ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Yield of plantain alley cropped with Leucaena leucocephala and Flemingia macrophylla in Kumasi, Ghana

The decline in yield of plantain has partly been attributed to inadequate soil moisture and pests, particularly nematodes. The objectives of the study therefore were to determine the effect of mulch from Leucaena leucocephala and Flemingia macrophylla (Willd.) Merr. grown as hedgerows on (i) soil moisture and temperature (ii) growth and yield of plantain and (iii) pathogenic nematode populations. The study was conducted from 1991 to 1994 in Kumasi, Ghana. Treatments comprised of leguminous plants, L. leucocephala and F. macrophylla, and a control (no leguminous plants), arranged in a randomised complete block design with four replications. The leguminous plants were planted in 1991 while the plantain was planted in 1992. Results indicated that the highest biomass yield was produced by F. macrophylla. Mulching with prunings of F. macrophylla resulted in significantly (P < 0.05) higher retention of soil moisture and lower soil temperatures than mulching with prunings of L. leucocephala. Growth of plantain determined by plant height, leaf production, pseudostem girth and yield were significantly greater in F. macrophylla mulched plots than L. leucocephala treatment and control plots where no mulch was applied. Plant parasitic nematodes isolated were Meloidogyne spp., Pratylenchus spp., Paratylenchus spp., Helicotylenchus spp., and Rotylenchus spp. Three years after planting of hedgerows, significantly (P < 0.05) higher populations of Meloidogyne spp. (367 per 100 g soil), Paratylenchus spp. (92 per 100 g soil), Helicotylenchus spp. (8 per 100 g soil), and Rotylenchus spp. (308 per 100 g soil) were associated with L. leucocephala hedgerow than with Flemingia macrophylla hedgerow (42.0, 83.0 per 100 g soil) and the control (74.50, 41.0 per 100 g soil). F. macrophylla has qualities that suppress nematode populations. The results clearly indicated the superiority of Flemingia macrophylla over Leucaena leucocephala as much for plantain production.

Source: UG
Yield of scarlet eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L.) as influenced by planting date of companion cowpea

Growth and fruit yield of scarlet eggplant were examined under intercropping with an erect and semi-spreading early maturing cultivars of cowpea in an additive intercropping model with scarlet eggplant as the main crop, in two dry seasons, under irrigation. Cowpea was planted simultaneously with scarlet eggplant, 2 and 4 weeks ahead of scarlet eggplant. Land equivalent ratio (LER) of the intercrops ranged from 1.38 to 1.94, indicating that the intercrops were more productive than the pure crops. Reduction in fruit yield of the main crop, when intercropped with the semi-spreading cowpea cultivar was significantly (p < 0.01) greater than with the erect cowpea cultivar. Simultaneous planting of cowpea and scarlet eggplant produced 90-99% the fruit yield of sole scarlet eggplant, while planting cowpea 2 and 4 weeks ahead produced 65-80% and 58-60% of sole crop yield, respectively. Competition between component crops was however most favourable for both cultivars of cowpea when planted 2 weeks ahead of scarlet eggplant. Planting cowpea 2 weeks ahead of the main crop also produced the highest LER most likely due to more efficient utilization of sunlight, water and soil nutrients. Simultaneously planting cowpea and transplanting scarlet eggplant, is recommended for such additive intercropping system, aimed at full yield of scarlet eggplant with additional cowpea for food, income or fodder. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Source: UG
Yield performance stability of adapted and improved cowpea in the Equatoria region of South Sudan

Cowpea is an important food crop with high nutritional and socio-economical values in South Sudan. However, the lack of improved varieties is one of the main production constraints. This study was undertaken to assess the yield stability performance of improved cowpea genotypes across six environments in South Sudan in 2014 and 2015. Nine genotypes were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Genotype and genotype x environment biplot analysis method was used to determine yield stability. Highly significant (p< 0.001) genotype x environment interaction effect was detected for seed yield. IT90K-277-2 had the highest while ACC004 had the lowest grain yield. Palotaka was as highly discriminating and repeatable environment compare to the other testing sites. IT07K-211-1-8 and Mading Bor II were the most responsive genotypes, while IT90K-277-2 was the most stable high yielding genotype across the test environments and can be grown by farmers across the region

Source: UG
Yield potential of upland rice varieties under reproductive-stage drought and optimal water regimes in Nigeria

The goal of most rice improvement programs is the enhancement of farmers’ yield using less land and limited water. This study evaluated 77 upland rice genotypes under optimal upland growing conditions in the field and ranked the genotypes using base indices. Subsequently, eighteen cultivars selected from the field trial were screened under drought in rainout-shelter conditions. The traits evaluated for index selection were yield, days to flowering, plant height, number of panicles and filled grains. Under field conditions, based on the sum of economic weight assigned to five traits used to compute the selection index, IR 68704-145-1-1-B and IR 63380-16 were the best genotypes. In the rainout-shelter experiment, Ofada 2 (508 gm ⁻² ) had the highest grain yield under non-stress conditions while ITA 117 (152.38 gm ⁻² ) had the highest grain yield under drought stress. The base index was efficient for selecting superior genotypes with the best combination for all the traits considered. Susceptibility to drought stress of the landraces leads to poor grain yield.

Source: UG
The Yogi and the Devotee The Interplay between the Upanishad and Catholic Theology

The present book is an expansion of lectures which I gave at St Stephen's College, in the University of Delhi, in December, 1964. A shortened version of these lectures was delivered at Bishop's College, Calcutta, towards Christmas of that year. The lectures were the Westcott Lectures for 1964 under the Teape Foundation. I am deeply grateful for the honour given to me in being elected to do this. I am also deeply grateful to a number of people for their hospitality and helpfulness. At the time when I went to Delhi, the Principal of St Stephen's College was recovering from a major illness, and was unable to come to the lectures. For this reason they were recorded, so that he could listen to them in his home. Thus he is the main cause of their publication, for a transcript of them was sent to me, and from this transcript I have derived the substance of the book. However, it should be made clear that I have considerably added to and revised what I said, so that those who were good enough to attend the lectures would probably find that the material is very different from what they heard. Nevertheless, everything that is written here is in essence an expression of the thoughts which I attempted to convey then. I am, then, grateful to Dr Sircar, the Principal: though I would have wished that it were not his illness which gave occasion to the present book. The then Acting Principal and Mrs Shankland kindly invited me to stay in their house during my period in Delhi, and I look back with pleasure to the excellence and goodness with which they looked after me. There were many others too on the staff of St Stephen's who welcomed me, and kept me busy with friendly disputation. I would like also to mention Professor N. V. Banerjee, retired from the Philosophy Department at Delhi University, who discussed many things with me at the time, and whose cheerful acumen made me see the inadequacy of so much that I said. In Calcutta, I was the guest of Canon Sambayya. He and his wife, together with the rest of the staff of Bishop's College, were most kind. Less so, the brother-in-law of one of the staff, whose bowling in the nets was far too good for me.

Source: UG
“You are quite funny paa!”: A corpus-based study of borrowed discourse-pragmatic features in Ghanaian English

This study explores six borrowed discourse-pragmatic features – koraa/kraa, saa, paa, yoo, wai/wae, and waa, which are borrowed from indigenous Ghanaian languages into Ghanaian English, in order to investigate their sources, meanings, frequencies, positioning, syntactic distribution, collocational patterns, and discourse-pragmatic functions. The data, which are obtained from the Ghanaian components of the International Corpus of English, the corpus of Global Web-based English, and News on the Web corpus are analysed within a postcolonial corpus pragmatic framework. The results show that most of the discourse-pragmatic features occur in clause-final position and are usually attached to declaratives. Koraa/kraa, paa, and saa function as emphasis pragmatic markers and emotive interjections, yoo as attention, agreement, and emphasis pragmatic markers, waa as an attention marker, emphasis pragmatic marker, and emotive interjection, and wai as a mitigation and interrogative marker. Thus, the paper highlights the contributions of indigenous Ghanaian languages to the discourse-pragmatic aspects of Ghanaian English.

Source: UG
“You cannot rely on bank loans to expand your business”: aversion to formal credit among female micro-entrepreneurs in Ghana

Purpose – The marginalisation of female entrepreneurs in accessing credit is well documented. Yet, how female entrepreneurs navigate through the marginalisation to gain funding is under-explored. Design/methodology/approach – The authors address this gap using qualitative data from 30 female entrepreneurs in three neighbourhoods with varying socio-economic characteristics in Ghana’s capital, Accra. Findings – The authors find a marked aversion to bank loans among respondents. Consequently, they nurtured trust in their social circles in order to facilitate access to informal credit from internal (e.g. family and friends) and external (e.g. trade credit, associations and religious organisations) sources. This aversion to loans from formal financial institutions (FFIs) had a socio-cultural aspect, including cumbersome application procedures, a deep-rooted fear of the social consequences of defaulting and religious prohibition against interest payment for Islamic traders. Social implications – This paper shows that providing formal access to credit is not enough to support women’s entrepreneurship if the socio-cultural factors inhibiting women’s access to credit from FFIs are not addressed. Originality/value – The findings suggest that trust is an important factor that bridges the gap in female entrepreneurs’ access to funding given their heavy reliance on informal sources of funding.

Source: UG
Young child feeding practices and child nutritional status in rural Ghana

A study was conducted in the Manya Krobo district of Ghana with the objective of studying young child feeding practices and child nutrition situation in the area. The study was a cross-sectional survey involving 400 mothers with young children between 0 and 18 months. A combination of methods, including structured interviews using questionnaire, dietary assessment and anthropometry, was used to collect data for the study. The data obtained were analysed using spss version 10 in Windows. Means and standard deviations were generated for continuous variables and frequency distribution for categorical variables. The results revealed that although breastfeeding rates were high (97%), complementary feeding practices were less than ideal with as many as 14% of the children being introduced to complementary foods below the age of 3 months. The nutritional quality of complementary foods were poor and the prevalence of stunting among the children was high (20%). For adequate complementary feeding and improved child nutrition in this population, nutrition education intervention programmes aimed at improving nutrient intake among young children, through improved diet diversity and increased use of local foods rich in iron and other nutrients, need to be undertaken. © 2017 Wiley. All rights reserved.

Source: UG
Young migrants on the move: Ethics and methods of conducting qualitative research ‘in the moment’

Qualitative forms of enquiry offer valuable opportunities to generate rich data that deepens our understandings of contemporary social issues, such as migration. Qualitative methods are often championed for enabling the engagement of so-called hard-to-reach or vulnerable groups in research and through using techniques that support the building of research relationships and rap port with participants. However, possibilities for building rapport can be problematic in contexts of flux and precarity. In this paper, we reflect on (and problematise) our decision-making in rela tion to the ethics and methods of a qualitative study exploring the livelihoods of young African migrants in Ghana. Our reflections highlight the challenges of investigating youth mobilities, includ ing how frequent movements influence the generation of in-depth data with young people occu pying precarious circumstances. Capturing data ‘in the moment’ challenged us to rethink our approaches, offering alternative ways to conduct a qualitative enquiry with young people frequently on the move.

Source: UG
The young people and agriculture ‘problem’ in Africa

In introducing this collection of articles we argue that policy framing and policy responses to the ‘problem’ of young people and agriculture in Africa are hampered by a lack of research and evidence that is theoretically and historically informed, conceptually sound and context sensitive. The result is policy that is well intentioned, but unlikely to address the underlying social or agricultural concerns. To address this we outline a research agenda that places the notion of ‘opportunity space’ at centre stage. We suggest that an analysis of the changing structure of opportunity space for young people in agriculture and agri-food in the context of broader agrarian transitions will be particularly useful. Social difference as it affects young people's ability to exploit the agri-food opportunity space must be central to this analysis.

Source: UG
The Young People and Agriculture ‘Problem’ in Africa

In introducing this collection we argue that policy framing and policy responses to the ‘problem’ of young people and agriculture in Africa are hampered by a lack of research and evidence that is theoretically and historically informed, conceptually sound and context sensitive. The result is policy that is good intentioned, but unlikely to address the underlying social or agricultural concerns. To address this we outline a research agenda that places the notion of ‘opportunity space’ at centre stage. We suggest that an analysis of the changing structure of opportunity space for young people in agriculture and agrifood in the context of broader agrarian transitions will be particularly useful. Social difference as it affects young people’s ability to exploit the agrifood opportunity space must be central to this analysis.

Source: UG
Young people and gambling in sub-Saharan Africa: towards a critical research agenda

Recent decades have seen gambling become a highly lucrative industry across sub-Saharan Africa. Fuelled by the democratisation of access to digital finance and internet technologies, this gambling boom has been concentrated in Africa’s urban economies, where expanding youth populations are increasingly connected to global circuits of sport, popu lar culture and speculative forms of consumption. This has engendered growing interest in gambling as a distinct and emerging field of academic enquiry across sub-Saharan Africa. To date, psychiatric, epidemiological and behavioural sciences have provided the dominant frame for measuring the extent of ‘problem gambling’ and addiction, but there remains the need to expand and diversify the field to encompass more critical and interdisciplinary approaches that recognise gambling as a densely significant social and cultural phenomenon. This article aims to provide a point of departure for a critical research agenda on the differentiated impacts of gambling on young people and their communities across the continent.

Source: UG
Young People and Policy Narratives in sub -Saharan Africa

Both agriculture and young people are high on African development agendas. African governments, through the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme, (CAADP) have agreed to commit at least ten percent of their budgets to agriculture with the goal of a six percent growth in the sector. By the end of 2010, 22 governments had prepared and signed regional compacts setting out a strategy and investment plan for agricultural development (IFPRI 2010). Greater attention on African agriculture is also reflected in an increased aid policy focus (de Janvry and Sadoulet 2012). The underlying rationale is to increase productivity across agro-industry so that agriculture can play its historic role as an ‘engine’ of economic growth in the transition to more industrialised economies. Interest in agriculture has been further heightened by the food, fuel and financial crises and the knock-on effects on both rural producers and consumers. There are concerns too about the impacts of the crises on young people, and in African policy agendas this is reflected in increased attention to high rates o f youth unemployment and underemployment.

Source: UG
Young People's Aspirations in Agriculture: A Case Study of Ghana's Cocoa Sector

Our paper1 considers the question of young people‘s aspirations in agriculture in light of the renewed interest in the agricultural sector as a viable basis for development in sub-Saharan Africa and the perception that young people‘s involvement is important for the success of this project. Life choices and outcomes are affected in part by aspirations. The nature and formation of young people‘s aspirations therefore have direct implications for emerging visions and future models of agriculture to the extent that young people‘s aspirations inform the choices they make in regards to agriculture. Recent research presents aspiration formation as a dynamic process, developing within and influenced by the context in which a person lives. This context encompasses personal beliefs, societal expectations, educational and other life opportunities and constraints, among many others. The literature presents two main ways of conceptualising aspirations. First are concepts of aspirations that embody some component of reality: that is, what people expect to achieve (see MacBrayne, 1987). Second are aspirations as ‗hopes and dreams‘ and thus distinct from expectations rooted in reality (Morrison Guterman and Akerman, 2008; Quaglia and Cobb, 1996, among others. See Leavy and Smith, 2010, for a review). Our study took a broad view of aspirations, asking young people in rural Ghana what they want to do in the future and whether cocoa farming would feature in those plans. Some plans were immediate and realistic (for example, farming now to get money to learn a trade), while others were long-term and perhaps less likely for our sample of young people (for example, obtaining a university degree and subsequently securing a white collar job).

Source: UG
Young people’s attitudes towards wife beating: Analysis of the Ghana demographic and health survey 2014

Introduction Intimate Partner Violence is a global public health problem. Attitude towards wife-beating is a major determinant of both intimate partner violence perpetration and victimization. How ever, little is known about the attitudes of Ghanaian young people towards wife-beating. The objectives of this study were to assess young people’s attitudes towards wife-beating, and identify salient factors influencing young people’s acceptance of wife-beating. Methods Data used in this study were obtained from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Sur vey. The survey was nationally representative and provides estimates for population and health indicators across the former ten regions of Ghana, including rural and urban areas. Data were analyzed with Stata/SE version 16. Results We found that 32% of young women and 19% of young men accepted wife-beating. Among young women, acceptance of wife-beating was significantly influenced by younger age, wealth index, low educational status, religion, the region of residence, ethnicity, frequency of reading newspaper and frequency of listening to radio (p < 0.05). Among young men, acceptance of wife-beating was significantly influenced by wealth index, the region of resi dence and frequency of reading newspaper (p < 0.05). Conclusion This study demonstrates that a substantial proportion of young people in Ghana accept wife-beating. Young women were more likely to accept wife-beating compared to young men. Acceptance of wife-beating was influenced by socio-demographic and behavioral fac tors. Efforts to end violence against women and girls in Ghana should focus on promoting girl education, economic empowerment of women and public education on laws that prohibit Intimate Partner Violence.

Source: UG
Young people’s involvement in migration research – opportunities for (re)shaping research priorities and practices

Young people are frequently involved in research about their own lives and their con tributions to the shaping of research priorities increasingly valued. Recently, young people’s participation in research has been extended to advisory group roles including supporting the planning, design and delivery of projects. Such involvement marks an important shift towards valuing young people’s views on how research should be conducted and is often required as part of research funding processes. In this article, we explore the value and contribution of young people’s involvement in a research project focusing on the livelihoods of young migrants in Ghana and the related possibilities for empowerment. Our collaborations remind us of the pitfalls of working from an adult centric lens, and how this may inadvertently contribute to the reproduction of adult ways of understanding young lives. Here, our project Young Person Advisory Group members share their experiences of being youth advisors – highlighting both challenges and opportunities for young people’s meaningful involvement in research.

Source: UG
Young people’s perspectives on farming in Ghana: a Q study

An emerging orthodoxy suggests that agriculture is the key to addressing the youth employment challenge in Africa. The analysis that informs this orthodoxy identifies a number of persistent barriers to increased productivity; and the programmes that work to get young people engaged with agriculture make assumptions about the young people’s interests and behaviours. In this paper we report results from a study with secondary students in Ghana using Q Methodology. The objective was to determine to what degree the students’ perspectives were aligned with the main tenants of the emerging orthodoxy. Results show that different perspectives on the two questions (What explains young people’s attitude toward farming? What should be done about young people and farming?) can be identified. There are a number of points of convergence between the students’ perspectives and the new orthodoxy. However, two important points of divergence were also identified, and the impications of these are discussed.

Source: UG