RENEWABLE

INFLUENCE OF WOMEN COOPERATIVES ON THE WELFARE OF RURAL HOUSEHOLDS IN OSUN STATE, NIGERIA

O. E. Adelakun, S. O. Odebode, M. M. Fabunmi — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Cooperative societies have proven to be valuable setups for social inclusion and women's empowerment. This study assessed the contributions of women cooperatives to household welfare in rural communities of Osun state, Nigeria. Using a multistage sampling procedure, 160 registered women cooperators were proportionately selected by size across wards. Interview schedules were used to collect data, which were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, and t-test analyses. The age of respondents was 47.0±11.0 years, with most of them being married (79.4%). Over fifty-five percent of respondents were processors with an average monthly household income of ?18,713.25. The majority were members of credit and thrift societies (95.6%) and processing cooperatives (51.9%). Lack of government support (1.53) and diversion of loans for different purposes (0.93) were major constraints to participation in cooperatives. Most respondents were worse off (60.6%) before joining cooperatives and better off (57.5%) after associating with one form of cooperative or another. Monthly income (r = 0.220), years of experience in cooperative (r = 0.298), educational qualification (?²= 13.189), level of participation in cooperative (r =0.129), benefit derived from participating in cooperative (r =0.377) and constraints to participating in cooperative (r =-0.116) were significantly related to respondents’ welfare status. Membership in cooperatives influenced the welfare of women cooperators. However, there was a need for training on various modes of operation of cooperative societies. This would ensure that rural women benefited maximally from the services of cooperative societies.

REDUCTION OF ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINTS OF DRIFTING FISH AGGREGATING DEVICES (DFADS) USING DRONE TECHNOLOGY IN NIGERIAN OFFSHORE WATERS

G. W. Olakunle, B. Falaye, R. Olabinwonnu, G. A. Ayodeji — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Drifting Fish Aggregating Devices (dFADs), which are used intensively in industrial tuna fisheries, have become widespread in West African waters. While effective in aggregating pelagic species such as tuna, dFADs have serious environmental consequences in the form of ghost fishing, marine pollution and disruption of ocean ecosystem processes. These challenges are further added to by dFADs drifting into Nigerian offshore waters from neighboring countries, increasing the difficulty of fisheries management and undermining conservation efforts. Existing mitigation efforts are limited by high cost, technology deficits, and weak enforcement capacity. This research examined the possibility of employing drone technology as an affordable and environmentally friendly means of mitigating the environmental impact of dFADs in Nigerian waters. Drone-assisted reconnaissance missions were conducted at three offshore locations — Brass, Escravos and Lagos — augmented by two locally adapted fishery boats. Utilization of drones enabled real-time identification, geolocation, and recovery of errant dFADs, which was more efficient and cost-effective compared to traditional retrieval. The results indicated that drone utilization reduced time and the impacts of uncontrolled dFAD drift, saving marine ecosystems. The research highlighted the need for regional cooperation among ECOWAS member states in the regulation of utilization, traceability and disposal of dFADs through shared surveillance platforms. The outcomes offer actionable suggestions to policymakers, fisheries stakeholders, and conservationists responsible for protecting the marine ecosystem in the Gulf of Guinea, in addition to promoting responsible fishing habits.

ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF MULTI-DRUG-RESISTANT Pseudomonas ISOLATES FROM SHELLFISHES FROM A FISH MARKET IN LAGOS, NIGERIA

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Shellfishes are a delicacy worldwide and they are usually found at the bottom of water bodies. These aquatic resources can harbour pathogenic organisms, which cause food-borne infections when the shellfish is not adequately processed. The microbial quality of shellfish is therefore a major public health concern for marketers, processors and consumers. This study investigated the microbial quality of shrimp and crab samples from a fish market located in Lagos, Nigeria. Bacteria were isolated from shellfishes and characterized using standard microbial analysis techniques. The susceptibility of selected isolates to 15 antibiotics was determined using the modified disc diffusion method. Total heterotrophic count ranged from 1.20 × 10⁷ to >1.0 × 10⁸cfu^-1g, while the coliform count was between 4.08 × 10⁴ and >1.0 x 10⁸ cfu^-1g. The isolates identified belonged to the seven genera: Pseudomonas, Proteus, Alcaligenes, Vibrio, Salmonella, Staphylococcus and Bacillus. Antibiotic susceptibility test showed that the three Pseudomonas spp. isolated were resistant to 3-6 different antibiotics, with multiple antibiotic resistance values ranging from 0.2 to 0.4. The presence of these organisms poses a potential health risk, as they can cause spoilage of shellfish, result in food-borne infections and confer antibiotic resistance to normal gut floral. There is therefore a need for regular monitoring of the safety of shellfishes sold in the market and creation of awareness on the dangers of improper handling and inadequate processing of shellfishes.

MACRO- AND MICRO-MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSES OF Entandrophragma angolense (Welw.) C.D.C. and Entandrophragma utile (Dawe & Sprague) Sprague

O. E. Majebi, O. Y. Ogunsanwo, I. O. Lawal, R. B. Olabisi — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Entandrophragma utile and Entandrophragma angolense are timber species with significant economic and ecological importance in the forestry sector. Understanding their morphological differences at both macro and micro levels is crucial for their identification, management and conservation. This study conducted a comparative analysis of the macro- and micro-morphological characteristics of Entandrophragma utile and E. angolense. Samples of E. angolense and E. utile were collected from Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Oyo State, and Aponmu Forest Reserve, Ondo State, Nigeria, respectively. The bark texture, leaf structure, and fruit/seed shapes were determined following standard methods. The leaf epidermal cells of E. utile were wavy-patterned, while those of E. angolense were polygonal-shaped. The number of stomata of E. utile (42.60±1.70) was significantly higher than E. angolense (22.80±1.40), while epidermal cell length was 32.40±6.40 ?m and 63.96±5.80 ?m, respectively. The number of trichomes was higher in E. angolense (7.20±0.30) than E. utile (1.80±0.30). The micro-morphology of leaves differed between E utile and E. angolense. Hence, the cellular structure (abaxial and adaxial epidermal cell layers) and anatomy (mid-rib and bark features) of the two species were uniquely different. These are essential findings for their ethnobotanical use, identification, management, and conservation strategies.