ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Postgraduate Distance Education in University of Cape Coast, Ghana: Students’ Perspectives

The study explored perceptions of postgraduate distance education students of University of Cape Coast (UCC). Specifically, associations between UCC postgraduate distance students’ characteristics and satisfaction, as well as students’ perceptions of physical facilities, staff-students relationship, facilitator quality, and student support services were examined. Determinants of students’ satisfaction regarding physical facilities, staff-students relationship, facilitator quality, and student support services were also investigated. A census was used for the study, whereby a questionnaire was used to collect data from 125 students. It was revealed that satisfaction was not dependent on age, gender, or programme of study but was significantly related to study centre location and semester of study. The students were generally satisfied with physical facilities, staff-students relationship, and facilitator quality but were unimpressed with student support services. The three domains that students were impressed with were deemed to be determinants of their satisfaction. It was recommended that those aspects of the programme that received satisfactory responses should be maintained but improved on with time. Those aspects with unfavourable responses, on the other hand, were to be critically considered for immediate improvement.

Source: UCC
Postpartum family planning practice among women in Ghana

Postpartum family planning has the potential of contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3, which aims at ensuring quality maternal health, promoting wellbeing for all as well as the consequence of each pregnancy. Using women‟s postpartum family planning framework, the study sought to examine the postpartum family planning uptake. The study used secondary data from the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), (GSS, 2014). Bivariate and multivariate regression models were applied to examine the relationship between background characteristics and postpartum family planning uptake. The results showed that majority of the women were in their extended postpartum period. The proportion of women who were using postpartum family planning were few. However, Brong-Ahafo region recorded the highest prevalence rate. A higher proportion of married women used modern contraceptive type compared to the traditional or folklore. The injectables were the most used contraceptive method. There is statistical relationship between age, marital status, occupation, region, residence and postpartum family planning uptake but not with religion. It is recommended that the various family planning service providers, Ghana Health Service and Ministry of Health should focus education specifically on immediate postpartum contraception since this can help prevent unintended pregnancies within the first six months postpartum and promote initiation of contraception before the return of menses

Source: UCC
Postpartum fertility behaviours and contraceptive use among women in rural Ghana

Background: Although most women would want to wait for more than two years before having another baby, their fertility behaviours during the first year following birth may decrease or increase the length of the birth interval. The objectives of this study were to: assess how protected postpartum women in the Mfantseman municipal were against pregnancy, based on their patterns of amenorrhoea and sexual abstinence; determine the timing of postpartum contraception in relation to amenorrhoea and sexual abstinence; and determine the predictors of postpartum contraceptive use. Methods: This was a prospective study carried out in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central region of Ghana. Out of 1914 women attending antenatal clinic in the municipal within the study period, 1350 agreed to be part of the study to ascertain their postpartum fertility and contraceptive behaviours a year following delivery. These women were traced to their communities using telephone and house numbers provided and only 1003 of the women were finally traced and interviewed. The women were asked about their breastfeeding behaviour, postpartum sexual abstinence, duration of amenorrhoea and postpartum contraceptive use. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 29.9 ± 6.5 years; adolescents constituted the least proportion (3.3%) of the women. More than half (54.1%) of the women had Middle, Junior secondary school or Junior high school education. Most (43.3%) of the women were married by means of traditional rites and more than half (51.4%) of them were petty traders. The mean durations of breastfeeding, amenorrhoea and sexual abstinence were 6.6 ± 2. 8 months, 7.8 ± 3.8 months and 4.4 ± 3.1 months respectively, whilst mean time of first contraceptive uptake was 3. 5 ± 2.7 months postpartum. The time to first use of modern contraceptive method during the postpartum period indicates that about 50% of the women had started use of modern contraceptive methods by 2.7 months postpartum, and occured 0.6 and 3.6 months before sexual relations and resumption of menses respectively. Occupation (likelihood ratio p = 0.013), area of residence (likelihood ratio p = 0.004), mode of delivery (likelihood ratio p < 0.001), breastfeeding (p = 0.024), period since delivery (p < 0.001), preferred number of children (p < 0.001) and parity (p < 0.001) were found to be predictors of postpartum contraceptive use. Conclusion: Postpartum women in the Mfantseman municipal who did not use contraceptives or delayed in the use of contraceptives after birth were least likely to be protected against pregnancy in the post partum period, whilst those who adopted postpartum family planning were likely to be better protected because they were likely to adopt it within the first three months after birth and before the onset of sexual relations and first menses. The predictors of postpartum contraceptive use were breastfeeding pattern, occupation, parity, preferred number of children, period since delivery , place of residence and mode of delivery

Source: UCC
Postpartum fertility behaviours and contraceptive use among women in rural Ghana

Background: Although most women would want to wait for more than two years before having another baby, their fertility behaviours during the first year following birth may decrease or increase the length of the birth interval. The objectives of this study were to: assess how protected postpartum women in the Mfantseman municipal were against pregnancy, based on their patterns of amenorrhoea and sexual abstinence; determine the timing of postpartum contraception in relation to amenorrhoea and sexual abstinence; and determine the predictors of postpartum contraceptive use. Methods: This was a prospective study carried out in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central region of Ghana. Out of 1914 women attending antenatal clinic in the municipal within the study period, 1350 agreed to be part of the study to ascertain their postpartum fertility and contraceptive behaviours a year following delivery. These women were traced to their communities using telephone and house numbers provided and only 1003 of the women were finally traced and interviewed. The women were asked about their breastfeeding behaviour, postpartum sexual abstinence, duration of amenorrhoea and postpartum contraceptive use. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 29.9 ± 6.5 years; adolescents constituted the least proportion (3.3%) of the women. More than half (54.1%) of the women had Middle, Junior secondary school or Junior high school education. Most (43.3%) of the women were married by means of traditional rites and more than half (51.4%) of them were petty traders. The mean durations of breastfeeding, amenorrhoea and sexual abstinence were 6.6 ± 2. 8 months, 7.8 ± 3.8 months and 4.4 ± 3.1 months respectively, whilst mean time of first contraceptive uptake was 3. 5 ± 2.7 months postpartum. The time to first use of modern contraceptive method during the postpartum period indicates that about 50% of the women had started use of modern contraceptive methods by 2.7 months postpartum, and occured 0.6 and 3.6 months before sexual relations and resumption of menses respectively. Occupation (likelihood ratio p = 0.013), area of residence (likelihood ratio p = 0.004), mode of delivery (likelihood ratio p < 0.001), breastfeeding (p = 0.024), period since delivery (p < 0.001), preferred number of children (p < 0.001) and parity (p < 0.001) were found to be predictors of postpartum contraceptive use. Conclusion: Postpartum women in the Mfantseman municipal who did not use contraceptives or delayed in the use of contraceptives after birth were least likely to be protected against pregnancy in the post partum period, whilst those who adopted postpartum family planning were likely to be better protected because they were likely to adopt it within the first three months after birth and before the onset of sexual relations and first menses. The predictors of postpartum contraceptive use were breastfeeding pattern, occupation, parity, preferred number of children, period since delivery, place of residence and mode of delivery.

Source: UCC
The potassium status of soils and its absorption by cassava in selected farms in the Central Region

Potassium (K) plays an outstanding role in plants and animals. Cassava, a widely grown staple in Ghana is noted for extracting large amounts of K from the soil. Cassava’s ability to absorb K from the soil is worth studying as it is vital for sustainable production and biofortification. The study was conducted to assess cassava’s ability to absorb K under fertilized and unfertilized systems. Two cassava genotypes, Cape Vars and Botan were grown under different fertilizer treatments; a control, NPK and NPK + KCl in a randomized complete block design. A survey was also undertaken to assess the K status of some cassava farms and cassava tuber produced on such soils in the Central region of Ghana. Composite soil samples were taken at a depth of 0 – 30 cm and analysed for exchangeable and non-exchangeable K. Aside these, the study also compared the extractability of exchangeable K by Nitric Acid, Ammonium Acetate and Calcium Chloride in soils cultivated to cassava. The outcomes of the study revealed that most cassava farms have low levels of exchangeable K (0.76 – 0.06 cmolc kg-1) likewise the K content of cassava tuber produced from them (0.84% - 0.61%). A significant increase in K content of tubers was however observed in cassava that was treated with NPK + KCl fertilizer (1.13% - 0.86%). Cassava tuber yield also saw a significant increase with the highest yield (20.5 t ha-1) produced from NPK + KCl plots. The study also revealed that Cape Vars variety has a greater ability to absorb K in both fertilized and unfertilized soils. NH4OAc, HNO3 and CaCl2 extracted 0.21, 0.64 and 0.23 cmolc kg-1 exchangeable K respectively. However, CaCl2 – K was found to be more predictive of the K status of cassava soils. The study recommends the sensitization of cassava farmers on fertilizer application as well as a further research into cassava’s ability to absorb K in marginal soils.

Source: UCC
Potential impacts of free trade areas and common currency on sustainable agricultural export in Africa

This study probes the potential impacts of free trade areas and common currency in fostering agricultural export based on data from 45 countries in Africa from 1996 to 2018. The main concern is to determine whether exogenous events like becoming a member of Arab Maghreb (AMU), Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CS-SS), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), East African Community (EAC), Economic Community of Central African States, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Southern African Development Community (SADC) or becoming a member of African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) can potentially accentuate agricultural export. From the main finding, there is evidence that membership becoming membership to AMU, CS-SS, AMU, CEN-SAD, COMESA, EAC, ECCAS, ECOWAS, IGAD or part of SADC has a positive marginal impact on agricultural export, its influence is not immediate. Also, the positive marginal impact on agricultural export for becoming a member of AFCFTA continues to decline after 1 or 2 years than the current year. Common currency and economic growth have a positive marginal impact on agricultural export for the period covered by the study

Source: UCC
Potential non-edible oil feedstock for biodiesel production in Africa: A survey

Africa is a continent full of untapped natural resources ranging from biodiversity to vast water bodies but faced with food and energy crises. Prices of fuel are also escalating. With researchers and experts scrambling for the solution, biodiesel from vegetable oil will receive more attention. But the edible feedstock as the obvious cheapest choice will not be sustainable enough for the increasing energy and food demand; hence, there is a need for guaranteed feedstock. This study was therefore undertaken to explore feedstock that would not be suitable for food but useful for biodiesel in Africa. Among the highlight areas of the study include current energy situation in Africa, technologies of biodiesel production, current state of biodiesel in Africa, driving forces for increase in biodiesel production, current existing problems of biodiesel commercialization, potential benefits of biodiesel processes, need for non-edible oil plants, potential non-edible biodiesel feedstock, biology, distribution and chemistry of the selected non-edible oil plants. The study also throws light on the implication of biodiesel on the environment and the outlook. From the study, the use of non-edible oils can be guaranteed as sustainable feedstock for biodiesel since most of the non-edible plants can be grown on wastelands to reclaim them, not compete with food crops for limited lands, are relatively cheap, available and offer similar or even higher yields of biodiesel and fuel properties as the edibles. Developing biodiesel industry in Africa can help curb the high rate of unemployment through job creation as well as increase in income level of the rural populace. Weaning African economies from oil import dependencies could also be an economic achievement. It can be deduced from the study that there are promising non-edible oil resources in the system for biodiesel industrialization in Africa

Source: UCC
Potential of chiral solvents for enantioselective crystallization. 1. evaluation of thermodynamic effects

It can be expected that a chiral solvent possesses a certain potential to discriminate between two enantiomers by creating specific weak interactions and forming disastereomeric complexes which have different physical properties. Thus, for chiral solvents, there might be an asymmetry in the solubility phase diagrams that could be employed for resolution purposes. In this work, investigations were carried out to identify appropriate chiral solvents for the discrimination of enantiomers with the aid of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The 1H NMR and Raman spectra results of mandelic acid in the chiral solvents did not show any significant chiral recognition. The effect of (S)-ethyl lactate and (2R, 3R)-diethyl tartrate on solubility was examined by measuring the ternary phase diagrams of mandelic acid and N-methylephedrine. The phase diagrams determined at different temperatures were symmetric indicating again that the used chiral solvents have less or no influence on the thermodynamics of solution. However, in additional experiments, it was found that there can be significant differences in the nucleation behavior of the two enantiomers in a chiral solvent7P

Source: UCC
The potential of farmer field school in cocoa extension delivery: a Ghanaian case study

The potential of Farmer Field School (FFS) as an extension approach in Africa is still evolving, with limited empirical evidence. Cocoa FFSs have been introduced in Ghana by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) since 2006, and are still being experimented with by COCOBOD and NGOs. But, little is known about its effects on farmers to inform COOBOD’s quest to mainstream and support it. This study, therefore, ascertains the potential of the FFS in terms of its effectiveness and impact on livelihoods of cocoa farmers in Ghana. Using a retrospective comparison design, a survey was conducted on beneficiaries of cocoa FFS in the Mpohor Wassa East District of the Western Region of Ghana. The case study found that the FFS was effective in facilitating farmers' acquisition of knowledge in all cocoa technologies practiced under the FFS. The participant farmers perceived their yields to have increased significantly up to 79%, and their household livelihoods improved due to the FFS. It was also perceived to have improved all capital assets of the farmers, with human capital being the most affected. The best predictors of impact on the livelihoods of the cocoa farmers in FFS were mirid control practices (40.7%), followed by training and extension methods (7.4%). It can be concluded from this case study that FFS can be an effective tool for cocoa extension in Ghana based on the confidence the study farmers have shown regarding its ability to improve farmer competence, yields, and household livelihoods

Source: UCC
The Potential of Foodservice Operations at Visitor Attractions in Ghana

The success of a tourist attraction embeds in the provision of foodservice facilities that has the potential to offer the visitor experiences demanded at the sites. In an attempt to explore the relationships between visitor attractions and foodservice in Ghana, this paper provides evidences from an investigation conducted at six selected visitor attractions at various destinations. Due to the paucity of published data on the concept under investigation, this study included two phases: qualitative followed up with a quantitative research. However, the second one, which was based on a survey involving international and domestic visitors (528), is the main focus of this paper. The information gathered in phase one informed the design for the visitors’ survey, whose data were analyzed through the Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS). Findings from the study showed a high demand for foodservices at all attractions. Collaborations among formally trained staff and informal or traditional foodservice outlets to develop local cuisines at visitor attractions offer the potential to positively support the tourism industry in Ghana as well as those of other African countries seeking to develop the tourism sectors of their economies. This paper may also be of interest to the relevant and international bodies such as UNWTO, UNDP, and UNEP who seek to promote the development of sustainable practices.

Source: UCC
The potential of soya oil and egg-yolk as sources of fat in beef sausages

A study was conducted to assess the effects of less-saturated fats [Egg yolk (EY) and soya oil (SO)] on characteristics and acceptability of beef sausages. Each of the fats was incorporated in beef sausages at three levels (5%, 10% and 15%), and compared with products formulated with only lean beef (Control). Fresh boneless beef was obtained and thoroughly trimmed of excess visible fats, and then minced. The minced beef was divided into portions of 4kg, and were randomly assigned to the fats. The fats were then mixed with the minced meats and allowed 15 minutes for the meat to absorb the fat. The products were formulated and evaluated for their sensory characteristics using BSI (1993) method, and storability by laboratory analyses. Addition of both fats up to 15% improved (P<O.OOl) tenderness and juiciness of the products. Increasing levels of EY caused a weakening of the product's flavour intensity, had no effect (P>0.05) on flavour liking and reduced acceptability of the EY3 products. Increasing levels of SO improved (P<O.OOl) flavour intensity, flavour liking and overall acceptability of the products. Both fats increased the unsaturated fatty acid contents of the products but had no significant (P>0.05) effect on product storability. Comparatively, inclusion of SO up to 15% in beef sausages was preferred (P<O.OOl)to that of EY.SO could be used up to 15% in beef sausages for improved sensory characteristics and acceptability

Source: UCC
Potential of termite mounds and its surrounding soils as soil amendments in smallholder farms in central Uganda

Objectives: The low fertility of highly weathered soils has been a major problem for resource-constrained smallholder farmers. In central Uganda, smallholder farmers have been collecting termite mound soils anywhere around the termite mound to improve their soil fertility. However, no studies have been conducted on which sections of the termite mounds consist of high soil nutrients. This study was conducted to assess selected major soil essential plant nutrients of soils collected from the top of the mound (TPMS), and the basal part of the mound (BPMS). The surrounding soil samples were collected from five, fifteen, and thirty meters away from the mound (TMSS1, TMSS2, and TMSS3 respectively), covering ten termite mounds in five different maize fields in central Uganda. Results: TPMS and BPMS had significant (P-value < 0.05) higher N, P, K, OC, Ca and Mg levels than TMSS1, TMSS2, and TMSS3. However, OC levels in BPMS was higher than TPMS. On the whole, termite mounds are beneficial as a source for essential plant nutrients. It will be best if smallholder farmers could collect the termite mound soils from the top and the basal part of the mound to improve the fertility of their soil. Keywords: Nutrient index, Surrounding soil, Chemical properties

Source: UCC
Potential production of biodiesel from green microalgae

This work involves the study of the potential production of biodiesel from green microalgae. The green microalgae were cultured and treated with different nutrient concentrations of 0, 0.175, 0.35, 2 and 4 g in the laboratory where they were later centrifuged. he 4 g treatment had the highest growth of 0.186 cell/h, followed by the 2 g treatment of 0.151 cell/h within 24 h. he 0, 0.175 and 0.35 g had similar growth rates which were lower than the 4 and 2 g. Oil was extracted from the centrifuged cultured algae sample and the raw algae sample using hexane via Soxhlet extractor. he total oil extracted from 15 g of the centrifuged sample dry biomass and 30 g of the raw sample dry biomass were 2.038 and 3.826 g, giving a yield of 13.6 and 12.8%, respectively. he amounts of hexane recovered from the centrifuged sample and the raw sample were 46.67 and 53.33%, respectively. he results suggest hexane can be used to extract algal oil which can be transesterifed to biodiesel which is more environmentally friendly than fossil diesels

Source: UCC