Centre for Sustainable Development
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Item Agricultural Trade Balance and Food Self-Sufficiency: Implications for Sustainable Development in Nigeria(science pub, 2011) Olayide, O.E.; Ikpi, A.E.; Okoruwa, V.O.; Akinyosoye, V.O.Nigeria used to boast of high surplus in agricultural trade and food self-sufficiency, especially in the 1960s. Today, Nigeria has lost the leading position it once occupied as it is now a major importer of food and agricultural commodities. Nigeria now spends billions of naira on importation of food and agricultural products. This situation is paradoxical as Nigeria is well-endowed with the requisite natural and human resources needed to be food self-sufficient. Besides, most governments are adjudged as successful or failure on the basis of meeting the basic needs of their citizens in terms of food. This study analyzed agricultural trade and food self-sufficiency in the context of policy development scenarios including, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and democratic governance paradigms. Data used for the analyses spanned from 1970 to 2007. Descriptive and trends analyses were employed to analyse agricultural trade variables. Statistical inferences were drawn from the comparative analysis of the policy development scenarios. Agricultural imports for the study period witnessed increasing trend. There was agricultural trade imbalance as Nigeria remained a net importing nation. In all development policy scenarios, there were significant (p<0.01) increases in total imports, total exports and net imports. Overall, national food self-insufficiency averaged 29.35 (± 4.08) percent. Therefore, with 71 percent level of food self-sufficiency and high levels of food and agricultural commodities importation, Nigeria needs effective food and agricultural policy in form of import-substitution and building on comparative and competitive advantages to redirect and reverse the negative agricultural trade balance to favour improved domestic food production, agricultural industrialization and value addition with a view to ensuring sustainable agricultural and economic development in Nigeria.Item Trends and Policy Correlates of Agricultural Production and Agricultural Production Sustainability Outcomes in Ghana and Nigeria(Canadian Center of Science and Education, 2015) Olayide, O. E.; Tetteh, I. K.; Popoola, L.This paper analysed policy correlates of agricultural production and agricultural production sustainability outcomes in Ghana and Nigeria. It underscores the influence of political systems and international development agendas as correlates of agricultural production and agricultural production sustainability outcomes. This is to the extent of providing evidence policy on agricultural production and agricultural production sustainability outcomes. Ghana and Nigeria have comparable farming/agricultural system and policy environment. Data used for the analyses spanned five decades. Trends analysis and inferential statistics were employed. The results revealed that policy correlates can contribute to the current discourse in sustainable development agenda and to resolving the dilemma of agricultural policy implementation for sustainable agricultural development, especially in Ghana and Nigeria. The findings reinforce the need for appropriate policies in transforming the agricultural sector while ensuring sustainable development outcomes.Item Assessing the Transition from Survival to Sustainability: Case of Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary in Upper West Region of Ghana, West Africa(Canadian Center of Science and Education, 2013) Olayide, O. E.; Popoola, L.; Olaniyan, O.; Dapilah, F.; Abudulai Issahaku, R.Y.In the past 50 years, humans have changed ecosystems more rapidly to meet growing demands for food, fresh water, timber, fibre and fuel. This has resulted in substantial decrease in biodiversity, including the hippopotamus (hippo) population. There are currently about 150,000 hippos left in the world. Their status will change from vulnerable to endangered if threats are not controlled. The threats include destructive exploration and exploitation for human survival through hunting for ivory and meat, habitat loss due to flooding and destruction of hippo lawns along river banks. Sustainable exploration of biodiversity on the other hand ensures a balance in nature through synergistic cooperation in ecosystem services, human well-being as well as the direct and indirect drivers of change. This study assessed the emerging transition from survival to sustainability in the management of community-based biodiversity management in Ghana. Ghana has two hippo populations; one at Bui National Park and the other at the Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary (WCHS). The WCHS was established in 1998. It was chosen for in-depth analysis and assessment. The ecosystem assessment framework of interaction between ecosystems and drivers of global change was adopted for the study. The assessment was based on “before” and “now” scenarios to draw inferences for impact of community-based biodiversity management and sustainability. The WCHS provides economic alternatives to converting community-based ecosystems into sustainable economic ventures, including eco-tourism. The number of tourists to WCHS that stood at less than 500 persons in 2002 increased to 2,390 persons in 2011. The test of correlation between the number of local and foreign tourists revealed significant (p<0.001; ρ = 0.926) relationships in the influx of tourists to WCHS. This is evident by the increase in revenue that accrued to the WCHS. It also generated peaceful cohesion and aesthetics of the environment and development of property rights. The WCHS has led to the reduction in poverty and hunger through the generation of incomes, improvement in health through infrastructural provision, and biodiversity sustainability of local species. The case of WCHS demonstrates that biodiversity management founded on good communal relationships cannot only improve the livelihoods of the rural poor but also increase their resilience to face challenges as the people become more economically and socially resilient, and empowered to handle future threats to ecological imbalances.Item TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF BAMBARA GROUNDNUT PRODUCTION IN NORTHERN GHANA(2015-12) Adzawla, W.; Nyarko, G.; O'Reilly, P.; Olayide, O.E.; Awai, P.E.; Donkoh, S.A.Achieving food security under climate change is one of the greatest concerns of governments in developing countries. Due to favourable agronomic characteristics such as drought tolerance and an ability to produce a crop on less fertile soils, a number of under-utilised crops, such as bambara groundnut offer potentials to address food insecurity problems in areas impacted by climate change. While efficiency studies have gained popularity in relation to many food crops, very little research has been carried out on the technical efficiency of bambara groundnut production. This study estimated a Translog stochastic frontier to determine the factors that influenced farmers’ technical efficiency in the 2013 cropping season in Northern Ghana. It involved 120 farmers selected through a multi-stage sampling technique. Technical efficiency scores ranged from 27% to 97% with a mean of 83%. The significant positive determinants of output and efficiency were farm size, household labour, organic fertilisers as well as education and off-farm activities. The study found that bambara groundnut production can be stepped up by supporting farmers to scale up their farms, form farmer groups, diversify their livelihoods and improve the use of organic fertilizers. Improving opportunities for formal education may also have a positive impact.