Agricultural and Food Science Journal of Ghana

Information Sources and Needs among Mango (Mangifera Indica L.) Farmers in the Shai Osudoku District, Greater Accra Region, Ghana

2023-03-22T07:17:07+00:00

This paper seeks to examine and understand the information-seeking behaviour of farmers in terms of their information needs, sources and challenges. Structured questionnaires were administered randomly to 125 mango farmers selected from the Shai Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region. Besides, one focus group discussion section with the executives of the District mango farmer-based organisation and one-on-one in-depth interview session with the Head of Department of Agriculture in the District were held, coupled with farm visits for personal observations to make for triangulation with the quantitative data. The study showed that radio, leaflets and family/friends remained the first option of choice as sources of information to the mango famers. On the other hand, the Internet, books, newspapers and extension agents emerged as the least sources of preference to the farmers. Selection of varieties/hybrids, pests and disease management and pruning of tree crops were perceived by the farmers as the most pressing information needs, which, to them, were critical to the success of their mango farming business. The study also showed a strong positive relationship (p<0.05) between age of the mango farmers and the use of information. Furthermore, the results revealed that number of years spent on formal education positively correlated (p<0.05) with the use of information from family/friends, books, agricultural input dealers, leaflets and radio. These findings will inform agricultural extension programme planning of the District and the Greater Accra Region, as a whole.

Quality Characteristics and Volatile Compounds of Shea Butter Under Different Storage Conditions

2023-03-22T07:27:16+00:00

Proper storage of shea butter is crucial to maintain quality and ensure availability of the product over time, particularly in the production zones where refrigeration is not an option. The present study investigated several quality characteristics of shea butter under different storage conditions. Three packaging materials (i.e. calabash, black plastic, and transparent plastic), often used to store shea butter in the production zones, were used to store the butter for six months at ambient conditions (28-30ºC) and at low temperatures (4-7ºC). After 6 months of storage, all parameters investigated were significantly affected by storage conditions and storage duration while the effects of the packaging materials were less pronounced. At ambient conditions, changes were more pronounced than at low temperatures. For instance, after 6 months of storage, the increase of free fatty acid of butter stored in a calabash was three times higher than that stored in refrigerator (1.9 % at ambient conditions against 0.53 % in refrigerator). Also, the rate of oxidation reaction was two times higher at ambient temperature than at refrigerator temperature. After 6 months of butter storage, the number of volatile compounds increased from 42 to 54 at room temperature and from 42 to 47 at refrigerator. The increase in rate of chemical reactions at ambient conditions is in accordance with the hypothesis that the quality changes of shea butter are caused by chemical reactions influenced by the temperature of storage. Black plastic containers seemed to be the better packaging materials for a long storage period.

Characterisation and in-vitro Control of Curvularia lunata , the Causal Agent of Brown Leaf Spot Disease of Rice in Ghana

2023-03-22T07:54:18+00:00

Irrigated rice production is common in the coastal savannah zone of Ghana. Recent observations have shown the incidence of a new leaf spot disease in some rice basins in the area. Research was carried out to determine the incidence and severity of the disease in the area, identify the causal agent using its cultural and morphological features, complemented with phylogenetic studies of the internal transcribed spacer region. Also, the effect of some selected fungicides and an antagonistic Trichoderma harzianum on the mycelial growth of the fungus was determined in vitro. The disease was found in all the major rice growing districts in the coastal savannah zone with severities ranging from 22.6 to 50.9%. Curvularia lunata was identified as the causal agent of the disease. Carbendazim, Nordox and Mancozeb, totally depressed the mycelial growth of the fungus whiles T. harzianum inhibited the growth of the fungus. These fungicides and antagonistic organism have the potential for the control of the disease in the field.

Extraction and Characterization of Vegetable Oil from 20 Accessions of Allanblackia parviflora Seeds in Ghana

2023-03-22T08:02:06+00:00

The benefits derived from the forest estate in Ghana include Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). NTFPs such as vegetable oil produced from seed of forest trees have been used for centuries. The oil from the seed kernel of Allanblackia parviflora (Allanblackia) is investigated for differences in the yield and quality between accessions. Vegetable oil from twenty (20) accessions of Allanblackia were extracted and characterized. The oil yields from the different accessions were all above 60% and no significant differences were detected amongst the accessions. The iodine value was very low indicating a very saturated oil whilst the refractive index, specific gravity and acid values were all within the range of most edible oils. The vegetable oil contains over 60% saturated fatty acids in the form of stearic acid (C18:0) and over 30% unsaturated fatty acid in the form of oleic acid (C18:1), and this may be the reason for the oil been solid at ambient room temperature.

Biochar Systems in Ghana

2023-03-22T08:20:37+00:00

Biochar is a pyrolysed biomass, incorporated into soil for improvement of soil health. Biochar added to soils holds the potential of a triple-win for livelihoods, environment and the climate. In environments where a lot of biomass is generated and poses disposable challenges, biochar remains a viable alternative for solving both agronomic and environmental problems, especially in highly degraded soils. Considerable research into biochar over the years have indicated its potential to solve many environmental problems, however there is still lack of knowledge about specific aspects of biochar production and use. Also, a number of assertions related to the positive impact of biochar in agriculture have not been well explained scientifically and verified. In Ghana, research on biochar is recent and currently uncoordinated with research outputs not clearly documented and visible. There is the urgent need to review available information on biochar research outputs in Ghana and provide expert opinion on the feasibility of embedding the technology in specific farming systems. The aim of this paper is to present an in-depth review of biochar research in Ghana, as it relates to agriculture and environmental management. Challenges to the biochar technology, formulation, feedstock availability and adoption rates are discussed. There is wide array of potential feedstocks for biochar production from agricultural residues. The -l quantity of biochar application has pronounced effect on maize grain yield where 5 t ha -l significantly yielded more maize grain than 2.5 t ha . Soils amended with cocoa pod biochar increased maize grain yield by 56 % compared to un-amended soil. Biochar can contribute to improving crop productivity on smallholdings although its supply and value chains are not formalized and the product is unfamiliar in most farming communities. Policies that integrate biochar to sustainable intensification in agriculture is recommended.

Effect of Drying Temperature on Proximate Composition and Viability of Maize Dried in a Solar Biomass Hybrid Dryer

2023-03-22T08:37:29+00:00

Maize is an important cereal produced for food and feed and its nutritional composition and viability could be affected when subjected to inappropriate drying conditions. This study investigated the effects of drying temperature on the proximate composition and viability of maize grains dried at different levels in a solar biomass hybrid dryer. Proximate analysis was performed using standard A.O.A.C. methods. Germination test was done using sterilized Petri–dishes lined with filter papers to determine the viability of dried grains. Overall mean temperature, 43.63 ± 8.6 ˚C in the dryer was 9 ˚C higher than the average ambient temperature. The moisture content (MC) of grains in the dryer reduced from average 17 % to 11 % (w.b.) in 8 h at an average drying rate of 0.64 %/h. The overall drying efficiency was 12.7 % compared to 5.7 % for the open-sun drying process. The viability of grains dried in the dryer (avg. 95%) compared favourably to the viability of sun-dried grains (96%). The results show that, the temperature in the dryer had no adverse effect on the proximate nutritional composition and viability of dried maize grains. The adoption of solar biomass hybrid dryers for use by smallholder farmers is encouraged due to its suitability in providing a viable drying option to open-sun drying.

Microbial Quality of Fresh Beef from Different Slaughter Facilities in Oyo State, Nigeria

2023-03-22T08:43:33+00:00

This study was done to assess the microbial quality of fresh beef samples, water and contact surfaces from selected slaughter facilities in Oyo state, Nigeria. In a completely randomized design, a total of 127 samples were collected from three different slaughter facilities. They were analyzed for microbial load using standard procedures. Parameters measured were Total Viable Count (TVC), Total Coliform Count (TCC), Total Fungal Count (TFC), Total Escherichia coli Count (TEC), Total Staphylococcus Count (TSC) and Total Salmonella Count (TSLC). The results showed no significant differences (P<0.05) between the mean TVC and TFC of the fresh meat samples collected from the slaughter facilities. However, significant differences existed (P<0.05) between the means of the TCC (log CFU/g) of the beef. The values were 2.30, 1.82 and 10 1.91 for Akinyele central abattoir, Kara Sawmill slaughter slab and Atenda slaughter slab respectively. The TVC, TFC, TCC values recorded for this study were below the standard threshold levels. The presence of Staphylococcus spp, Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp on contact surfaces indicates that the hygienic practices of butchers and general sanitary conditions of the slaughter house facilities are poor, therefore stricter hygiene practices are recommended in Nigerian slaughter houses and abattoirs to safeguard public health.

Factors Influencing Consumer Preference for Beef or Chevon in the Northern Region of Ghana

2023-03-22T08:51:37+00:00

The study examined the influence of husbandry practices and socio-cultural factors on consumers' preference for beef or chevon in the Northern Region of Ghana. A descriptive crosssectional survey with 410 participants was used in this research. The participants were chosen using the convenience sampling method. The significance of associations was determined by chisquare analysis, and binary logistic regressions were used to asses influence of factors on meat preferences. Out of the 410 respondents, 65.6% were males, and the mean age was 33.5 years. Most of the respondents (59.0%) indicated that their type of meat preference is beef as compared to 41.0% who preferred chevon. The meat type consumers usually purchased was beef as indicated by 62.0% of the respondents. Both age and marital status had a significant association with meat type purchased. Among the husbandry practices, quality and hygiene of animal feeds or watering were significantly associated with meat preference. Age of the respondent predicted meat preference with those within the age group of 35 – 44 years more likely (5.8 times) to prefer chevon than beef as compared to those within the age group of 24 years and below. The results further shows that single respondents were more likely to prefer chevon than beef, when compared with those married. The religion of the respondents predicted meat preference with traditional religious belief more likely to prefer chevon over beef as compared to those from Islamic religious belief. Generally beef was the most preferred meat type with husbandry practices and some socio-cultural factors such as age, marital status and religious practice influencing choice of meat type. It is recommended that farmers on the basis of this study consider animal husbandry practices such as feeding with quality housing very serious in order to attract meat consumers.

Assessment of Quality Characteristics of Organic and Conventional Sugarloaf Pineapples (Ananas comosus, ananas) Under Cold Storage

2023-03-22T08:59:23+00:00

Fresh pineapple is an excellent source of vitamin C and there is a big demand for organically produced sugar-loaf pineapples in Europe. However, due to its high moisture content and high perishability, transportation over long distances is difficult and require cold storage conditions. The main objective of this research was to assess the quality properties of organic and conventional sugar loaf pineapples under cold storage conditions over a 21 – day period. Conventional pineapples were harvested from Albe Farms in the Eastern region and organic pineapples from Ali farms in the Central regions of Ghana. The fruits were allowed to cool to room temperature before storing at 1°C. Physical and chemical properties of the fruits were determined at days 0, 7, 14 and 21, using standard methods. Conventional sugar-loaf pineapples were larger, but had lower dry matter, soluble solids and vitamin C, than organic pineapples. The weight, translucency and pH of the two categories of pineapples were similar. No significant loss in weight, lengths and crown characteristics were observed after the storage period. Translucency increased from <25% to a range of 50 – 75% by the end of the storage period in both organic and conventional fruits. While no clear trend was observed in the soluble solids content and pH during storage of both organic and conventional sugarloaf pineapple, total titratable acidity increased marginally and vitamin C levels dipped over the 21-day storage period. The trends in acidity, vitamin C and translucency suggest that it is possible to store both conventional and organic sugarloaf pineapple for 21-day storage period at 1 °C. This implies the possibility of shipping both organic and conventional sugarloaf pineapples to destinations requiring sea freighting.

Prediction of Tea Production in Rwanda Using Data Mining Techniques

2023-03-22T09:31:07+00:00

Rwanda's main economic activity is agriculture, and tea is the country's most important cash crop. There has been extensive research on prediction of tea production in Rwanda but most of the methods applied were the traditional statistical analyzes with limited prediction capability. Data mining algorithm models, linear regression, K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), Random Forest Regression, and Extremely Randomized Trees are discussed in this study to identify critical features in different domains to facilitate accurate prediction of tea production in Rwanda. In this study also, an identification of different factors which are strongly associated with tea production and developed data mining models for predicting tea production using training and test data from National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) 2010-2019 is performed and PYTHON, R, and SPSS Version 25 softwares used in this study. The findings reveal that extra tree and random forest are the best model among the others to predict tea production in Rwanda.

French title: Prévision de la production de thé au Rwanda à l'aide de techniques d'exploration de données

La principale activité économique du Rwanda est l'agriculture, et le thé est la culture de rente la plus importante du pays. De nombreuses recherches ont été menées sur la prédiction de la production de thé au Rwanda, mais la plupart des méthodes appliquées étaient des analyses statistiques traditionnelles avec une capacité de prédiction limitée. Les modèles d'algorithmes d'exploration de données, la régression linéaire, le K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), la régression Random Forest et les arbres extrêmement randomisés sont discutés dans cette étude pour identifier les caractéristiques critiques dans différents domaines afin de faciliter la prédiction précise de la production de thé au Rwanda. Dans cette étude également, une identification des différents facteurs qui sont fortement associés à la production de thé et des modèles d'exploration de données développés pour prédire la production de thé en utilisant des données d'entraînement et de test du National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) 2010-2019 est effectuée et les logiciels PYTHON, R, et SPSS Version 25 sont utilisés dans cette étude. Les résultats révèlent que l'arbre supplémentaire et la forêt aléatoire sont les meilleurs modèles parmi les autres pour prédire la production de thé au Rwanda.