Asian Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences

The Effect of Financial Services on Youth Involvement in Agribusiness Entrepreneurship in Fako Division, Cameroon

Sonkey Louis Ntu — 2023-11-22

The main objective of this article was to examine the role of financial services on youth involvement in agribusiness entrepreneurship activities in the Fako division of the South West Region of Cameroon. Primary data were obtained with the use of a self-administer questionnaire. Which were administered using a stratified sampling technique. The target population was youths between the age of 18 to 35 years involved in any agribusiness-related activity for commercial purposes. Questionnaires were administered to a sample of 500 youths but only 451 of the questionnaires were returned without any error. We adopted a binary logistic estimation technique to analyze our model. Empirical analysis from a binary logistic estimation using marginal effect coefficients for the overall results revealed that; youth who have personal saving increases their likelihood of involving in agribusiness entrepreneurship activities in Fako at a very high level (main occupation) by 0.0986. Meanwhile, government financial services for youth involved in agribusiness has a positive significant effect on youth involvement in agribusiness with a likelihood of 0.6428. Furthermore, youths who are part of a Tontine increase their likelihood of involving in agribusiness entrepreneurship as a main occupation by 0.0233. Also, youths using bank financial services such as bank loan has a likelihood of reducing youths involvement in agribusiness as a main occupation by 0.0520 while those using microfinance services have a likelihood of 0.0354 of engaging youths in agribusiness as a primary activity. We recommend that the government of Cameroon should develop innovative financial services specifically for youths involved in agribusiness-related activities.

Statistical Farm Records: Drivers and Challenges Among Smallholder Rice Farmers in Ndop Plain, Cameroon

Isa Nghochu Njingun — 2023-11-22

The study seeks to analyze statistical farm records: drivers and challenges among smallholder rice farmers in Ndop Plain, Cameroon. Specifically, to determine the factors influencing smallholder rice farmers in Ndop Plain to keep statistical farm records and to analyze the challenges in the exercise. Methodologically, the study employed primary data collected from some 470 rice farmers using a well-structured questionnaire. Purposive sampling technique was applied to select respondents and a conventional Probit model used to estimate the result. It was observed that: male farmer, level of education, used of records, used of technology to manage statistical farm records, production of different types of rice, use of farm record for input and output analysis, had farm record training and Movement from manual to electronic record keeping are significantly influencing farmers’ statistical farm records practices in Ndop Plain. The challenges observed with record keeping are: fundamental error keeping, bulky records, inadequate finance, records misplacement and burdensome to keep farm records. Considering that only 34% of farmers are involved in records keeping and willing to move from manual way of keeping records to electronic, the study suggests that an online App is created for easy accessibility and inputting of these farm records. This will be a wise-step for the government to scale the process of farm output.

Growth and Anti-fungal Effect of Gamma Radiation Treated Chitosan and Alginate on Pineapple Plants

Ielias Uddin — 2023-11-22

Promising materials to reduce the use of chemical compounds in cultivation are natural biomaterials. Chitosan and sodium alginate were subjected to a Co-60 gamma treatment in this research. Different concentrations of chitosan (300 ppm), sodium alginate (500 ppm), and a mixed solution (90:10 irradiated Na-alginate: chitosan) were administered through foliar spraying with intervals of 15 and 30 days to observe the impacts on growth and anti-fungal activity. The growth attributes like total number of leafs, productivity of growing and mature leafs and anti-fungal activities were determined up to five months. When sprayed 15 days apart, the mixed solution was found to increase the output of pineapple plants and the height of mature leaves, whereas sodium alginate was found to increase the productivity of growing leaves when sprayed at 30-day intervals. The findings showed that sodium alginate and chitosan that had been irradiated both significantly improved productivity and decreased total fungal count.