ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to determine feed intake and nutrient digestibility of sorghum husk (SH) and cowpea haulms (CH) fed to two breed of goat. A 2x2 factorial experiment involving two breeds of goats (Red Sokoto and Red Sokoto x Sahel). Eight goats with an average weight of 18-23 kg were arranged in completely randomized design. The animals were divided into four Treatments (T) groups replicated twice with one goat per replicate. Treatment one (1) comprises of Red Sokoto (RS) fed SH while T2, T3 and T4 were Red Sokoto x Sahel (RSxS) fed SH, RS fed CH and RS x S fed CH, respectively. The result of chemical composition showed that CH had significantly (p<0.05) higher Crude Protein (CP), Ether Extract (EE) and ash digestibility and significantly lower Non Fibre Carbohydrate (NFC), Neutral Detergent Fibre (NDF) and Acid Detergent Fibre (ADF) than SH. RS goats had significantly (p<0.05) higher CP digestibility and significantly (p<0.05) lower digestibility of ash than RSxS goats. The digestibility of CH recorded significantly (p<0.05) higher digestibility in all the parameters than SH. It was concluded that CH have significantly higher CP and EE. Similarly, SH contains significantly higher NFC, NDF and ADF over the CH. RS is superior (P<0.05) in CP and CH had significantly better digestibility of all the parameters measure.

ABSTRACT
Chronic poverty and disability in Uganda are inextricably linked. Despite impressive economic gains made by the country, majority of disabled people are miserably poor. This study investigated the perception of People with Disabilities (PWDs) towards Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) services, a government program aimed at alleviating poverty. A cross-sectional survey was adopted to collect data from 66 PWDs. Descriptive statistics such as frequency count, means and percentages were used to characterize PWDs and their accessibility to OWC services. A logistic regression model was run to establish the influence of socio-economic and institutional characteristics of PWDs on accessibility to services offered by the OWC. Perception of PWDs towards OWC services was as well measured using of a 5-point Likert scale. The binary logistic econometric model was applied for analyzing factors influencing perception of PWDs towards OWC services. Results showed that majority of PWDs (57.58%) were males with average age of 35years. Primary was the highest level (56.06%) of education and 96.97% of them were married with average land size was 1.39acres. 42.42% were ranging between 1-10 years of farming. Most of the PWDs (71.21%) positively perceived services by the OWC. Logistic regression analysis revealed that age (P≤0.05), farm size (P≤0.05), and extension contact (P≤0.01) had positive and significant influence on accessibility of PWDs to OWC services, whereas, farming experience (P≤0.05), participation in other off farm (P≤0.05) and distance to the nearest market (P≤0.01) negatively and significantly influenced accessibility of PWDs to OWC services. Logistic regression analysis showed that the coefficient of access to extension services (P≤0.01), farm size (P≤0.05) and farming experience (P≤0.05) positively and significantly influenced perception of PWDs towards OWC services. Distance from the nearest market (P≤0.05) and age (P≤0.05) negatively and significantly influenced ........

ABSTRACT
Increased production has been hindered by inadequate agricultural information on pest and disease management in crops. The study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the selected advisory channels on disseminating agricultural information on safe use of pesticides among the smallholder kale farmers. Action research design employed multistage random and purposive sampling methods to obtain responses using structured questionnaires from a sample of 160 respondents from each of the four sampling areas (wards) in two Sub-counties located in Kisii County, Kenya. Data was analyzed with the Analysis of Variance using the statistical package for data analysis (SPSS Version 19). The results obtained indicated that highest number (38.1%) of the respondents required the information on safe use of pesticides while the lowest number (13.1%) required information on financial management. Majority of the respondents (60%) believed that the information obtained on safe use of pesticides led to increase in yields and only 6.9% believed that it only contributed to safe and proper use of pesticides. There was no significant difference (F = 2.139, p = 0 .112) in farmers’ perception on the effectiveness among the selected advisory channels. The study recommends that the government needs to extend training to the pesticide dealers, farmers and other stakeholders on safe use practices of pesticides to facilitate pest and disease management in kale production.

ABSTRACT
Artisanal Gold Mining has gained popularity as a source of livelihood for more than 13 million people in the developing world. However, it is characterized with massive land destructions posing a threat to food security. Despite this, many scholarly works on AGM have focused on its influence on livelihoods on a general perspective. There is need to narrow the scope of generalization and zero in on specific AGM parameters such as; acreage of land under AGM and asses its influence on maize crop yields. Ikolomani Sub County is endowed with high amounts of rainfall and fertile soils. Despite this, it has a food poverty index of 47% in comparison to the national food poverty rate of 45%. Notwithstanding the fact that, it has 500 households engaging in AGM on their farming land. Therefore this study focused on the influence of acreage of land under AGM on maize crop yields. A cross-sectional descriptive research design involving purposive, systematic, and random sampling was employed. A minimum sample size of 384 households was drawn from a study population of 500 households of farmers who engage in AGM. The results show that about 53.8 % (r =0.538, p < 0.05) of the variation of maize crop yields can be explained by acreage of land under AGM. That arable land in Ikolomani is greatly degraded, compacted and occupied by AGM activities subsequently resulting to low maize crop yields. It can be recommended that enhanced control and management of AGM activities in Ikolomani Sub County could help mitigate against chances of decrease in the acreage of arable land and subsequent low maize crop yields.

ABSTRACT
Reduction of damages, retention of quality of fresh horticultural produce as well as protection against mechanical damages is due to proper packaging. The study aimed at assessing perceptions of smallholder farmers on influence of packaging postharvest handling technologies on quality of tomatoes in the counties of Kisii and Nyamira. The study objective was to assess perceptions of smallholder farmers on influence of postharvest handling methods of packaging on quality of tomatoes in Kisii and Nyamira Counties. The research used descriptive survey research design, multistage sampling technique, purposive sampling to sample counties of Kisii and Nyamira, simple random sampling to sample three sub counties of Kisii Central, Bomachoge Borabu and Borabu Sub Counties. A total of 168 registered smallholder farmers from a target population of 1001 were sampled. Extension officers from Kisii Central, Kenyenya and Borabu were contacted and informed on the purpose of the interview, importance of data in research and the need to respond truthfully to ensure that data collected is reliable. The semi-structured questionnaire was administered to smallholder tomato farmers. Descriptive statistics was analyzed in the form of percentages, means and standard deviation and presented in the form of tables and charts. Inferential statistics was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) version 20 software. Pearson’s Correlation was used to show the relationships between the variables of dependent and independent with results revealing that methods of packaging had weak positive influence on postharvest quality of tomatoes (r=.286, p<.05). Therefore, necessity to sensitize smallholder farmers on principles of proper packaging of tomato for quality delivery to the market.

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to assess the microbiological characteristics of white cheese supplemented with Ziziphus spina-christi and Cinnamomum zeylanicum essential oils during the storage period. The cheese was made from warmed (45°C) raw cow milk with Ziziphus spina-christi and Cinnamomum zeylanicum oils added, and after manufacture, the cheese was kept in sterile plastic bags at 4°C for 21 days, and microbiological tests were performed at 1, 7, 14 and 21-day intervals. Results showed that total viable bacteria (TVB), Staphylococcus aureus, and yeasts and moulds counts were significantly lower in cheese supplemented with both oils, according to the findings. The concentration of oil had a significant effect on the counts, with TVB, S. aureus, yeasts and moulds, and coliform bacteria counts being significantly higher in the control cheese and significantly lower in the cheese supplemented with 0.5% Ziziphus spina-christi oil. The storage period of cheese made with Ziziphus spina-christi and Cinnamomum zeylanicom oils had a significant effect on TVB, coliform bacteria, and S. aureus counts. The microbial counts were significantly affected by the concentrations of 0.3% and 0.5% Ziziphus spina-christi oil during the storage period, except for yeasts and moulds, which were unaffected by the 0.3% Ziziphus spina-christi oil. The counts of microbes in cheese supplemented with 0.3% and 0.5% Cinnamomum zeylanicom oils decreased significantly as the storage period progressed. The study concluded that essential oils, as natural antimicrobials, could be useful in preserving cheese made traditionally from raw milk without the addition of starter culture.

ABSTRACT
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a versatile crop globally, though it has relatively short history of production and research in Ethiopia. Hence, genetic improvement is of paramount importance to increase the production and productivity of the crop, which requires understanding of genetic variability in the crop. The study was conducted during 2017/2018 main cropping season at Fogera, Ethiopia, to determine the magnitude of genetic variability for yield and yield related traits in 30 lowland rice genotypes. The experiment was laid out using randomized block design with three replications. Data were collected for 17 agronomic characters and analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all characters. Grain yield ranged from 2766.7 to 7062 kgha-1 with a mean of 4736.13kgha-1.Genotypes G26 (7062kg), G14 (6900kg), G8 (6583.1kg), G27 (6486.9kg), G29 (6400.6kg) and G30 (6343.1kg) were found to be high yielding. The genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) ranged from 8.44 and 8.53 for days to maturity to38.30 and 39.37 for number of unfilled grains panicle-1. Broad sense heritability value ranged from 77.45% for number of panicles per plant to 99.16 % for plant height. Characters viz. days to heading, days to flowering, tillers plant-1, panicle plant-1, culm length, panicle length, plant height, flag leaf length, flag leaf width, filled grains panicle-1, unfilled grains panicle -1, panicle weight, biomass, grain yield and harvest index had high heritability and high genetic advance as percent of mean, showing presence of additive genes and selection based on these traits would be successful. For future, six rice genotypes with grain yield above 6 tons ha-1 have been identified and are recommended to advance further towards release as new varieties. Moreover, the future rice research should be supplemented by molecular characterization to further confirm the obtained current results.