Table of Contents
- Research Article
Assessment of Forest Products and Services Utilization as Sustainable Livelihood Options Among Households in Okpukwu Local Government Area, Benue State, Nigeria PDF P.U. Ancha, E.T. Ikyaagba, A.E. Egwunatum, B.I. Origbo, L.M. Sunday This study examined the impact of extraction and utilization of forest resources as sustainable livelihood option for households in Okpukwu LGA in Benue State. Data was collected from 144 respondents with the aid of semi-structured from six (72) households in 12 communities from the six (6) randomly selected council wards in the LGA. Descriptive statistics as percentages and mean, 5 point Likert scale rating and Spearman correlation analysis were employed to analyze socio-economic characteristics, forest resources exploitation and utilization as well as relationship between socioeconomic variables of the people and level of forest utilization. The results showed that there were significant differences between variable responses in the six wards in family sizes, distance to the forest, educational status, occupation, age, sex and estimated income from collected forest resources. Majority of the respondents that collected forest resources form the reserve were between 31-40 years of age, with reserve contribution to the livelihood of the people rated low in food (MWS=2.01<2.95), income(MWS =2.31 < 2.95), and low in the area of Trade (MWS =2.84 < 2.95). However, the mean weight score of contribution of forest resources to livelihood was in the order recreation (4.33) > employment (4.33) > medicine (3.34); type and abundance of forest products was chewing stick (2.59) > animal fodder (2.57) > fuelwood (2.45) while the utilization level was fuelwood (4.47) >folder (4.50) > Mushroom (4.44) > Timber (4.33).The study revealed that 2/3 of the 18 identified forest products in Okpodu LGA were highly utilized (MWS > 3.05) for proceeds from the reserve (19.4%) and re investing in farming activities (13.8%). The study recommended the pursuit and enlistment of these forest communities into the global carbon credit scheme for sustainable management of identified forest products and services, especially the fuelwood with high potential of causing degradation and deforestation.
- Research Article
Physicochemical Properties, Fatty Acids and Epoxidation Reaction of Cucumeropsis Edulis Seeds Oil (Cucurbitaceae) from Gabon PDF Mefouet Abessolo DD, Abogo Mebale AJ, Menye Biyogo R, Massimba Dibama H, Pérez-Sena WY, Leveneur S The Cucumeropsis edulis seeds oil was extracted by the Soxhlet method with a yield of 51.17%. This oil has been tested for its physicochemical properties, fatty acids and for epoxidation reaction. The results showed that the refractive index was 1.4708. The density and Kinematic viscosity values were 0.9211 g / Cm3 and 33 mm2.s respectively. The acid and peroxide values were 5.7 mg KOH / g and 2.6 meq O2 / Kg. The saponification and esterification number values were 193.4 and 192.2 mg KOH / g respectively. The water content (7.56%) and the calorific value (39695.2 KJ / Kg). H-NMR revealed that the main fatty acids were linoleic acid (67.29%), oleic acid (10%) and saturated fatty acid (22.54%). The epoxidation reaction gave the following results: conversion (96%), reaction yield (50%) and selectivity (52%).
- Research Article
Quantitative Analysis of Critical Population Load on Food Sustainability in Different Scenarios: A Comparative Analysis PDF Shiv Narayan Nishad, Naresh Kumar Food sustainability of a nation is primarily dependent on food production and food demand. With limited and even declining primary resources like arable land and water, increasing demand due to population growth, and potential impact of climate change, food sustainability has become a major concern especially for the populous countries. Food sustainability is a complex function of several variables and the overall sustainability is restricted by these factors and need to examine from regional to global scale. A major gap is a consistent and quantitative formulation for assessment and projection of food sustainability. Here, we present a mathematical model to estimate food sustainability in different scenarios of population growth and consumption pattern. We have also estimated the technology demand for sustainable food supply in different scenarios of population and per capita food consumption by considering world as global, and India, China and the USA as regional for analysis of food sustainability.