implementation of the UPE requires builtin employment strategies in the industrial, commercial and continued education sectors, with suffi cient capacity to absorb the UPE graduates, thereby minimising the problem of unemployment and its associated social and economic vices that has a negative effect on national development. Africa Insight Vol. 37 (4) 2008 pp. 137-14