Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare 

About: Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare is an academic journal published by IISTE. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Population & Agriculture. It has an ISSN identifier of 2224-3208. It is also open access. Over the lifetime, 2636 publications have been published receiving 9327 citations.

Adoption of Modern Agricultural Production Technologies by Farm Households in Ghana: What Factors Influence their Decisions?

Abstract: Low adoption of modern agricultural production technologies amongst farmers in Ghana has been identified as one of the main reasons for the low agricultural productivity in the country. This paper examines the factors that influence farm households’ modern agricultural production technology adoption decisions in Ghana. Household questionnaires were administered to 300 farmers the Bawku West District of Ghana; and the logit model was estimated to ascertain the factors. The results showed that farm size, expected benefits from technology adoption, access to credit and extension services are the factors that significantly influence technology adoption decisions of farm households in the study area. It is concluded that farm households’ agricultural technology adoption decisions depends on their socio-economic circumstances and institutional effectiveness. We recommend that policies should be formulated to take advantage of the factors that positively influence farmers’ adoption of modern agricultural production technologies and to mitigate the negative ones. Key words: Agriculture, Farmers, Household, Logit Model, Ghana, Technology Adoption

Review on Concepts in Biological Control of Plant Pathogens

Abstract: Biological disease control is an attractive alternative strategy for the control of plant diseases. Meanwhile, it also provides practices compatible with the goal of a sustainable agricultural system. Understanding the mechanisms of biological control of plant diseases through the interactions between antagonists and pathogens may allow us to select and construct the more effective biocontrol agents and to manipulate the soil environment to create a conducive condition for successful biocontrol. Many factors have to be considered in deciding whether a biological system is feasible for the control of a particular pathogen. Of prime importance is the availability of a suitable antagonist capable of maintaining itself on the host plant. The environment under which the crop is grown will play a significant part in determining whether effective population levels of an antagonist can be established in competition with the existing microflora. Environment may also govern the choice of antagonist; for example, yeasts can survive on leaves more readily than non-spore-forming bacteria under adverse humidity conditions. It is essential that the primary mechanism by which antagonism is brought about should be known. A variety of biological controls are available for use, but further development and effective adoption will require a greater understanding of the complex interactions among plants, people and the environment. With people turning more health conscious Biological control seem to the best alternative to disease suppression. Bio-agents bring the disease suppression with no environmental hazards. Research has proved that the bio agents trigger the growth of plants. Bio agents themselves being non-pathogenic to plants need to be formulated in a way that favours the activity and survival of microbe it contains. Moreover, the organism that suppresses the pathogen is referred to as the biological control agent (BCA). More broadly, the term biological control also has been applied to the use of the natural products extracted or fermented from various sources. These formulations may be very simple mixtures of natural ingredients with specific activities or complex mixtures with multiple effects on the host as well as the target pest or pathogen. And, while such inputs may mimic the activities of living organisms, non-living inputs should more properly be referred to as biopesticides or biofertilizers, depending on the primary benefit provided to the host plant. Over the past few years, the novel applications of molecular techniques have broadened our insight into the basis of biological control of plant diseases. New molecular approaches have been available for assessment of interaction between the antagonist and pathogen, ecological traits of antagonists in rhizosphere and improving the efficacy of bacterial, fungal and viral biocontrol agent. Currently, biological control will thus be an alternative strategy for the control of plant diseases given the history of fungicides in the near future. However, other methods in IPM for crop disease control are still necessary in various environmental conditions, because an agro-ecosystem is a variable and functioning system that includes several factors that influence disease and crop development. Consequently, for economic threshold, other control strategies of IPM besides biological control should be also considered and applied to effectively reduce the disease development and the yield loss of crops in the different crop systems. Keywords: Biocontrol, biofumigation, microbial antagonism, natural compounds, pathogen.

An Overview of Post-Harvest Losses in Tomato Production in Africa: Causes and Possible Prevention Strategies

Abstract: Tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L. ) is an important crop cultivated and consumed worldwide. It provides a wide variety of nutrients and many health-related benefits to the human body. Tomato production can improve the livelihoods of small-scale producers by creating jobs and serving as source of income for both rural and peri-urban dwellers. Despite all these benefits, many constraints make tomatoes production unprofitable in Africa. Post-harvest looses is one of such constraints. Post-harvest losses have been found to be either an on-farm or off-farm problem. On-farm losses are caused by improper harvesting stages, excessive field heat, improper harvesting containers, poor farm sanitation and improper packaging materials. Causes of off-farm losses includes lack of access roads, inappropriate transportation system, lack of processing factories and lack of reliable market information. Using low-cost intermediate technology intervention can help reduce some of these post-harvest losses making tomato production a more profitable venture in Africa. Keywords : Post-harvest, Losses, Tomatoes.

Determinants and Impacts of Modern Agricultural Technology Adoption in West Wollega: The Case of Gulliso District

Abstract: This study analyzed factors affecting modern agricultural technology adoption by farmers and the impact of technology adoption decision on the welfare of households in the study area. The data used for the study were obtained from 145 randomly selected sample households in the study area. Binary logit model was employed to analyze the determinants of farmers’ decisions to adopt modern technologies. Moreover, the average effect of adoption on household incomes and expenditure were estimated by using propensity score matching method. The result of the logistic regression showed that household heads’ education level, farm size, credit accessibility, perception of farmers about cost of the inputs and off-farm income positively and significantly affected the farm households’ adoption decision; while family size affected their decision negatively and significantly. The result of the propensity score matching estimation showed that the average income and consumption expenditure of adopters are greater than that of non-adopters. Based on these findings it is recommended that the zonal and the woreda leaders extension agents farm and education experts, policy makers and other development oriented organizations have to plan in such a way that the farm households in the study area will obtain sufficient education, credit accessibilities and also have to train farmers to make them understand the benefits obtained from adopting the new technologies. These bodies have also to arrange policy issues that improve farm labour participation of household members and also to arrange the ways in which farmers obtain means of income outside farming activities. Keywords: Agriculture, Farm household, Technology Adoption Logit, Propensity Score Match

Challenges Facing Nursing Profession in Saudi Arabia

Abstract: Saudi Arabia, like many areas of the world, is challenged by a nursing shortage. The World Health Organization (2004), reported that there is only 40 nurses for every 10,000 of the Saudi Arabia population. In 2010, it was found that there is a chronic nursing shortage of 30% that is worsened by heavy migration of nurses. The Saudi literature links the shortage in Saudi nurses to socio-cultural factors found to influence the prevailing negative images and perceived low status of nursing. Community image, family disagreement, cultural and communal values, long working hours, mixing with members of the opposite gender, and the worry of not being a "marriageable" prospect were the main reasons why Saudi females did not choose nursing as a career (Miligi & Selim 2013). The Saudi Arabian government has committed enormous resources to improve health care, with the ultimate goal of providing free and accessible healthcare services for every Saudi national and expatriate working within the public sector (Al-Dossary et al., 2008). However, the nursing needs of Saudi Arabia far exceed the supply of Saudi nurses. Despite continued efforts to increase the number of Saudi nurses, by 2010, expatriate nurses still constituted 74% of the total nursing workforce in Saudi Arabia (Ministry of Health Annual Report 2010). In Saudi Arabia, nursing is a less desirable career choice for Saudi nationals in comparison to other professions. There are a number of challenges facing nurse practitioners (Tumulty 2001). Keyw o rds : Challenges, Nursing profession