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THE GLOBALISATION OF NIGERIA'S AGRICULTURE:Challenges for Sustainability of Small Scale Farms
By A. A. Adubi National Centre for Economic Management and Administration (NCEMA),Ibadan,Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
This paper attempts to examine the implication of globalisation for the small farms in Nigeria. Globalisation reforms have sought to liberalise the input and output markets in agriculture. With the advancement of information and communication technology, the immediate effect in countries that embraced globalisation is the external and internal opening of their national economies. The consequences of this for agricultural development is expected to manifest in form of influx of technology, improved seedlings, hybrids, improved markets and increased earnings. However, there are some interlinked issues, which call for concern especially for the small- holder agriculture. The production of the small scale farmers is not competitive enough to withstand the high quality and reduced prices of multinational corporation farms, which will be operating in supply chains with economies of scale. Moreover, future trend will demand meeting exact quality criteria on products, short-term production adjustments, products innovation, etc, which are enormously demanding in terms of information flows, capital requirements etc than the smallholder agriculture can presently afford. Given that globalisation is a reality for all economies, the paper explores ways of preparing smallholder agriculture for successful participation in globalisation. Policies in this direction among others, include the reduction in transaction cost and encouragement of community based organisations that will offer collective action and access to information, finance, insurance, research and other opportunities for the small farmers.
IMPLICATIONS FROM FOOD DEMAND ANALYSIS FOR AGRICULTURE AND FOOD POLICY FORMULATIONS IN THE CEREAL SUBSECTOR IN SELECTED URBAN AREAS OF NORTHERN NIGERIA
By Ernest Aiyedun Department of Economics, University of Abuja,Abuja, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
Knowledge of household food consumption and expenditure structures could be used as basis for informed food policy formulations. The import of cereals in the food consumption basket of Nigerians cannot be overemphasised. This paper seeks to explain the demand structure for cereals in selected urban areas in Northern Nigeria. More than half of Nigerian population would be living in towns and may be eating cereals based diets in the next two years. There is, therefore, a need to further assess the economics of investment in demand driven, location - specific, domestic cereal production, especially rice and maize grains, as a major policy decision.
WORLD BANK ASSISTED SITES AND SERVICES PROJECTS: A MILESTONE EVALUATION OF NIGERIA'S MAKAMA EXPERIMENT
By Ifuero Osad Osamwonyi University of Benin,Benin City,Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
The World Bank assisted Bauchi pilot project of the Nigerian States Urban Development Programme was never replicated in other parts of Nigeria as planned. This article is an effort at evaluating the project using milestones analysis for lessons that will assist in packaging sustainable and replicable low income housing projects in resource constrained developing economies.
It is also to confirm or otherwise the results of an earlier evaluation of the same project by Onibokun et al (1989) in terms of consultancy impact, subsidies, cost recovery, improvement in property values, employment generation, use of local raw materials and adoption of reduced standards. The conclusions were that there were significant strides made towards the attainment of stated targets although with heavy time and cost overruns, because of unrealistic project assumptions and lack of community participation. The study also invalidated the major results of the earlier evaluation, as well as generated improved options for low income housing delivery in developing countries.
THE NATURE AND GOALS OF THE FIRM: A Review
By Omo Aregbeyen Department of Business Administration Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State. Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
This paper reviews the theoretical literature on the firm with a view to drawing important lessons for policy and management practices in firms. Basically, a firm describes a system of relationships which comes into existence when the direction of resources is dependent on an entrepreneur. A firm exist to (i) economize on transaction costs, (ii) foster division of labour, (iii) develop human and non-human resources, (iv) be a safe space for research and development, and (v) serve as shelter from uncertainty, foster/encourage cooperation.
Broadly, firms differ by their size, legal status and the market structure they operate in. Nevertheless, their nature is generally explained by some theories. From the theories a firm is a complex entity with many dimensions that interact simultaneously to determine the behaviour of the firm. How a particular firm behaves and performs, depends on how well the different dimensions are synchronized to define the goal(s) of the firm. There is no consensus on the goal(s) of the firm .The test is the evidence on the decision that the firms actually take. From empirical evidences, whatever different objectives firms are said to pursue are not in any way conflicting but complementary
The lessons from the review are that while firms share some fundamental attributes, yet they differ in many significant ways like structure and motivation or drive. Thus, there are no two firms that are exactly the same and what obtains in one is not in another. Hence, policy formulation and the management practices in firms cannot be generalised. However, the management practice(s) that is best suited to the structure and dominant drive of a particular firm at a point in time must be adopted. Firms can pursue multiple objectives, but they must be complement of one another. More importantly, given the limited relevance of the Euro-centric perspectives, there is the need for non-western, for example, an Afro-centric orientation and approach to the management of firms in Africa and other non-western settings as is the case of the Japanese.
SOCIAL RATES OF RETURN TO PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN SORGHUM RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA
By Macaver, O. J. and A. O. Olaleye Department of Economics and Development Studies, College of Business and Social Sciences, Covenant University,Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted in Katsina State in northwest Nigeria to determine the efficiency of public investment in sorghum research and development (R&D). Data on acreage planted to improved and local cultivars yield profiles, output in metric tons, price per ton, price elasticities, consumer price index and research and extension costs were obtained for analysis. The Economic Surplus Model (ESM) and two discounted measures of project-worth were used to estimate the benefit stream and returns to capital investment. The results showed the NPV (N17m) and IRR (62% ) to be highly socially profitable, given the bank lending rate of 25% . Various sensitivity analyses showed the social rates of return to be profitable, even under the most austere assumptions. The study suggested increased public investments in sorghum R&D to harness its great potential for economic growth and development of the country.
ENDOGENOUS TECHNOLOGY, FACTOR ACCUMULATION AND CROSS-COUNTRY GROWTH VARIATION
By Olasupo Akano Department of Economics, University of Lagos,Lagos.Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
The paper investigates the role of inter-country differences in factor accumulation and technological innovation in explaining cross-country variation in per capita income growth in 1990. The empirical results underscore the positive roles of factor accumulation and individual country-induced innovations in cross-country growth variation. The study also seems to suggest that there was a negative correlation between differences in cross-country growth and population growth rates.
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